The energy transition in Germany, Europe, and across the world is driving robust demand for solar panels. Alongside high energy yields, aesthetics and acceptance are also increasingly important factors. To accommodate these trends, a team of researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE has developed an innovative solar facade element that can be incorporated into a building’s exterior practically invisibly and without any significant loss of efficiency. With the development of MorphoColor® coating technology, the experts have…
A new USC study provides clear evidence that the Earth’s inner core began to decrease its speed around 2010. USC scientists have proven that the Earth’s inner core is backtracking — slowing down — in relation to the planet’s surface, as shown in new research published Wednesday in Nature. Movement of the inner core has been debated by the scientific community for two decades, with some research indicating that the inner core rotates faster than the planet’s surface. The new USC…
LIKAT Chemists Demonstrate Heterogeneous Catalysis for Synthesis of Complex Molecule. A catalyst developed at LIKAT in Rostock opens up new avenues in the synthesis of fine chemicals for pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and household chemicals, for example. Its effect is based on isolated copper atoms applied to a solid carrier material around which the reaction solution flows. This heterogeneous catalysis, so called because the aggregate states of the catalyst (solid) and the starting materials (liquid) differ, is highly unusual in the production…
— innovative plastic film material made from PLA. Flexible, disposable plastic films used in shopping or garbage bags are made mainly from petroleum-based low-density polyethylene (LDPE). These films, however, come with a large carbon footprint and contribute to environmental pollution. A team from the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Polymer Research IAP has now developed a flexible and recyclable plastic film material based on polylactide (PLA) bioplastic and paved the way for its commercialization. For their efforts, they received the Joseph…
Using NASA’s first two-way, end-to-end laser relay system, pictures and videos of cherished pets flew through space over laser communications links at a rate of 1.2 gigabits per second — faster than most home internet speeds. NASA astronauts Randy Bresnik, Christina Koch, and Kjell Lindgren, along with other agency employees, submitted photos and videos of their pets to take a trip to and from the International Space Station. The transmissions allowed NASA’s SCaN (Space Communications and Navigation) program to showcase the power…
A multidisciplinary research team has developed an evidence-based predictive tool for designing complex metal alloys that can withstand extreme environments. Cooks love stainless steel for its durability, rust resistance and even cooking when heated. But few know the secret that makes stainless steel so popular. It’s the metal chromium in stainless steel, which reacts with oxygen in the air to form a stable and protective thin coating for protecting the steel underneath. These days, scientists and engineers are working to…
Precision measurement of intestinal microbiome taking steps toward human clinical trials. Significant progress has been made at Tufts University School of Engineering in the development of a small device, about the size of a vitamin pill, that can be swallowed and passed through the gastrointestinal tract to sample the full inventory of microorganisms in an individual’s gastro-intestinal tract. This device has the potential to advance research on the relationship between resident bacteria and a wide range of health conditions. It…
Scientists have for the first time observed how atoms in magnesium oxide morph and melt under ultra-harsh conditions, providing new insights into this key mineral within Earth’s mantle that is known to influence planet formation. High-energy laser experiments—which subjected tiny crystals of the mineral to the type of heat and pressure found deep inside a rocky planet’s mantle—suggest the compound could be the earliest mineral to solidify out of magma oceans in forming “super-Earth” exoplanets. “Magnesium oxide could be the…
USC Engineering researchers create GPS-like smart pills with AI. Utilizing wearable electronics and AI, new ingestible sensors provide real-time 3D monitoring of gastrointestinal health. Imagine finding your location without GPS. Now apply this to tracking an item in the body. This has been the challenge with tracking “smart” pills – pills equipped with smart sensors–once swallowed. At the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, innovations in wearable electronics and AI have led to the development of ingestible sensors that not only…
…to metastatic lung tumors in mice. Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed microscopic robots, known as microrobots, capable of swimming through the lungs to deliver cancer-fighting medication directly to metastatic tumors. This approach has shown promise in mice, where it inhibited the growth and spread of tumors that had metastasized to the lungs, thereby boosting survival rates compared to control treatments. The findings are detailed in a paper published on June 12 in Science Advances. The…
…for post-consumer recyclates in specific applications. Due to EU regulations and waste reduction targets, the use of recyclates has increased significantly. However, a major challenge is to ensure that post-consumer recyclates meet safety standards, especially in terms of flame retardancy. Upgrading with effective halogen free flame retardants is essential. Teams of experts at the Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF are working intensively on EU regulations and the need for halogen free flame retardancy in specific applications….
DFKI and University of Duisburg-Essen test fine motor skills in weightlessness. Fine motor tasks under space conditions are particularly challenging and must first be trained on Earth. Scientists from the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) and the University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE) are investigating whether a robotic exoskeleton that can simulate weightlessness is suitable for astronautical training. The team now had the opportunity to participate in the 42nd DLR Parabolic Flight Campaign in Bordeaux, France, to compare the effects…
… and change shape, a vital biological function. In a feat aimed at understanding how cells move and creating new ways to shuttle drugs through the body, scientists at Johns Hopkins Medicine say they have built a minimal synthetic cell that follows an external chemical cue and demonstrates a governing principle of biology called “symmetry breaking.” The findings are published June 12 in Science Advances. A step that precedes the movement of a cell, symmetry breaking, happens when a cell’s molecules,…
It’s still just a plan, but a new telescope could soon be measuring gravitational waves. Gravitational waves are something like the sound waves of the universe. They are created, for example, when black holes or neutron stars collide. The future gravitational wave detector, the Einstein Telescope, will use the latest laser technology to better understand these waves and, thus, our universe. One possible location for the construction of this telescope is the border triangle of Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands….
Researchers demonstrate a programmable approach to fabricating optical qubits in silicon for large-scale manufacturing. Quantum computers have the potential to solve complex problems in human health, drug discovery, and artificial intelligence millions of times faster than some of the world’s fastest supercomputers. A network of quantum computers could advance these discoveries even faster. But before that can happen, the computer industry will need a reliable way to string together billions of qubits – or quantum bits – with atomic precision….
Deep connections in the nano world… In relationships, sharing closer spaces naturally deepens the connection as bonds form and strengthen through increasing shared memories. This principle applies not only to human interactions but also to engineering. Recently, an intriguing study was published demonstrating the use of quantum dots to create metasurfaces, enabling two objects to exist in the same space. Professor Junsuk Rho from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, the Department of Chemical Engineering, and the Department of Electrical Engineering,…
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