The NASA Laboratories, Development and Testing Division provides science and engineering services to NASA programs and projects, contractor partners, and external customers such as other government agencies, aerospace companies, and academia.
NIST finds Florida condo collapse started in pool deck
Flaws in the pool deck are thought to be the preliminary cause of the devastating collapse of a condominium in Surfside, Florida, that killed 98. Recent test results by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the agency leading the investigation of the 2021 tragedy, reinforces the theory that the failure started in the pool deck area rather than in the tower itself. NIST released new findings this week.
Scientists report heavy electrons could open a path to a new type of quantum computer
Scientists in Japan have uncovered unusual quantum behavior in “heavy” electrons within the crystalline compound CeRhSn, which could one day support advances in quantum computing. These electrons appear to carry hundreds of times their normal mass—not due to their intrinsic properties, but because of strong interactions with other particles in the material that slow them […]
A simple metal could solve the world’s plastic recycling problem
Northwestern University chemists have developed a new plastic upcycling process that could revolutionize recycling by significantly reducing or even eliminating the need to pre-sort mixed plastic waste. Using an inexpensive nickel-based catalyst, the method selectively breaks down polyolefin plastics—such as polyethylenes and polypropylenes, which make up nearly two-thirds of global plastic use—allowing industrial users to […]
KU research group discovers the principles of in vivo thermopower generation
Professor Yoon Hyo-jae’s research team at Korea University has discovered that rubber plant leaves can naturally generate electricity through a phenomenon called the ionic Seebeck effect, without any additional processing. This effect occurs when moisture and ions within the plant tissues move in response to temperature differences, creating voltage. Notably, partially drying the leaves forms […]