Capturing sound, light, and strength with new materials

Physicists, chemists, and other scientists gathered in Boston from 28 November to 2 December for the fall meeting of the Materials Research Society (MRS) to explore everything from the behavior of single atoms to bulk structures. Among the more than 4000 papers and posters presented, attendees learned about novel devices that convert light directly to sound, new techniques for studying minuscule structures called quantum dots, and organic-inorganic hybrid materials.