Science News for Kids » Atoms & Forces http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org Publication of the Society for Science & the Public Thu, 23 May 2013 17:00:53 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 Light dancing on glass http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/05/new-type-of-material-lets-light-travel-across-its-surface-without-interruption/ http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/05/new-type-of-material-lets-light-travel-across-its-surface-without-interruption/#comments Wed, 15 May 2013 16:33:28 +0000 Stephen Ornes http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/?p=17065 This image, taken with a powerful microscope, shows tiny, individual crystals of bismuth telluride. A new structure made from this material lets light travel easily and without interruption along its surface. Credit: A13ean/Wikipedia

New type of material lets light travel across its surface without interruption]]> This image, taken with a powerful microscope, shows tiny, individual crystals of bismuth telluride. A new structure made from this material lets light travel easily and without interruption along its surface. Credit: A13ean/Wikipedia

New type of material lets light travel across its surface without interruption]]> http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/05/new-type-of-material-lets-light-travel-across-its-surface-without-interruption/feed/ 0 Sound cloak http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/04/new-device-hides-objects-from-sonar/ http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/04/new-device-hides-objects-from-sonar/#comments Mon, 15 Apr 2013 02:20:35 +0000 Stephen Ornes http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/?p=16452 Caption: This strange-looking cage can hide an object inside it from being detected by sound waves. Credit: L. Sanchis et al

New device hides objects from sonar ]]> Caption: This strange-looking cage can hide an object inside it from being detected by sound waves. Credit: L. Sanchis et al

New device hides objects from sonar ]]> http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/04/new-device-hides-objects-from-sonar/feed/ 0 Building a better battery http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/04/building-a-better-battery/ http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/04/building-a-better-battery/#comments Mon, 08 Apr 2013 17:00:43 +0000 Sid Perkins http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/?p=16354 Researchers designed a way to make better batteries using supersmall sulfur particles coated with titanium dioxide. Credit: Seh et al., Nature Communications (2013)

Researchers develop a way to make batteries that hold more charge and don’t weaken with age]]> Researchers designed a way to make better batteries using supersmall sulfur particles coated with titanium dioxide. Credit: Seh et al., Nature Communications (2013)

Researchers develop a way to make batteries that hold more charge and don’t weaken with age]]> http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/04/building-a-better-battery/feed/ 0 A plant enemy’s enemy http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/04/a-plant-enemys-enemy/ http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/04/a-plant-enemys-enemy/#comments Wed, 03 Apr 2013 20:52:04 +0000 Jill Richardson http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/?p=16267 When eaten by caterpillars, some plants can emit chemicals that signal the help of special wasps. Once called, a wasp lays its egg inside a caterpillar. Credit: Ted Turlings

Plants use chemicals to recruit help in fighting off pests]]> When eaten by caterpillars, some plants can emit chemicals that signal the help of special wasps. Once called, a wasp lays its egg inside a caterpillar. Credit: Ted Turlings

Plants use chemicals to recruit help in fighting off pests]]> http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/04/a-plant-enemys-enemy/feed/ 0 Feeling the invisible http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/02/feeling-the-invisible/ http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/02/feeling-the-invisible/#comments Mon, 18 Feb 2013 21:51:45 +0000 Sid Perkins http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/?p=15743 A rat with an infrared-detecting sensor wired into its brain soon learned that it could find water at a door marked with an invisible infrared light. Credit: Thomson et al., Nature Communications (2013)

Sensor wired into a rat’s brain lets it detect light it can’t see]]> A rat with an infrared-detecting sensor wired into its brain soon learned that it could find water at a door marked with an invisible infrared light. Credit: Thomson et al., Nature Communications (2013)

