Generating electricity from tacky tape
Zaps of static electricity might be a wintertime annoyance, but to certain scientists, they represent an untapped source of energy. Using a device called a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), mechanical energy can be converted into electrical energy using triboelectric effect static. Many TENGs contain expensive, specially fabricated materials, but one team has instead used inexpensive store-bought tape, plastic and aluminum metal.
With generative AI, chemists quickly calculate 3D genomic structures
Chemists have found a new way to determine 3D genome structures, using generative AI, that can predict thousands of genome structures in minutes, making it much speedier than existing methods for analyzing the structures.
Recycling lithium-ion batteries cuts emissions and strengthens supply chain
Researchers compared the environmental impacts of lithium-ion battery recycling to mining for new materials and found that recycling significantly outperforms mining in terms of greenhouse gas emissions, water use, and energy use.
How does the atmosphere affect ocean weather?
A new study of satellite imagery and high-resolution climate model data upends previous assumptions and provides insight about how the atmosphere and ocean weather patterns interact. The new research reveals the surprising ways atmospheric winds influence ocean eddies, shaping the ocean's weather patterns in more complex ways than previously believed.
This delicate nanoflower is downright deadly to bacteria
A carnation-like nanostructure could someday be used in bandages to promote wound healing. Researchers report that laboratory tests of their nanoflower-coated dressings demonstrate antibiotic, anti-inflammatory and biocompatible properties. They say these results show these tannic acid and copper(II) phosphate sprouted nanoflower bandages are promising candidates for treating infections and inflammatory conditions.
Lightsails could reach distant star systems
A team of scientists has made the first experimental measurements of laser-induced motions of miniature lightsails in the lab.
Aging reactors need a concrete solution
It's been known for some time that radiation impacts the structural integrity of concrete. However, until now the details of this were unknown. Researchers can finally demonstrate what properties of concrete affect its structural characteristics under different neutron radiation loads. Their findings raise some concerns whilst reducing others; for example, quartz crystals in concrete can heal themselves, potentially allowing some reactors to run for longer than initially thought possible.
A new feature discovered in radioactive lanthanum isotopes
Researchers measured very precisely atomic masses of radioactive lanthanum isotopes and found an interesting feature in their nuclear binding energies. The discovery provides essential data for understanding how elements heavier than iron are produced in the Cosmos and triggers new research to elucidate the underlying nuclear structure causing this unexpected change in nuclear binding energies.
This multiferroic can take the heat -- up to 160?
Researchers are breaking limits by increasing the temperature multiferroics can operate at, from room temperature up to a blistering 160 degrees Celsius.
E-mobility: AI system accelerates the development of powertrains
The development of vehicle components is a lengthy and therefore very costly process. Researchers have developed a method that can shorten the development phase of the powertrain of battery electric vehicles by several months. A team is combining simulation models of components with evolutionary optimization algorithms. This AI system automatically optimizes the entire powertrain -- from the power electronics to the electric machine through to the transmission -- in line with the manufacturer's technical requirements, taking into account targets such as production costs, efficiency and package space requirements in the vehicle.
Magnetic whirl simulation in real time
Skyrmions are nanometer- to micrometer-sized magnetic whirls that exhibit particle-like properties and can be moved efficiently by electrical currents. These properties make skyrmions an excellent system for new types of data storage or computers. However, for the optimization of such devices, it is usually too computationally expensive to simulate the complicated internal structure of the skyrmions. One possible approach is the efficient simulation of these magnetic spin structures as particles, similar to the simulation of molecules in biophysics. Until now, however, there has been no conversion between simulation time and experimental real time.
New diagnostic tool will help LIGO hunt gravitational waves
Researchers have demonstrated a new, unsupervised machine learning approach to find new patterns in the auxiliary channel data of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory.
By analyzing almost 10,000 pregnancies, researchers discovered previously unidentified combinations of risk factors linked to serious negative pregnancy outcomes, finding that there may be up to a tenfold difference in risk for infants who are currently treated identically under clinical guidelines.
Pioneering asymmetric living polymerization in liquid crystal reaction fields
By using optically active liquid crystals as reaction sites, researchers have successfully achieved the living polymerization of polymers with aligned helical structures. In this process, optically inactive monomers adopt the chiral (mirror-image) structure in liquid crystals as they grow, resulting in optically active polymers. This breakthrough represents a pioneering achievement in both asymmetric chemistry and polymer chemistry.
