Living cells say: Can you hear me now?
Researchers find that cells’ chemical signaling includes a way to tell whether signals are being received or not.
Search Stories
Exploring the inner workings of materials
From concrete to cancer cells, Van Vliet brings an engineer’s mindset to the study of biology and materials.
Highly efficient oxygen catalyst found
New catalyst, made of inexpensive and abundant materials, could prove useful in rechargeable batteries and hydrogen-fuel production.
‘Conserve, conserve, conserve’
A megawatt saved is better than a megawatt made, and there are plenty of ways to save energy without sacrifice.
Harnessing the Earth, the atom and the leaf
There are many sources that can make a contribution to our energy supply, but likely not at a major scale in the near future.
How to get the message across on climate change
As the science of climate change gets clearer, the public gets more confused. Are there ways to fix that?
Shining brightly
Vast amounts of solar energy radiate to the Earth constantly, but tapping that energy cost-effectively remains a challenge.
Where the wind blows
How far can wind power go toward reducing global carbon emissions from electricity production?
What can make a dent?
Given the enormous scale of worldwide energy use, there are limited options for achieving significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
A new approach to solar power
Hybrid solar-thermoelectric systems could provide advantages over conventional solar cells or solar thermal plants.
Bristly particles could be boon for powerplants
Multi-scale material may have applications in heat transfer, potentially helping powerplants be more efficient.
Everybody’s a winner
Automatic window-shading invention tops a strong field of entries in materials competition.
Graphene shows unusual thermoelectric response to light
Finding could lead to new photodetectors or energy-harvesting devices.
Classes and academic research help launch companies
A variety of course offerings are devoted to spurring new ventures.