New NSF grant supports ongoing research into proteins. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) researchers Amir Hirsa, professor of mechanical, aerospace, and nuclear engineering, and Patrick Underhill, professor of chemical and biological engineering, have received a new three-year grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for $452,847 to study the physics of protein solutions using the ring-sheared drop module aboard the International Space Station. The grant starts on August 1, almost 10 years from the start of the ongoing NASA grant that…
Containers attract, trap organic molecules that frequently foul nanosurfaces. Rice University engineers have created containers that can keep volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from accumulating on the surfaces of stored nanomaterials. The portable and inexpensive storage technology addresses a ubiquitous problem in nanomanufacturing and materials science laboratories and is described in a paper published this week in the American Chemical Society journal Nano Letters. “VOCs are in the air that surrounds us every day,” said study corresponding author Daniel Preston, an…
… performed by Washington University surgeons. A surgical team from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis recently performed the first robotic liver transplant in the U.S. The successful transplant, accomplished in May at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, extends to liver transplants the advantages of minimally invasive robotic surgery: a smaller incision resulting in less pain and faster recoveries, plus the precision needed to perform one of the most challenging abdominal procedures. The patient, a man in his 60s who needed…
Groundbreaking method offers a fast and cost-effective way to observe abnormal metabolic processes live in the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner / Production of biological contrast agents / Publication in Angewandte Chemie International Edition. A team of scientists from the University Medical Center Freiburg, the German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), and other locations has achieved a significant breakthrough in live observation of metabolic processes in the body using metabolic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). They have developed a method to modify naturally…
Global LiFi technology firms Fraunhofer HHI and pureLiFi welcome the release of IEEE 802.11bb as the latest global light communications standard alongside IEEE 802.11 Wi-Fi standards. The bb standard marks a significant milestone for the LiFi market, as it provides a globally recognised framework for deployment of LiFi technology. LiFi is a wireless technology that uses light rather than radio frequencies to transmit data. By harnessing the light spectrum, LiFi can unleash faster, more reliable wireless communications with unparalleled security…
… in South Africa and Namibia. Partnership on equal terms: In South Africa’s capital, Cape Town, and near the Namibian port city of Walvis Bay, so-called microgrids will contribute to a sustainable and emission-free power supply. These systems combine electrolyzers for green hydrogen production with fuel cells for its reconversion to electricity: the microgrids store electricity generated from solar and wind power as hydrogen and convert it back to electricity when needed. In Walvis Bay, a local school will use…
New hub will provide state-of-the-art metrology systems to accelerate semiconductor research and enhance development projects with chipmakers and ecosystem partners across Europe, particularly in ICAPS* market segments Collaboration to accelerate learning, develop novel methods and prove new metrology equipment, methods, algorithms and software Applied Materials, Inc., the leader in materials engineering solutions, and the Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS, Germany´s leading advanced 300mm semiconductor research center, today announced a landmark collaboration to create Europe´s largest technology hub for semiconductor…
A new satellite called XRISM (X-ray Imaging and Spectroscopy Mission, pronounced “crism”) aims to pry apart high-energy light into the equivalent of an X-ray rainbow. The mission, led by JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), will do this using an instrument called Resolve. XRISM is scheduled to launch from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Center on Aug. 25, 2023 (Aug. 26 in Japan). “Resolve will give us a new look into some of the universe’s most energetic objects, including black holes, clusters of…
Waveguiding scheme enables highly confined subnanometer optical fields. Imagine shrinking light down to the size of a tiny water molecule, unlocking a world of quantum possibilities. This has been a long-held dream in the realms of light science and technology. Recent advancements have brought us closer to achieving this incredible feat, as researchers from Zhejiang University have made groundbreaking progress in confining light to subnanometer scales. Traditionally, there have been two approaches to localize light beyond its typical diffraction limit:…
A proton-driven approach that enables multiple ferroelectric phase transitions sets the stage for ultralow power, high-capacity computer chips. A proton-mediated approach that produces multiple phase transitions in ferroelectric materials could help develop high-performance memory devices, such as brain-inspired, or neuromorphic, computing chips, a KAUST-led international team has found[1]. Ferroelectrics, such as indium selenide, are intrinsically polarized materials that switch polarity when placed in an electric field, which makes them attractive for creating memory technologies. In addition to requiring low operating…
On-chip laser diodes based on quantum well (QW) and quantum dot (QD) semiconductor materials have become the primary candidates for several applications due to their excellent characteristics, including high power efficiency, high-temperature operation, and small form-factors. Although QWs have been extensively used in commercial products, QDs have emerged as an attractive alternative due to their unique zero-dimensional density of states and atom-like degeneracy. Heterogeneous integration of III-V lasers with SiN microresonators, aided by self-injection locking, not only provides intrinsic advantages…
… used to create more secure type of QR code. A research group led by Dr. Jialei He of Nagoya University’s Graduate School of Engineering has developed a method for processing cholesteric liquid crystals (CLCs) into micrometer-sized spherical particles. CLCs are a type of liquid crystal that possess a helical structure, giving them unique optical properties and the ability to selectively reflect light. By combining spherical CLC particles with commercially available pigments, the researchers developed a unique anti-counterfeiting QR code…
…ever created with Save Our Seas Foundation and UMass Amherst. New interactive models, including the great white shark, free and publicly available, bring the evolution, adaptations of sharks and rays to life. Ground-breaking 3D interactive shark imagery created by a University of Massachusetts Amherst biology professor is powering a new World of Sharks website launched by the Save Our Seas Foundation to inform the public on the critical role sharks play in the world’s oceans. The Save Our Seas Foundation…
In the animal world, you don’t need to learn a numeral system – such as the ten-digit Indo-Arabic system we commonly use – to be able to count. Animals constantly use numerical information from their environment to make decisions. Estimating the number of conspecifics in a competing group before engaging in conflict, the amount of food available in a difficult-to-reach location, or the number of potential sexual partners in a new territory is essential for survival and reproduction. This skill…
Research team led by Göttingen University compares form and function of island and mainland plants. Oceanic islands provide useful models for ecology, biogeography and evolutionary research. Many ground-breaking findings – including Darwin’s theory of evolution – have emerged from the study of species on islands and their interplay with their living and non-living environment. Now, an international research team led by the University of Göttingen has investigated the flora of the Canary Island of Tenerife. The results were surprising: the…
Despite doubts from quantum physics: Research teams from ZARM and Leibniz University Hannover proved Einstein’s theory of relativity with much higher accuracy. The calculations were based on laser measurements of the distance between Moon and Earth. One of the most basic assumptions of fundamental physics is that the different properties of mass – weight, inertia and gravitation – always remain the same in relation to each other. Without this equivalence, Einstein’s theory of relativity would be contradicted and our current…
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