Nanoscale analyses of Martian meteorites suggest that organic carbon on Mars may have been formed by electrochemical reactions between briny liquids and volcanic minerals, as might occur in a galvanic cell. The study has major implications for astrobiology and could also shed light on the reactions that led to life on the early Earth. Read more »
ALS Tips Hat to 10 Years of Top-Off
In February, the ALS marked the 10th anniversary of one of the biggest upgrades in its history: the transition to “top-off mode,” which took place on February 11, 2009. To celebrate, the ALS community gathered for ring-shaped pastries (i.e., donuts) and coffee (topping off allowed). Brief remarks were given by Steve Kevan and Dave Robin. Read more »
Getting to the Bottom of a Metal/Acid Interface
Researchers identified the molecules that collect at the interface between a platinum electrode and an acidic electrolyte under an applied voltage. Knowledge of the structure and composition of such nanometer-thin interface regions is key to understanding topics such as corrosion, geochemistry, electrocatalysis, and energy storage. Read more »
Spin-Momentum Locking in Cuprate High-Temperature Superconductors
A form of spin-momentum locking, similar to the strong linkage between electron spin and momentum in topological insulators, has been found in a cuprate superconductor. The results open a new chapter in the mystery of high-temperature superconductors, suggesting that new, unexplored interactions and mechanisms might be at play. Read more »
Hidden Flow of Lithium Ions Points Way to Better Batteries
Experiments revealed that lithium ions unexpectedly flow along the surfaces of electrode particles, boosting the growth of lithium “hot spots” that shorten battery life. The results correct decades’ worth of assumptions and will help improve battery design, potentially leading to a new generation of lithium-ion batteries. Read more »
Forum Reinforces ALS Links to Water-Energy Nexus
About 80 Berkeley Lab scientists gathered at the ALS last week for an “ALS Water-Energy Outreach Forum” to discuss the challenges and opportunities arising from a growing focus on the nexus between water and energy—two resources essential to human populations—and to explore how the ALS can help address key questions in the field. Read more »
Electric-Field Switching of Topological Phase
Researchers have successfully switched a topological insulator on and off by applying an electrical field. The work represents a major advancement toward the creation of a functioning topological transistor that would allow devices to operate more efficiently at lower power than conventional electronics. Read more »
A Two-Pronged Defense against Bacterial Self-Intoxication
Researchers solved the structure of a bacterial toxin bound to a neutralizing protein, revealing two distinct mechanisms for how the toxin-producing bacteria avoid poisoning themselves. The findings offer clues to the evolutionary origins of the potent toxins that enable bacterial pathogens to cause human diseases such as cholera and diphtheria. Read more »
Comparative morphology of cheliceral muscles using high‐resolution X‐ray microcomputed‐tomography in palpimanoid spiders
Spiders are important predators in terrestrial ecosystems, yet we know very little about their principal feeding structures—the chelicerae—an extremely important aspect of spider biology. Here, using micro‐Computed‐Tomography scanning techniques, researchers perform a comparative study to examine cheliceral muscle morphology in six different spider specimens. Read more »
Pressure-driven band gap engineering in ion-conducting semiconductor silver orthophosphate
This work explores a novel method to tune the electronic band structures of active semiconductor photocatalysts to gain insight into structure–property relationships. Taking silver orthophosphate (Ag3PO4) as an example, a static pressure technique was applied to modulate the band gap and indirect–direct band character via altering its crystal structure and lattice parameters. Read more »
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