University of Chicago

Seeking a passive way to keep buildings cool in hot weather and warmer in the colder months, researchers have developed a new electrochromic shape-shifting material. It switches from solid to liquid and from clear to opaque at set temperatures.

Scientists experimenting with novel materials have made a breakthrough that could shape a new generation of electronic devices, combining two characteristics in a way they say defies a theoretical explanation.

Scientists have created a “quantum flute” that can coax photons to move in sync and interact with each other, which they almost never do in nature. The device could help improve future quantum computer designs.

A six-year round trip to an asteroid has yielded unprecedented insights into the formation of the solar system. Scientists have analyzed samples returned from asteroid Ryugu, finding a detailed history starting with the oldest material ever found.

Researchers have demonstrated key tech that could help scale up quantum computers, creating a model with a record-breaking 512 qubits. The team combined atoms of two elements into an array, so atoms can be manipulated without disturbing their neighbors.

Weeks after a trial found psilocybin microdosing no different to placebo, another study has reported LSD microdoses have no effect on mood or cognition. This builds on a body of data struggling to find evidence the practice of microdosing does anything.

Scientists have found that extending the nightly sleep duration of overweight subjects can lead to a significant reduction in daily calorie intake, so much so it could drive significant weight loss if the pattern was sustained over the long term.

Managing heat is a major challenge in electronics and engineering, and it’s controlled using materials that either conduct or insulate heat. A new material blurs that line by blocking heat in one direction but conducting it in another.

It may sound like the start of a Frankenstein story, but scientists from New York University (NYU) and the University of Chicago have developed artificial cells made of non-biological matter that mimic the basic functions of living ones.

Food security is a major potential problem, especially in the face of climate change. New research has shown that manipulating RNA in plants can drastically boost the amount of food they produce, and make them more resistant to drought conditions.

Quantum technology is bursting with potential, but controlling atoms and molecules keeps proving tricky. In a breakthrough new study, physicists have successfully wrangled thousands of molecules into a single unified quantum state for the first time.

High-altitude icy clouds may have allowed ancient Mars to host rivers and lakes by warming the planet via a greenhouse effect, according to a new study. The theory could be tested by NASA’s Perseverance rover, which is currently exploring the planet.