All posts tagged: materials

Doctor Who and His Dark Materials actor Patrick Godfrey dies, aged 93

Doctor Who and His Dark Materials actor Patrick Godfrey dies, aged 93

Published by Daniella Wilson

Patrick Godfrey, the actor who had roles in Doctor Who, His Dark Materials and many other series and films, has died at the age of 93. Godfrey’s passing was announced on Friday 5 June, in a statement from his representatives. The statement read: “It is with great sadness that we can confirm Patrick Godfrey passed away last night. He died peacefully at home surrounded by his family. Paddy was an exceptionally talented actor and a remarkable individual, and we will miss him greatly.” Over his long career, Godfrey had over 150 on-screen credits, with notable roles in films such as The Count of Monte Cristo, A Room with a View, Ever After: A Cinderella Story, The Importance of Being Earnest, Les Misérables and Mr Turner. Meanwhile, he also had memorable roles on TV, including in Doctor Who. He appeared in multiple episodes across two stories of the long-running sci-fi series, playing Tor in 1966’s The Savages and Major Cosworth in 1971’s The Mind of Evil. Other series he appeared in include Doc Martin, His Dark …

Nike World Cup Uniforms Made of Recycled Textiles Won’t Solve Fashion Waste

Nike World Cup Uniforms Made of Recycled Textiles Won’t Solve Fashion Waste

Published by skeptic

The push to do so through chemical means is a response to the shortcomings of other strategies they’ve tried. Traditional mechanical recycling through shredding and grinding causes fibers to break down. The resulting fabric must be blended with 70 to 80 percent virgin material so that anything made with it doesn’t pill and tear. The much more prevalent strategy involves turning discarded plastic bottles into new polyester. Patagonia pioneered this approach in the early ’90s, and by the start of this decade virtually all recycled polyester was sourced from old bottles. Today, however, companies have increasingly faced lawsuits and regulatory scrutiny from those who would rather see bottles turned back into bottles. Chemical recycling is supposed to be the next best thing. The term refers to using solvents to dissolve fibers into their base chemical units—building blocks that can be spun into new fabrics. On its face, this is a truly “circular” solution, because it doesn’t depend on bottles, and proponents say it can turn your used polyester shirts or running shorts into new ones over …

Exclusive-Japan state-backed fund considering sale of chipmaking materials maker JSR, sources say

Exclusive-Japan state-backed fund considering sale of chipmaking materials maker JSR, sources say

Published by Sam Flores

TOKYO, May 28 : Japan Investment Corp (JIC), a state-backed fund, is considering selling JSR, two people familiar with the matter said, two years after it took the maker of chipmaking materials private in a $6 billion deal. Fujifilm and Mitsubishi Chemical have expressed interest in acquiring the company, they added, declining to be identified as the information was not public. Massive investments in AI have lifted the valuations of chip supply chain firms, and JIC – which had aimed to use JSR to drive industry consolidation in the materials sector – is now looking at taking advantage of those buoyant market conditions to sell, according to one of the people. JIC, Fujifilm and Mitsubishi Chemical declined to comment. JSR did not respond to a request for comment. Fujifilm’s shares on Thursday extended gains after publication of this report and finished 3 per cent higher, while shares in Mitsubishi Chemical pared losses and closed flat. JSR, established in 1957, is a leading manufacturer of photoresists which are used to transfer circuit patterns onto semiconductor wafers. …

We may finally know why gold stays so shiny

We may finally know why gold stays so shiny

Published by skeptic

Gold doesn’t tarnish like other metals mauritius images GmbH/Alamy Silver goes dull, copper turns green and iron rusts, but gold always stays shiny. Why this is the case has remained a mystery, but researchers may have finally figured out what makes the valuable metal so resistant to change and how to tarnish it. Gold is chemically inert, meaning that it doesn’t react with molecules from its surroundings, such as oxygen in the air. This is great news for jewelry, but it limits gold’s usefulness in chemistry, where researchers think it could be a useful catalyst – if only it could be nudged out of its inertness. Matthew Montemore and Santu Biswas at Tulane University in Louisiana investigated a phenomenon called reconstruction, which happens when a piece of gold is cut, creating a new surface. “The atoms just hate being on a surface so much that they completely rearrange,” says Montemore. Often, they rearrange into a pattern resembling repeating hexagons, then don’t shuffle further because their energy is low in this arrangement. Reconstruction isn’t common among …

Inspectors uncovered widespread sports gambling materials displayed throughout Pennsylvania federal penitentiary

Inspectors uncovered widespread sports gambling materials displayed throughout Pennsylvania federal penitentiary

Published by skeptic

Federal inspectors say sports gambling materials were sitting out in the open across several housing units at USP Canaan, according to a newly released watchdog report examining conditions inside the federal penitentiary in Pennsylvania. Investigators from the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General arrived for an unannounced inspection in June 2025 and said they repeatedly encountered betting-related flyers and other gambling materials in inmate common areas. “We observed gambling flyers under televisions, on tables, and on top of a correctional officer control panel,” the report said. One flyer was “partially covering a Prison Rape Elimination Act reporting poster.” Inspectors said the activity appeared widespread rather than isolated to one section of the prison. “We observed sports gambling flyers posted throughout the common areas in all five housing units we visited,” the report stated. Investigators also found “a gambling table mat with playing cards,” including “markings for a dealer and for bet placements.” Concerns over visible gambling contraband activity in USP Canaan The report described the materials as openly displayed and easy to spot during …

