unpaired

In addition to the 45-minute blocking process that prevents multiple sperm from fertilizing the same ovule, a repulsion signal also directs rejected suitors towards other unpaired ovules.

Divalent chromium has the same number of unpaired electrons as trivalent manganese, the chromophore responsible for the intense color of YInMn blue, which Subramanian's team discovered 15 years ago.

The team also succeeded in synthesizing highly reactive diradicals with two unpaired electrons.

"Even a slight elevation in the transition temperature could reduce the number of remaining, unpaired electrons," Liu said, potentially making the material a better superconductor and increasing its quantum coherence time.

That cage prevents the unpaired electrons from forming bonds, which would remove the gel's magnetic properties.