Science | WPN World People News

Methods which allow predictable and reproducible control over the shape and defect structures of nanoparticles are a sought-after ideal in research on nanoparticle synthesis. Realising this ideal for silver nanoparticles is one step closer with the discovery that the localised surface plasmon resonance feature observed for nanoscale metals - the collective oscillation of their electrons caused by incident light - can be used to predictably direct the growth of silver nanocrystals.

Asteroid Apophis was discovered on June 19, 2004.

The spectacular barred spiral galaxy NGC 6872 has ranked among the biggest stellar systems for decades. Now a team of astronomers from the United States, Chile and Brazil has crowned it the largest known spiral, based on archival data from NASA's Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) mission, which has since been loaned to the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

Artist’s conception of two extrasolar moons orbiting a giant gaseous planet.

Herschel’s three-colour view of asteroid Apophis

This is a long time exposure photography viewing from Tenerife to La Palma. A green laser beam indicates the free-space link between the two laboratories.

Surface of a tooth, with two large scratches (dark blue lines) that have been caused by quartz particles.

A 2-dimensional vision of the solar wind turbulence at the smallest scale seen yet, thanks to observations by Cluster satellites. The approximate location of the measurements is indicated on a graphic illustrating features of Earth’s magnetic environment. The inset shows conditions as would be seen facing the solar wind, with current sheets forming at the border of turbulent eddies. The trajectory of the Cluster spacecraft is marked on the inset by the black line and the color gradients represent the magnetic field strength intensity.