Forum for Science, Industry and Business

When studying biological cells using optical tweezers, one main issue is the damage caused to the cell by the tool. Giovanni Volpe, University of Gothenburg, has discovered a new type of force that will greatly reduce the amount of light used by optical tweezers - and improve the study of all kinds of cells and particles.

Geospatial scientists have developed a new program to monitor street signs needing replacement or repair by tapping into Google Street View images

Process eliminates multiple steps typical in conventional extrusion

New study using a rat model for high blood pressure helps explain the different sensory nerve-induced physiological response to air pollution in patients with preexisting cardiovascular disease

At TU Graz a steel powder has been developed for additive manufacturing which decisively simplifies the production of complex components. In a spin-off funding programme, work is now being done on market maturity.

Almost 500,000 Americans die each year from cardiac arrest, when the heart suddenly stops beating.

“CleanRemote” protects work environment against hazardous micro dust

When two proteins work together, this worsens the prognosis for lung cancer patients: their chances of survival are particularly poor in this case.

An international research team led by the University of Göttingen has discovered two new Earth-like planets near one of our closest neighboring stars. "Teegarden’s star" is only about 12.5 light years away from Earth and is one of the smallest known stars. It is only about 2,700 °C warm and about ten times lighter than the Sun. Although it is so close to us, the star wasn’t discovered until 2003. The scientists observed the star for about three years. The results were published in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics.

Combining research-oriented teaching and interdisciplinary collaboration pays off: Researchers at the University of Konstanz develop a novel spectroscopic approach to investigate hitherto difficult-to-observe protein structures. On “campus.kn”, the online magazine of the University of Konstanz, we report on the new approach and its origin at the interface between chemistry and biology.

For a long time, ecologists have relied on their senses when it comes to recording animal populations and species diversity. However, modern programmable sound recording devices are now the better option for logging animal vocalisations. Scientists lead by the University of Göttingen have investigated this using studies of birds as an example. The results were published in the journal Ecological Applications.

Researchers at UNIGE have discovered that the development of the hippocampus, the area of the brain responsible for memory and emotions, is severely impacted in adolescence following the onset of the first psychotic symptoms.

Largest dataset of its kind from the mouse brain is part of a larger effort to discover the brain's 'periodic table'

The research has focused on different types of cells called macrophages, and how they work when bacteria are present

Tumors and certain viral infections pose a challenge to the human body which the immune system typically fails to hand. In these diseases it switches to hypofunctional state that prevent adequate protection. A research team from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has achieved a major success: They were able to identify the crucial molecular switch that triggers such dysfunctional immune responses. This could make it possible in the future to switch off or to prevent this state.

SEARCHLIGHT project radically rethinks wireless architectures for highly scalable ultra-dense millimeter-wave networks

A research centre in West Africa examines strategies to address the climate change. Its German partner is the University of Würzburg; the Federal Ministry of Education and Research is funding the initiative with 3.7 million euros.

Scientists are developing alternative methods for assessing the fish-friendliness of hydroelectric power plants

The well-known representation of chemical elements is just one example of how objects can be arranged and classified

Materials Genome Initiative (MGI) and National Materials Genome Project have been launched by American and Chinese government in the past decade. One of the major goals of these missions is to facilitate the identification of materials data to speed material discovery and development. Current methods are promising candidates to identify structures effectively, but have limited ability to deal with all structures accurately and automatically in the big materials database, because different material resources and various measurement error lead to variation of bond length and bond angle.

Polymers reinforced with carbon fibers combine strength and low weight. They also boast significant green credentials as they are less resource-intensive during production and use, and they are readily recycled. While the mechanical properties of continuous-fiber laminates are sufficiently competitive for applications in aerospace and automobiles, composites reinforced with short carbon fibers could be attractive for fast-manufacture, and even 3D printing for applications with more moderate strength requirements.

A hair-sized probe that can measure key indicators of tissue damage deep in the lung has been developed by scientists.

Self-cleaning surfaces and laboratories on a chip become even more efficient if we are able to control individual droplets. University of Groningen professor Patrick Onck, together with colleagues from Eindhoven University of Technology, have shown that this is possible by using a technique named mechanowetting. 'We have come up with a way of transporting droplets by using transverse surface waves. This even works on inclined or vertical surfaces'. The research was published in Science Advances on 14 June.