Engineers have created intelligent 3D printers that can quickly detect and correct errors, even in previously unseen designs, or unfamiliar materials like ketchup and mayonnaise, by learning from the experiences of other machines. The engineers, from the University of Cambridge, developed a machine learning algorithm that can detect and correct a wide variety of different errors in real time, and can be easily added to new or existing machines to enhance their capabilities. 3D printers using the algorithm could also…
The hybrid magnet at the Steady High Magnetic Field Facility (SHMFF) in Hefei, China set a world record for the highest steady magnetic field by a working magnet when it produced a steady field of 45.22 tesla (T) on Aug. 12. It broke the previous world record of 45 tesla set in 1999 by a hybrid magnet at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory of the United States. This 45.22-tesla hybrid magnet is composed of a resistive insert nested in…
During the COVID-19 pandemic last year, an incident occurred where vaccines exposed to room temperature had to be discarded. Biomedical substances, including vaccines, risk deterioration if not stored properly, so strict management is required during production and storage. In particular, exposure to light may reduce the vaccine’s efficacy, so it is important to check whether it has been damaged by light exposure. Recently, a POSTECH research team led by Professor Junsuk Rho (Department of Mechanical Engineering and Department of Chemical…
Research with stem cells is becoming increasingly important, because stem cells can develop into any body cell – skin cells, nerve cells or organ cells such as liver cells, the so-called hepatocytes. Stem cells can therefore be used, for example, in the therapy of organ damage or as an alternative to animal experiments. However, there are still major differences between hepatocytes obtained from a liver and those obtained from stem cells. Researchers at the Leibniz Research Centre for Working Environments…
… expands experimental teaching and learning with intelligent technology. Experimental learning is indispensable for conveying science content in a comprehensible way in school lessons. Experimental materials are constantly being developed and offer new didactic possibilities. For example, researchers are working on an intelligent photometer at Technische Universität Kaiserslautern (TUK). In addition to its function as a measurement and experimentation platform, it is also capable of storing user paths in order to subsequently optimise the teaching and learning experience by means…
Below Europa’s thick icy crust is a massive, global ocean where the snow floats upwards onto inverted ice peaks and submerged ravines. The bizarre underwater snow is known to occur below ice shelves on Earth, but a new study shows that the same is likely true for Jupiter’s moon, where it may play a role in building its ice shell. The underwater snow is much purer than other kinds of ice, which means Europa’s ice shell could be much less…
Solar panels aren’t just for rooftops anymore – some buildings even have these power-generating structures all over their facades. But as more buildings and public spaces incorporate photovoltaic technologies, their monotonous black color could leave onlookers underwhelmed. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Nano have created solar panels that take on colorful hues while producing energy nearly as efficiently as traditional ones. Solar panels are typically a deep black color because their job is to absorb light, whereas a red car…
Effectiveness of biodiversity conservation in national parks is associated with socioeconomic conditions. Despite commendable conservation efforts and investments by governments, NGOs and international as well as national conservation agencies, biodiversity continues to decline across the globe. One of the key strategies to halt biodiversity decline is the establishment of protected areas like national parks, which are supposed to provide favourable conditions for biodiversity to remain stable. Species declines are strongly associated with Human Development Index An international research team led…
Transferring mitochondria bolsters neurons’ healing and improves recovery from a brain hemorrhage. After a brain hemorrhage, neural support cells called astrocytes enhance healing by transferring their mitochondria to damaged neurons. The healthy mitochondria stimulate the production of a free radical-fighting enzyme, according to new research published in JNeurosci. An artery in the brain bursts. Blood rushes into the tissue, inducing free radicals that cause even more damage. The hemorrhage damages mitochondria, the site of energy production in cells. Astrocytes transfer…
… and prevent recurrence in mice. An mRNA-based cancer vaccine is delivered directly into the lymphatic system for a more potent response. Researchers around the world have been working for years on developing vaccines against different types of cancer, but without much success. Now, Tufts School of Engineering researchers think they have found one that does work. They have devised a method of targeting cancer in mice with a vaccine that is so strong and precise, it eliminates tumors and…
… opens new frontier in quantum science. By using photons and electron spin qubits to control nuclear spins in a two-dimensional material, researchers at Purdue University have opened a new frontier in quantum science and technology, enabling applications like atomic-scale nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and to read and write quantum information with nuclear spins in 2D materials. As published Monday (Aug. 15) in Nature Materials, the research team used electron spin qubits as atomic-scale sensors, and also to effect the…
Chemists successfully synthesize a cationic, low-valent aluminum complex salt via metathesis. The chemists Philipp Dabringhaus, Julie Willrett and Prof. Dr. Ingo Krossing from the Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry at the University of Freiburg have succeeded in synthesizing the low-valent cationic aluminum complex [Al(AlCp*)3]+ by a metathesis reaction. The team presents their research work in the journal Nature Chemistry. “In chemistry, cationic low-valent aluminum compounds are highly sought after due to their potential transition metal-like ambiphilic reactivity. However, numerous…
A new method for shaping matter into complex shapes, with the use of ‘twisted’ light, has been demonstrated in research at the University of Strathclyde. When atoms are cooled to temperatures close to absolute zero (-273 degrees C), they stop behaving like particles and start to behave like waves. Atoms in this condition, which are known as Bose–Einstein condensates (BECs), are useful for purposes such as realisation of atom lasers, slow light, quantum simulations for understanding the complex behaviour of…
Lab-made cartilage gel outperforms the real thing. Human clinical trials may begin as soon as next year. Over-the-counter pain relievers, physical therapy, steroid injections — some people have tried it all and are still dealing with knee pain. Often knee pain comes from the progressive wear and tear of cartilage known as osteoarthritis, which affects nearly one in six adults — 867 million people — worldwide. For those who want to avoid replacing the entire knee joint, there may soon…
The stickiness of medical adhesives can be controlled by ultrasound, researchers find. Researchers have discovered that they can control the stickiness of adhesive bandages using ultrasound waves and bubbles. This breakthrough could lead to new advances in medical adhesives, especially in cases where adhesives are difficult to apply such as on wet skin. “Bandages, glues, and stickers are common bioadhesives that are used at home or in clinics. However, they don’t usually adhere well on wet skin. It’s also challenging…
Huntington’s chorea is a hereditary disease that leads to cognitive and motor impairments and death. Scientists at the University of Bremen have worked with international partners to elucidate the mechanism by which the mutated huntingtin protein can be kept at bay. “We have uncovered a mechanism by which the body’s own protein folding helpers keep the mutated huntingtin protein at bay,” explains project leader and professor Janine Kirstein at the University of Bremen. Protein-folding helpers allow proteins to take on…
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