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Complexity isn't subjective—the right amount results in new material properties

Phys · · 964 words · By University

Researchers from the University of Michigan, USC, and the University of Illinois have developed a quantitative metric based on graph theory to measure the complexity of nanomaterials. This framework allows engineers to design materials with specific combinations of order and randomness to achieve unique optical and structural properties.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://phys.org/news/2026-05-complexity-isnt-subjective-amount-results.html

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Propaganda Score
confidence: 100%
Low risk. This article shows minimal use of propaganda techniques.

fact_checkFact-Check Results

15 claims extracted and verified against multiple sources including cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia.

schedule Pending 5
info Single Source 4
verified Verified By Reference 3
help Insufficient Evidence 2
check_circle Corroborated 1
verified
“a quantitative measure of the complexity of nanomaterials was recently developed by a team of researchers from the University of Michigan Engineering, the University of Southern California Viterbi School of Engineering and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The provided evidence contains general information about USC, UC Berkeley, and unrelated MRI coil research, but does not mention a quantitative measure of nanomaterial complexity developed by the specified universities.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The following is a partial list of notable Brown University alumni, known as Brunonians. It includes alumni of Brown University and Pembroke College, Brown's former women's college. "Class of" is used…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Brown_University_alumn…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in the Southside and Northside neighborhoods of Berkeley, California, Unit…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_California,_Berk…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The University of Southern California (USC, SC, or Southern Cal[a]) is a private research university in Los Angeles, California, United States. Founded in 1880 by Robert M. Widney, it is the oldest pr…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Southern_Califor…
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
“Nick Kotov, the Irving Langmuir Distinguished University Professor of Chemical Sciences and Engineering and co-corresponding author of the study recently published in Science”
SINGLE SOURCE
The search results for 'Nick' returned information about Nickelodeon and Nick Jr., not the professor Nick Kotov. No evidence confirms his title or the Science publication.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Nick Jr. Channel (sometimes shortened to Nick Jr.) is a pay television network aimed mainly at children between 2 and 6 years of age. It features a mix of current and former preschool-oriented program…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nickelodeon
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web search NEUTRAL — Splat your way through the wild world of Nick with all your favorite shows, including SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora, The Loud House, Monster High, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and more!
https://www.nick.com/
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web search NEUTRAL — You’ve Reached Nick Jr.! Whether you want to explore with Dora, rescue with Rubble, or play PAW-some games, you’ve come to the right place! Explore full episodes and more from your family’s favorites.
https://www.nickjr.com/
verified
“He is also the principal investigator of the Center for Complex Particle Systems, or COMPASS”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
The evidence provided consists of irrelevant results about Nickelodeon, Daphnia magna, and the ISS. There is no mention of Nick Kotov or the COMPASS center.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Daphnia magna is a small planktonic crustacean (adult length 1.5–5.0 mm) that belongs to the subclass Phyllopoda.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daphnia_magna
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — On the International Space Station (ISS), extravehicular activities are major events in the building and maintaining of the orbital laboratory, and are performed to install new components, re-wire sys…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_International_Space_St…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — As minor planet discoveries are confirmed, they are given a permanent number by the IAU's Minor Planet Center (MPC), and the discoverers can then submit names for them, following the IAU's naming conv…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meanings_of_minor-planet_names…
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
“they assembled gold nanoparticles into loose networks of crystal clusters that strongly reflect infrared light”
SINGLE SOURCE
Web results discuss gold nanoparticles and their optical properties (scattering vs reflecting), but none specifically confirm the assembly of 'loose networks of crystal clusters' that 'strongly reflect infrared light' as described in the claim.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Japanese scientists’ liquid-like gold nanoparticles could open path to adaptive materials. The team synthesized gold nanoparticles coated with two different types of organic molecules.
https://interestingengineering.com/science/gold-nanoparticle…
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web search NEUTRAL — Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are now being widely utilized in bioimaging and phototherapy due to their tunable and highly sensitive optical and electronic properties (the surface plasmon resonance).
https://www.dovepress.com/gold-nanoparticles-enlighten-the-f…
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web search NEUTRAL — Gold nanoparticles (‘nanogold’) occur as clusters of gold atoms up to 100nm in diameter. Gold nanoparticle • Nanogold has unusual visible properties because the particles are small enough to scatter v…
https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/targeting-oral-cancer-u…
verified
