Be like glass

As the International Year of Glass nears its end, Alfred University Inamori Professor of Materials Science & Engineering S.K. Sundaram offers a new take on Bruce Lee’s famous “be like water” quote, in honor of this International Year.

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Preparing for winter—hollow silica particles could form the basis of next-generation thermal insulation systems

Hollow silica particles exhibit lower thermal conductivities than current common thermal insulation materials, while also being easier and cheaper to fabricate than state-of-the-art insulating aerogels. Two recent studies demonstrate the work being done to develop stable and scalable hollow silica particle-based composites for next-generation thermal insulation systems.

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Monitoring mental stress: Nanosheet-type tin oxide gas sensors provide quantitative measurement of emotional tension

Determining when to seek help for mental stress can be difficult. However, the recent identification of discernible odor substances that emanate from the skin during emotional tension may offer a way to quantifiably measure mental stress. Two researchers in Japan propose nanosheet-type tin oxides could be used as gas sensors to detect these substances.

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