Researchers find new phase of carbon, make diamond at room temperature
Raleigh NC (SPX) Dec 04, 2015 -
Researchers from North Carolina State University have discovered a new phase of solid carbon, called Q-carbon, which is distinct from the known phases of graphite and diamond. They have also developed a technique for using Q-carbon to make diamond-related structures at room temperature and at ambient atmospheric pressure in air.
Phases are distinct forms of the same material. Graphite is o ...
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ORNL process could be white lightning to electronics industry
Oak Ridge TN (SPX) Dec 04, 2015 -
A new era of electronics and even quantum devices could be ushered in with the fabrication of a virtually perfect single layer of "white graphene," according to researchers at the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
The material, technically known as hexagonal boron nitride, features better transparency than its sister, graphene, is chemically inert, or non-reactive, and ...
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German parliament approves military action in Syria against IS
Berlin (AFP) Dec 4, 2015 -
Lawmakers on Friday approved plans for Germany to take on a direct role in the battle against the Islamic State group in Syria, answering France's appeal for help after the deadly Paris attacks.
Parliament agreed to the mandate for the deployment of Tornado reconnaissance jets, a frigate and up to 1,200 troops by an overwhelming majority of 445 votes in favour and 146 against.
The green ...
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On American forces, Iraq PM caught between US and Iran
Baghdad (AFP) Dec 4, 2015 -
Iraq's premier wants Washington's assistance against the Islamic State group, but American remarks about anti-jihadist efforts and Iran-allied organisations' strong opposition to US combat troops put him in a bind.
Trying to navigate the political minefield, Haider al-Abadi has issued increasingly strident statements about foreign forces over the past week, most recently saying the deploymen ...
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Hard hit by bombings, IS is turning to child soldiers: US
Washington (AFP) Dec 4, 2015 -
The Islamic State group is increasingly filling its ranks with child soldiers to replace thousands of its fighters killed in US-led coalition air strikes, a US military spokesman said Friday.
Colonel Pat Ryder of the US military's Central Command said that the number of boy soldiers - some as young as 10 - had been growing steadily, and that some are even being used to put prisoners to dea ...
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Miami (AFP) Dec 4, 2015 -
Orbital ATK will attempt to make it third time lucky Saturday in the launch of its Cygnus space cargo ship after high winds off Florida forced a second postponement in as many days.
The next opportunity for launch will be Saturday at 5:10 pm (2210 GMT), the US space agency NASA said, after Friday's attempt was scrapped.
"The winds were just a couple of knots too high," said Vern Thorp, m ...
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Laurel MD (SPX) Dec 05, 2015 -
NASA's New Horizons spacecraft has sent back the first few of a series of the sharpest views of Pluto it obtained during its July flyby - and this image sequence forms the best close-ups of Pluto that humans may see for decades.
Every week the piano-sized New Horizons spacecraft transmits data stored on its digital recorders from its flight through the Pluto system on July 14.
These ...
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