New Method for Measuring Luminescence Lifetime. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Marine Microbiology, Leibniz-Institute for Baltic Sea Research and University of Copenhagen introduce an innovative approach to image luminescence lifetimes. This simple approach uses readily-available cost-effective equipment, paving the way for advanced studies of chemical dynamics in environmental and biological systems. For example, it allows to record oxygen dynamics with much higher temporal and spatial precision. Take oxygen, for example: Oxygen is a key molecule for life, and…
Scientists at the Wood Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) have been working for years to find out what types of plastics have the shortest and longest lifespans in the ocean, and what types of plastic products, like straws and food wrappers, most commonly contribute to plastic pollution. With more biodegradable materials being developed , like cellulose diacetate (CDA)—a plastic-like polymer derived from wood pulp—researchers are racing to ensure they can replace traditional plastics without causing harm to ocean environments. Now after…
UFZ study demonstrates for the first time the toxicological relevance of chemical mixtures as they occur in humans. “In our everyday lives, we are exposed to a wide variety of chemicals that are distributed and accumulate in our bodies. These are highly complex mixtures that can affect bodily functions and our health,” says Prof Beate Escher, Head of the UFZ Department of Cell Toxicology and Professor at the University of Tübingen. “It is known from environmental and water studies that…
Can exoskeletons make strenuous activities easier and allow people to do hard work for longer and in a healthier way? A study by TU Graz says yes, but not always. Hard physical work is not healthy for anyone in the long term. Sooner or later, many people suffer from back, joint or muscular complaints. Exoskeletons are a technology that promises support for this type of work and therefore less physical strain. In the ExoFitStyria project, the Institute of Innovation and…
Max-Planck-Institutes in Potsdam drive forward sustainable energy transition. The Max-Planck-Campus in Potsdam is committed to sustainability and energy self-sufficiency. With a combination of energy-saving measures and the expansion of renewable energies, the institutes are striving for greater energy independence and an active contribution to reducing CO2 emissions. An innovative agrivoltaic system is currently at the heart of these efforts, which is being built on around 6,000 m² of research space at the Max Planck Institute (MPI) of Molecular Plant Physiology…
With its spatial light modulators, Fraunhofer IPMS offers photonic systems including matching control electronics and software that enable precise control, high modulation frequencies and high image quality. They facilitate new and improved applications in industry as well as in automotive, astronomy and medical sectors. Controlling and modifying photons, tiny particles of light, is useful for a wide range of technological applications in medicine, industry and entertainment. The Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS is developing spatial light modulators consisting of…
…could be leap toward more energy-efficient supercomputing. Ferroelectric material adapts to light stimuli by reorganizing atomic connectivity on the nanoscale. “Today’s supercomputers and data centers demand many megawatts of power,” said Haidan Wen, a physicist at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory. “One challenge is to find materials for more energy-efficient microelectronics. A promising candidate is a ferroelectric material that can be used for artificial neural networks as a component in energy-efficient microelectronics.” Ferroelectric materials can be found…
How New Chemical Products Are Made from old Frying Oil. Every year, 119 million tons of used vegetable oil are produced worldwide, mainly from commercial kitchens and restaurants. Only a small proportion of this is reused, for example in the production of fuels such as biodiesel. At the Leibniz Institute for Catalysis in Rostock (LIKAT), PhD student Fairoosa Poovan has developed a catalyst in Prof. Matthias Beller’s research group that uses used cooking oil to synthesize primary amines. These are…
Aachen-based Fraunhofer Institutes improve defect detection in weld seams. The International Center for Networked, Adaptive Production (ICNAP) of the three Aachen-based Fraunhofer Institutes will be presenting an AI-supported analysis system for visual quality control at the SPS trade fair in Nuremberg from November 12 to 14, 2024. In hall 6, booth 6-357, ICNAP will be demonstrating how deep learning can be used to check weld seams on battery cell modules for defects in real time. The use case that the…
A global team of researchers led by Matthias Mann at the MPI of Biochemistry has made a groundbreaking discovery that saves the lives of patients suffering from toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN). TEN is a rare but often fatal reaction to common medications, causing widespread detachment of the skin. Using spatial proteomics, the team identified the inflammatory JAK/STAT pathway as the main driver of disease. After validating their findings in pre-clinical models, they successfully treated the first seven patients worldwide with…
It is usually not possible to look inside cloudy liquids, but researchers at the universities of Mainz and Düsseldorf have now managed to do so for the first time. When driving though a bank of fog, car headlights are only of limited help as the light is scattered by the water particles suspended in the air. The situation is similar when you try to observe the inside of a drop of milk in water or the internal structure of an…
Conventional catalysts for hydrogen production via water electrolysis usually contain precious metals and are expensive. However, cheaper alternatives have been developed, for example cobalt-manganese catalysts. They have a high activity and are stable over a long period of time. The decisive factor for these characteristics is their manganese content. Why manganese plays this essential role was unknown for a long time. The mechanism behind this has now been deciphered by researchers from the German institutions Ruhr University Bochum, the Max…
Hand-held instrument uses sound waves to detect biomarkers in tiny amounts of blood. Patients who go to the doctor to provide a blood sample are typically faced with a needle and syringe and hours or days of waiting to get results back from a lab. University of Colorado Boulder researchers hope to change that with a new handheld, sound-based diagnostic system able to deliver precise results in an hour with a mere finger prick of blood. The team describes the system…
A collaborative study introduces a new model for the set of gut microbes found in humans. Researchers at Rutgers University-New Brunswick, along with international collaborators, have introduced a novel method for identifying the crucial set of gut microbes commonly found in humans and essential for health. The researchers, whose study was published in Cell, said the discovery offers innovative opportunities for precision nutrition and personalized therapies aimed at managing chronic diseases associated with gut microbiome imbalances, including diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease and cancer. The…
Researchers will use tissue-on-chip technology as a new way to explore the relationship between the lungs and brain. Scientists are developing advanced tools to understand and treat neurological symptoms such as brain fog associated with respiratory diseases like influenza. The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) within the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), awarded a three-year contract to researchers at the University of Rochester to develop…
The European Commission’s targets are ambitious: the ReFuelEU Aviation Regulation stipulates a 60 percent reduction in CO₂ emissions from aviation by 2050 compared to 1990 levels. A comprehensive EU Space Law (EUSL) is also planned, including rules on the sustainability of space activities. Aerospace companies are receiving support from the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT in Aachen and its new additive manufacturing processes, which significantly reduce the ecological footprint and reduce production costs. “How can aviation be made greener?”…
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