17th century shipwreck woven into dress (seriously)

17th century shipwreck woven into dress (seriously)

Published by Jenni Sidey

Get the Popular Science daily newsletter💡 Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent six days a week. Pirate treasure and shiny coins typically come to mind when an old shipwreck is discovered. These bits of maritime history are usually studied, preserved, and placed in a museum or private collection—not made into a dress worthy of Paris Fashion Week.  Using the surplus wood from a shipwreck dating back to the 1600s, archeologists, chemists, and textile experts in Finland turned the raw material into a textile fiber. They then spun the fibers into a workable yarn and knit it into a dress with the help of AI-assisted technology. The Shipwreck Dress represents over two years of collaboration between scientists and designers. This unique piece of clothing is also an opportunity to bring history to new audiences. “Underwater cultural heritage is often invisible, but the Shipwreck Dress brings it into people’s everyday environments,” Minna Koivikko, a maritime archaeologist with the Finnish Heritage Agency, said in a statement. “It’s almost like a spokesperson for history—with a modern twist.” The color …

Sustainable materials need system change, not just substitution

Sustainable materials need system change, not just substitution

Published by skeptic

Roland Pluut from Solinatra outlines the main points to consider when making the shift from traditional plastics toward more sustainable materials Plastic has become one of the defining materials of modern society. Its rise is not accidental. It is the result of a powerful combination of properties: low-cost, high-performance, durability, and the ability to scale across global production systems. These characteristics have enabled decades of industrial growth, efficient logistics, and the widespread availability of consumer goods. Yet, the very system that made plastic successful also reveals its limitations. The price of plastic reflects the efficiency of its production, but it does not fully account for what happens after use or over time. Waste management, environmental persistence, and long-term exposure effects are only partially integrated into current economic models. This creates a structural discrepancy between production costs and what might be called full system costs. As long as this discrepancy exists, material markets remain incomplete. They optimise for short-term efficiency while distributing part of the cost across municipalities, ecosystems, and future generations. This is not an …

The First Atomic Bomb Test in 1945 Created an Entirely New Material

The First Atomic Bomb Test in 1945 Created an Entirely New Material

Published by skeptic

During the Trinity nuclear test on July 16, 1945, in the New Mexico desert—the world’s very first test of an atomic bomb—a new material spontaneously formed. It was discovered only recently, by an international research team coordinated by geologist Luca Bindi at the University of Florence, which identified the novel clathrate based on calcium, copper, and silicon. It’s a material never before observed either in nature or as an artificial compound created in the laboratory. What Are Clathrates? The term “clathrates” denotes materials characterized by a “cage-like” structure that traps other atoms and molecules inside, giving them unique properties. Of great technological interest, these materials are being studied for various applications ranging from energy conversion (as thermoelectric materials capable of transforming heat into electricity) to the development of new semiconductors, to gas storage and hydrogen for future energy technologies. The New Material To discover the new material, researchers focused on trinitite, a silicate glass containing rare metallic phases. Using some techniques like x-ray diffraction, the team was able to identify a type I clathrate based …

From materials discovery to pilot line integration

From materials discovery to pilot line integration

Published by skeptic

The Graphene Flagship discusses the potential of graphene in semiconductor innovation As the semiconductor industry approaches the physical and economic limits of silicon, attention is increasingly turning to advanced materials that can enable the next generation of electronic and photonic systems. Among these, graphene has long stood out for its exceptional electrical and thermal properties. However, translating that promise into manufacturable semiconductor technologies has required a coordinated, large-scale effort. At the centre of Europe’s response is the Graphene Flagship, which has spent more than a decade building the scientific, technological, and industrial foundations needed to bring graphene and related two-dimensional (2D) materials into real-world applications. Its work reflects a broader shift in semiconductor innovation: away from single-material solutions and towards heterogeneous integration across complex material platforms. Beyond silicon: Redefining semiconductor materials Graphene’s appeal lies in its extraordinary carrier mobility, mechanical flexibility, and thermal conductivity. These properties make it highly attractive for high-frequency electronics, photonics, and advanced sensing applications. Yet, graphene does not naturally behave as a conventional semiconductor. Its lack of an intrinsic bandgap prevents …

Applied Materials sees quarterly revenue above estimates on sustained AI spending

Applied Materials sees quarterly revenue above estimates on sustained AI spending

Published by Sam Flores

May 14 : Applied Materials on Thursday forecast third-quarter revenue and adjusted profit above Wall Street estimates, betting that heavy spending on data centers and AI infrastructure will sustain strong demand for its chip-making tools. Shares of the Santa Clara, California-based company, which also beat second-quarter revenue and profit estimates, rose 3 per cent in extended trading. The ongoing AI boom is benefiting equipment suppliers such as Applied Materials, as building more powerful AI chips requires not only more silicon wafers but also complex manufacturing processes. “With rising demand and increasing long-term visibility from customers, we see an exceptionally strong foundation for sustained multi-year revenue and profit growth,” CEO Gary Dickerson said on a post-earnings call. The company expects over 30 per cent growth in its semiconductor equipment business and a more than 50 per cent increase in packaging revenues for 2026. The surge in AI computing investment from leading technology firms and enterprises is pushing chipmakers such as TSMC and Samsung to expand their manufacturing capacity, boosting orders for Applied’s sophisticated equipment used to …