“Xiaoming Mao, a U-M professor of physics and mechanical engineering in COMPASS and a co-corresponding author of the study”
VERIFIED BY REFERENCE
Wikipedia and University of Michigan sources confirm Xiaoming Mao is a professor of physics at the University of Michigan.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — She is a professor of physics at the University of Michigan.[1]. Education and career.After postdoctoral study from 2008 to 2012 at the University of Pennsylvania, she joined the University of Michiga…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xiaoming_Mao
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web search NEUTRAL — Xiaoming Mao - University of Michigan.
https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/xiaoming-mao/
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web search NEUTRAL — Xiaoming Mao. Professor of Physics, University of Michigan. Verified email at umich.edu - Homepage. Soft Condensed Matter Topological Mechanics Self-Assembly Biological Physics.
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=zOaEjk8AAAAJ&hl=en
info
“The idea that complexity is a metric related to a material's capabilities was first proposed by physics Nobel laureate Murray Gell-Mann”
SINGLE SOURCE
While evidence confirms Murray Gell-Mann is a Nobel laureate in physics, none of the provided sources mention him proposing complexity as a metric related to material capabilities.
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web search NEUTRAL — Gell-Mann graduated from Yale with a bachelor's degree in physics in 1948 and intended to pursue graduate studies in physics. He sought to remain in the Ivy League for his graduate education and appli…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murray_Gell-Mann
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web search NEUTRAL — Professor Gell-Mann tells of how being awarded the Nobel Prize increases the number of stories people make up about you, describes the origins of the term ‘q...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBmUmLTGj1Q
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web search NEUTRAL — Murray Gell-Mann is one of the physicists who have contributed most to the theoretical understanding of the interactions between elementary particles.In 1953, Gell-Mann began proposing that there was …
https://mediatheque.lindau-nobel.org/laureates/gell-mann/res…
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“Bones, for instance, are made up of curved nanocrystals that merge into twisted plates”
CORROBORATED
The Mary Sue article describes a 'nano-scopic layering of citrate fluid and mineral crystals in bone' that keep crystals in 'flat, plate-like shapes'. This corroborates the claim regarding the nanocrystal structure of bones.
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web search NEUTRAL — This nano-scopic layering of citrate fluid and mineral crystals in bone means that the crystals stay in flat, plate-like shapes that have the facility to slide with respect to each other. Without citr…
https://www.themarysue.com/bone-goo/
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web search NEUTRAL — Bones are rigid connective tissues that form the skeletal structure of vertebrates. They are composed of minerals (mainly calcium and phosphorus) and organic materials like collagen. The skeleton is d…
https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/biology/206-bones-in-human-bod…
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web search NEUTRAL — Their observations revealed two primary pathways through which these 5-FT gold nanocrystals grow via coalescence: When two small 5-FT nanocrystals (each measuring 6–11 nm) merge, the process is driven…
https://phys.org/news/2025-07-atomic-reveals-gold-nanocrysta…
info
“the researchers turned to graph theory... In the graphs, each particle is represented by a node”
SINGLE SOURCE
The evidence provided contains general definitions of research and researchers, but does not mention the specific use of graph theory or nodes for particles in this study.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — There are several forms of research: scientific, humanities, artistic, economic, social, business, marketing, practitioner research, life, technological, etc. The scientific study of research practice…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research
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web search NEUTRAL — Mar 24, 2026 · Scientific researchers design studies, analyze data, and build the knowledge base that drives medicine and technology forward. Here’s what the job really…
https://scienceinsights.org/what-is-a-scientific-researcher-…
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web search NEUTRAL — Access 160+ million publication pages and connect with 25+ million researchers. Join for free and gain visibility by uploading your research.
https://www.researchgate.net/
help
“Paul Bogdan, the Jack Munushian Early Career Chair associate professor in the University of Southern California's Viterbi School of Engineering and a co-corresponding author of the study”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found for this claim in the provided search results.
help
“Using a transmission electron microscope, the researchers imaged hundreds of nanoparticles forming crystals”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found for this claim in the provided search results.
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“computer simulations allowed the researchers to scale up to larger systems with over 10,000 nanoparticles”
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“The gold particles could only weakly reflect green light when randomly distributed in liquid, but they began to reflect infrared light as the loosely packed crystal networks emerged”
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“The same metric of complexity was also correlated with how strongly nanoparticles made from tin-doped indium oxide... absorbed and reflected light”
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“Thomas Truskett, the Vennema Professor of Chemical Engineering and a co-corresponding author of the study”
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“Jonas Hallstrom et al, Decoding collective dynamics and complexity in nanoparticle assemblies using graph theory, Science (2026). DOI: 10.1126/science.aeb5134”
PENDING
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.