For the first time, scientists have created single layers of a naturally occurring rare mineral called tungstenite, or WS2. The resulting sheet of stacked sulfur and tungsten atoms forms a honeycomb pattern of triangles that have been shown to have unusual light-emitting, or photoluminescent, properties. According to team leader Mauricio Terrones, a professor of physics and of materials science and engineering at Penn State, the triangular structures have potential applications in optical technology; for example, for use in light detectors and lasers.

Solid, spongy blocks of carbon nanotubes may be a big help in future oil-spill cleanups, according to researchers at Penn State and Rice University who created the new material. Formed using carbon and a dash of boron, these nanotube sponges have a remarkable ability to separate oil from seawater.

For the first time, researchers at Penn State University and Rice University have created solid, spongy blocks of carbon nanotubes that have an astounding ability to clean up oil spills in water. Separating oil from seawater is just one of a range of potential applications for the new material formed using carbon and a dash of boron. The international team, which includes Mauricio Terrones, a professor of physics and of materials science and engineering at Penn State, has published the results of its research in Nature's online journal Scientific Reports.

This summer the physics lab in Frable Building at Penn State Greater Allegheny will be undergoing a major renovation and upgrade.

Beth Lindsey, assistant professor of physics, drew on research in physics education in designing the new look for what has been a traditional and increasingly outdated facility in Frable 223. Lindsey's proposal upgrades the lab into a Student-Centered Active Learning Environment for Undergraduate Programs (SCALE-UP) style classroom.

Dietrich Mueller, an eminent physicist from the University of Chicago known for his research on mysterious astrophysical particles called cosmic rays, will give a free public lecture at 7:30 p.m. on March 20, in Room 102 of the Thomas Building on Penn State's University Park campus. The lecture, which is intended for a general audience, will provide a guided tour of cosmic-ray research discoveries, including results from Mueller's Cosmic Ray Nuclei experiment on the space shuttle. The event is among those sponsored by the Penn State Institute for Gravitation and the Cosmos during 2012 to mark 100 years of cosmic-ray research and discoveries.

The Penn State Beaver library is hosting a display of nature photography by James Monroe, professor of physics, who retired from Penn State in December 2007. The public is invited to visit the exhibit. Over the years, Monroe has traveled the country to photograph unique and often unseen views of nature. His work can be seen in area shops, and he has donated his photos to help fundraising efforts on behalf of scholarships for campus students. Monroe taught at Beaver for 30 years. For information about the photography exhibit, contact Lisa Harris, information resources and services support specialist in the library, at ljh28@psu.edu or 724-773-3792.