Phys.org March 24, 2022 A considerable fraction of marine life depends on sound, marine mammals exploit sound in all aspects of their life. Researchers in Italy studied the impact of climate change in sound propagation by computing the three-dimensional global field of underwater sound speed based on present conditions (2006–2016) and a future climate scenario identifying two “acoustic hotspots” where larger sound speed variations are expected. Their results indicated that the identified acoustic hotspots would present substantial climate-change-induced sound speed variations toward the end of the century, potentially affecting the vital activities of species in the areas. They provided evidence […]
Tag Archives: S&T Italy
Super lightweight foam uses sunlight to harvest water from evaporation
Nanowerk March 10, 2020 Researchers in Italy have developed a hydrophilic and self-floating photothermal foam that can generate potable water from seawater and atmospheric moisture via solar-driven evaporation at its interface. Specifically, the foam shows an excellent solar-evaporation rate of 1.89 kg m–2 h–1 with a solar-to-vapor conversion efficiency of 92.7% under 1-Sun illumination. The collected water is suitable for potable use. The foam can be repeatedly used in multiple hydration–dehydration cycles, consisting of moisture absorption or water collection, followed by solar-driven evaporation; in each cycle, 1 g of the foam can harvest 250–1770 mg of water. The lightweight and […]
Global Quantum Communication Network has Been Proven Feasible With 20,000 km Transmissions
Next Big Future December 24, 2018 Researchers in Italy have reported on the first experimental exchange of single photons from Global Navigation Satellite System at a slant distance of 20000 kilometers, by exploiting the retroreflector array mounted on GLONASS satellites. They observed the predicted temporal spread of the reflected pulses due to the geometrical shape of array. They provide estimated the requirements needed for an active source on a satellite, aiming towards quantum communication from GNSS with state-of-the-art technology… read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Cooling by laser beam
Science Daily June 8, 2018 Researchers in Italy explain that the laser pulse can, in some circumstances, populate high-energy states, which heat up, and simultaneously depopulate low energy ones, which thus cool down which is responsible for superconductivity. This selective cooling, shown rigorously in a very simplified theoretical model, could explain not only the experimental observations, but also open the way to new and potentially important research activities… read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Towards Quantum Communication from Global Navigation Satellite System
Arxiv April 13, 2018 High-orbit satellites pose a great technological challenge due to the high diffraction losses of the optical channel, and the experimental investigation of quantum channels is still lacking. Researchers in Italy report on the exchange of single photons from Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) at a slant distance of 20,000 kilometers, by exploiting the retroreflector array mounted on GLONASS satellites. They observed the predicted temporal spread of the reflected pulses due to the geometrical shape of array. They estimated the requirements needed for an active source on a satellite, aiming towards quantum communication from GNSS with state-of-the-art […]
Graphene flakes for future transistors
Science Daily March 14, 2018 Researchers in Italy have demonstrated that hexagonal graphene nanoflakes with zigzag edges display quantum interference. In “Quantum interference transistors” destructive interference would be the “OFF” status. For the “ON” status, they say it is sufficient to remove the conditions for interference. They also demonstrated that magnetism emerges spontaneously at their edges, without any external intervention. This enables the creation of a spin current. The union between the phenomena of quantum interference and of magnetism would allow to obtain almost complete spin polarization, with a huge potential in the field of spintronics. These properties could be […]