How to Make Ice Melt at -180 °C from NewScientist How can ice possibly melt in the extreme cold of -180 °C? The answer is if the ice crystals contain just 48 water molecules. Bernd von Issendorff at the University of Freiburg in Germany and his colleagues created ice clusters of just a few tens of water molecules, tagged with an extra electron. Full Article Cagey Solution: Will Nano Traps Make Geothermal Power Earthquake-Safe? from Scientific American Scientists could use nano "cages" to increase the heat-storing efficiency of shallow, low-temperature geothermal wells, thereby decreasing the need for deeper, more earthquake-prone ones. Full Article Amateur Astronomer Spies a Fresh Impact Scar on Jupiter from Scientific American A backyard astronomer in Australia made a major discovery early Monday morning when he noticed a newly formed spot on Jupiter—a spot that academics and NASA astronomers have now confirmed marks a recent impact on the giant planet. Full Article

First Ever Nanoscale Mass Spectrometer
from Popular Science
Researchers at the California Institute of Technology have created the first nanoscale mass spectrometer. Only four micrometers across, the device can measure the mass of single molecules in an entirely novel way. Full Article

Researchers Set New Distance Record for Quantum Key Distribution
from PhysOrg
Quantum key distribution (QKD) could be the next commercial success of quantum physics, and a recent study has taken the field a step closer to this reality. Researchers from the University of Geneva in Switzerland and Corning Incorporated in New York have demonstrated a new QKD prototype that can distribute quantum keys over a distance of 250 km in the lab, improving upon the previous record of 200 km. Full Article

CO2 Sponge
from ScienceNews
A macromolecule that was accidentally discovered when scientists left stuff sitting on a lab bench seems to soak up atmospheric carbon dioxide, a study now suggests. Full Article

Salty Water Power
from ScienceNews
A new way to get electricity out of water could prove to be worth its salt. Mixing salt water and fresh water in a container with carbon electrodes can produce clean, renewable energy, reports Doriano Brogioli of the University of Milano–Bicocca in Italy. Full Article

Traffic Jam Solution: The Jerk Who Cut You Off
from ABC News
The next time someone cuts you off on your morning commute, don't be so quick to call the driver a jerk; you may have a reason to say thanks. According to the latest physics research, rule-breakers -- drivers passing you on the wrong side or changing lanes too close to the intersection -- actually help smooth the flow of traffic for the rest of us. Full Article

New Power System Spells the End of Wires
from The Times
The days of wires powering electronic devices could soon be at an end, with the development of a new system that will allow laptops, mobile phones and televisions to be left unplugged in the home while being recharged. Full Article