Physicists pin down atomic spin for spintronics

"BERKELEY – Scientists who dream of shrinking computers to the nanoscale look to atomic spin as one possible building block for both processor and memory, yet setting the spin of an atom, let alone measuring it, has been a challenge. Now, University of California, Berkeley,...

Cell splits water via sunlight to produce hydrogen

This reminds me of the old electrolysis demonstration, but on an energy efficient level."Engineers at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a unique photocatalytic cell that splits water to produce hydrogen and oxygen in water using sunlight and the power of a...

Easy-to-Make Nanosensors For Cancer & Other Bioterror Attacks

"One of the most compelling promises of nanotechnology are tiny detectors that could instantly screen for hundreds of toxins or pathogens. Bundled into small handheld devices, these sensors could provide fast alerts of bioterror attacks. They could also be used to quickly and...

Ultra-Tough Nanotech Materials

"Researchers have used clay nanoparticles to modify a polymer material, making it 20 times stiffer, 4 times tougher, and able to withstand temperatures that are more than twice as hot. The new materials could eventually be used in rugged lightweight fabrics, less-bulky...

Memory Chip Breakthrough announced

"Scientists from IBM, Macronix and Qimonda said they developed a material that made "phase-change" memory 500 to 1,000 times faster than the commonly-used "flash" memory, while using half as much power. "You can do a lot of things with this phase-change memory that you can't...