A researcher funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research has developed a nanocomposite material that has the potential to enable electronic devices to convert excess heat into energy that could be adapted to a wide range of applications from self-powered sensors to more fuel-efficient cars, according to a Sept. 18 AFOSR release. Ronggui Yang, a mechanical engineer at the University of Colorado in Boulder, and colleagues developed a method to fuse nanoparticles and nanowires to create the composite material, which has tested well and could be produced in mass at low cost. AFOSR currently is considering use of the material in micro-unmanned aerial vehicles. (AFOSR report by Molly Lachance)
The Supreme Court's May 6 decision to grant the Trump administration's request to block a lower court's injunction means the Defense Department can resume separating transgender service members under a directive issued in February.