Tim Wogan
After initially planning to study English at university, I decided that, just in case I turned out not to be the next Hillary Mantel, it might be better to devote my life to my other great love – science, where I believed I was sure to make great discoveries. Three years studying physics at Cambridge University disabused me thoroughly of that notion, and, having learned that I was never going to make a notable discovery of my own in a world full of infinitely better scientists than I was, I decided to return to plan A and make my living writing about theirs instead. I studied science communication at Imperial College London and, after a brief internship as a reporter on the European news desk of Science, I’ve been writing freelance. Since 2019, I’ve been living in the US.
ResearchNew understanding of why supercooled water droplets sometimes explode when they freeze
Imaging experiments with thousands of observations help scientists detail complex freezing process
ResearchSupercapacitor cement could supercharge renewable energy storage
Addition of carbon black is all that’s needed to allow cement to hold charge
ResearchFluorinated ligands stabilise perovskite solar cells
Findings offer new insight into how coatings interact with perovskites
ResearchAnticounterfeiting secrets of Benjamin Franklin’s paper money revealed
Sophisticated analytical techniques brought to bear on US notes from the 18th century
ResearchSilicon and perovskite work perfectly in tandem to produce 30%+ efficient solar cells
Combination of materials allows higher energy photons to be captured to beat silicon’s limit
ResearchLiquid water could have carved Mars’ famous gullies
CO2 sublimation could have raised atmospheric pressure enough for liquid water to form
ResearchHand-built caesium-based ‘artificial atoms’ used to create ‘synthetic’ benzene
Manufactured atoms offer chemists chance to play ‘mind games’ with matter and change bond order of molecules
ResearchLithium dendrite understanding will help unpick durability issues of solid-state batteries
Fractures found to occur in two stages, with cracks initially occurring at pores
ResearchIdentifying single atoms with x-ray specificity
Combining synchrotron x-rays with scanning tunnelling microscopy gives atomic resolution
ResearchTwisted carbon nanotubes make ideal replacements for damaged ligaments
Rabbits and sheep can still walk and jump normally after transplantation of synthetic ligaments
ResearchFlexible silicon solar cells could be rolled out on tricky to cover buildings
Bendy silicon cells should be cheaper than thin-film alternative
ResearchLadder-like polymer that could halt electrical overheating divides opinion
Questions raised over reported structure and whether the polymer can even perform as researchers hope
FeatureThe Sun rises on perovskites
With the first solar cells scheduled for commercial sale this year, Tim Wogan looks at the long, hard road to producing stable perovskite photovoltaics
ResearchLess is more for copper catalyst when it comes to synthesising acetate from CO
Electrochemical process that targets specific intermediate produces valuable chemical feedstock more efficiently
ResearchPulsed pyrolysis offers better way to breakdown plastics into their building blocks
US team hopes that catalyst-free system could be greener and more efficient than than other depolymerisation attempts
NewsComposite achieves the virtually impossible – it’s electrically conducting, while thermally insulating
Material shows exceptional heat resistance while still conducting electricity and could find uses in aerospace
ResearchUsed masks and plastic packaging turned into high-octane fuel at low temperatures
Endothermic reaction coupled with an exothermic one to keep the processes energy costs down
ResearchUnique molecular state at ultracold temperatures points way to controlling chemical reactions
Deeper understanding of interactions close to absolute zero could also aid creation of exotic quantum matter
ResearchZircon study prompts redox state rethink surrounding hydrothermal pools thought to harbour life’s first molecules
Research combining experiments with modelling suggests hydrothermal fluid was 30% as saline as sea water today and more oxidised than the surrounding mantle
ResearchSuper-resolution microscopy ditches fluorescent tags for gentler imaging of live cells
Infrared laser technique could deliver benefits for study of cells’ biochemistry