There’s a shocking lack of understanding of the physics underlying this commonplace phenomenon, but researchers are on the ...

Learn more about the nearly invisible layer of carbon that may control how dust grains become electrically charged and how that discovery could help future missions to the moon and Mars.

The familiar phenomenon has puzzled researchers for centuries, but experiments are finally making sense of its unruly behaviours.

If you’ve ever felt a shock after rubbing your hair with a balloon or shuffling across a carpet, you’ll know that static electricity can be a real pain. But for the scientists who study it, the pain ...

A volcano is an opening in the Earth's crust that allows molten rock, gases, and debris to escape from below the surface. The ...

Two microscopic grains collide and produce a tiny spark. This phenomenon may have provided the energy to kick off life on Earth. But if these solid particles have the same composition, what factor ...

Seemingly random charging of identical materials depends on the carbonaceous molecules stuck to their surfaces ...

When particles in volcanic ash cloud rub together, some pick up positive charge and others negative – now physicists have ...

Solid-state batteries offer a promising new solution for electric vehicles, reducing the risks of spontaneous combustion when batteries are damaged or overheating.

The odds of being struck by lightning in America in a given year are one in 1.2 million. How does the experience reorient a ...