The secret of the blue fog: could blue liquid crystals lead to new display devices?
We’ve known since the late 1800s that some liquid crystals turn blue when cooled – but it’s only recently that we have finally uncovered the structure of these strange materials. But as Oliver Henrich and Davide Marenduzzo explain in our cover feature, blue liquid crystals are more than just a scientific curiosity: they could also be used for new kinds of display devices. Elsewhere this month, mathematical physicist Jason Lotay explains his work in seven extra dimensions, while science writer Benjamin Skuse examines the challenge for respected physicists with theories outside the mainstream.
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