Sensor wired into a rat’s brain lets it detect light it can’t see]]> http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/02/feeling-the-invisible/feed/ 0 A smarter scan http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/02/a-smarter-scan/ http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/02/a-smarter-scan/#comments Tue, 05 Feb 2013 13:35:08 +0000 Stephen Ornes http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/?p=15537 Tiny patterns cut into this narrow copper strip filter microwaves. This new, simple technology makes it possible to take digital pictures faster, with less computer time required. And it could be used to help make airport scanners smarter, faster and cheaper. Credit: J. Hunt/Duke

Scientists introduce a cheap and smart new device that gathers data in a flash]]> Tiny patterns cut into this narrow copper strip filter microwaves. This new, simple technology makes it possible to take digital pictures faster, with less computer time required. And it could be used to help make airport scanners smarter, faster and cheaper. Credit: J. Hunt/Duke

Scientists introduce a cheap and smart new device that gathers data in a flash]]> http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/02/a-smarter-scan/feed/ 0 Secret signals http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/01/secret-signals/ http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/01/secret-signals/#comments Wed, 16 Jan 2013 01:40:20 +0000 Roberta Kwok http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/?p=15339 Chemicals called pheromones act as messengers between individuals. Many plants and animals — including squid — respond to such secret chemical signals. Credit: Roger T. Hanlon

Animals respond to chemical messages they may not even realize they’re swapping]]> Chemicals called pheromones act as messengers between individuals. Many plants and animals — including squid — respond to such secret chemical signals. Credit: Roger T. Hanlon

Animals respond to chemical messages they may not even realize they’re swapping]]> http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2013/01/secret-signals/feed/ 0 Cool Jobs: Crime scene investigators http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2012/12/cool-jobs-crime-scene-investigators/ http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2012/12/cool-jobs-crime-scene-investigators/#comments Wed, 05 Dec 2012 21:29:25 +0000 Sid Perkins http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/?p=15019 The dead do tell tales — if experts care to listen. Forensic anthropologist William Bass arranges a display of how a person’s bones change year by year as we age. This information can help identify a crime victim when little else is known. Credit: University of Tennessee, Knoxville

These researchers don’t miss a clue]]> The dead do tell tales — if experts care to listen. Forensic anthropologist William Bass arranges a display of how a person’s bones change year by year as we age. This information can help identify a crime victim when little else is known. Credit: University of Tennessee, Knoxville

These researchers don’t miss a clue]]> http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2012/12/cool-jobs-crime-scene-investigators/feed/ 0 Helium: Not so super after all http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2012/11/helium-not-so-super-after-all/ http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2012/11/helium-not-so-super-after-all/#comments Fri, 02 Nov 2012 14:00:11 +0000 Stephen Ornes http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/?p=14628 As a gas, helium glows yellow-pink when an electric current is added. Scientists recently reported that they’d made a mistake in a 2004 study that found the element was a supersolid. Turns out helium as a solid isn’t so super. Caption: Pslawinski

An exciting discovery in physics turns out to be merely a case of mistaken identity]]> As a gas, helium glows yellow-pink when an electric current is added. Scientists recently reported that they’d made a mistake in a 2004 study that found the element was a supersolid. Turns out helium as a solid isn’t so super. Caption: Pslawinski

An exciting discovery in physics turns out to be merely a case of mistaken identity]]> http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2012/11/helium-not-so-super-after-all/feed/ 0 Harder than diamonds? http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2012/10/harder-than-diamonds/ http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2012/10/harder-than-diamonds/#comments Mon, 22 Oct 2012 17:50:22 +0000 Sid Perkins http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/?p=14462 This image depicts the mixture of fullerenes (pink, soccer ball–shaped molecules) and xylene (blue molecules) before it is compressed to form a material that’s hard enough to dent a diamond. Credit: Carnegie Institution of Washington

Researchers create new material that may be world’s hardest]]> This image depicts the mixture of fullerenes (pink, soccer ball–shaped molecules) and xylene (blue molecules) before it is compressed to form a material that’s hard enough to dent a diamond. Credit: Carnegie Institution of Washington

Researchers create new material that may be world’s hardest]]> http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/2012/10/harder-than-diamonds/feed/ 0