Researchers have developed a new material that harnesses the power of enzymes more effectively. These materials have improved the reaction efficiency and long-term stability of enzymes in electrochemical biosensors used in health care and other applications. Furthermore, the researchers significantly enhanced device performance.
Better digital memories with the help of noble gases
The electronics of the future can be made even smaller and more efficient by getting more memory cells to fit in less space. One way to achieve this is by adding the noble gas xenon when manufacturing digital memories. This technology enables a more even material coating even in small cavities.
New light-tuned chemical tools control processes in living cells
A research group has developed new advanced light-controlled tools that enable precise control of proteins in real time in living cells. This groundbreaking research opens doors to new methods for studying complex processes in cells and could pave the way for significant advances in medicine and synthetic biology.
Bat wings boost hovering efficiency
Researchers have designed flexible, bat-like wings that boost lift and improve flight performance. This innovation could lead to more efficient drones or energy-harvesting technologies.
Role of barrier films in maintaining the stability of perovskite solar cells
Flexible perovskite solar cells are promising for lightweight and versatile applications but their sensitivity to humidity and temperature poses a challenge to long-term durability. To address this, researchers have conducted a comprehensive study to test the degradation of these solar modules under extreme heat and humidity. Through accelerated testing, they identified how the water vapor transmission rates of barrier films affect the module's stability, giving critical insights for development of durable solar cells.
Artificial intelligence improves personalized cancer treatment
Personalized medicine aims to tailor treatments to individual patients. Until now, this has been done using a small number of parameters to predict the course of a disease. However, these few parameters are often not enough to understand the complexity of diseases such as cancer. A team of researchers has developed a new approach to this problem using artificial intelligence (AI).
AI boosts efficacy of cancer treatment, but doctors remain key
A new study shows that artificial intelligence (AI) can help doctors make better decisions when treating cancer. However, it also highlights challenges in how doctors and AI work together. The study focused on AI-assisted radiotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer).
Study using virtual breathing coach indicates it is as effective as a human trainer
A study suggests that a computer-generated breathing coach could be as effective as sessions with a human trainer.
New insights on radical trapping in 12-phosphatetraphene uncovered
Muon spin rotation ( SR) spectroscopy is a powerful technique used to study the behavior of materials at the atomic level. In this study, researchers employed SR to examine phosphorus-containing 12-phosphatetraphene 1 molecule (muoniated radical). Their findings provide new insights into the radical's structure and behavior, advancing understanding of reactive species and radical behavior.
Scientists shocked by durability of surgery-sparing technique
A nanotechnology-based drug delivery system developed to save patients from repeated surgeries has proved to have unexpectedly long-lasting benefits in lab tests -- a promising sign for its potential to help human patients.
Researchers combine holograms and AI to create uncrackable optical encryption system
Researchers developed a new optical system that uses holograms to encode information, creating a level of encryption that traditional methods cannot penetrate.
Researchers have shown that plumes of wildfire smoke can carry contaminants hundreds of kilometers, leaving a toxic and lingering footprint which has the potential to be re-released into the environment.
A spintronic view of the effect of chiral molecules
Researchers verified the chiral-induced spin selectivity effect, i.e., the influence of chiral molecules on spin, using spintronic analytical techniques.
Your fridge uses tech from the 50's, but scientists have an update
Researchers report that a more efficient and environmentally friendly form of refrigeration might be on the horizon. The new technology is based on thermogalvanic cells that produce a cooling effect by way of a reversible electrochemical reaction. Thermogalvanic refrigeration is cheaper and more environmentally friendly than other cooling methods because it requires a far lower energy input, and its scalability means that it could be used for various applications -- from wearable cooling devices to industrial-grade scenarios.
From bowling balls to hip joints: Chemists create recyclable alternative to durable plastics
Researchers have developed a recyclable alternative to a durable class of plastics used for items like car tires, replacement hip joints and bowling balls.
How can the latest technology, such as solar cells, be improved? An international research team is helping to find answers to questions like this with a new technique. For the first time, the formation of tiny, difficult-to-detect particles -- known as dark excitons -- can be tracked precisely in time and space. These invisible carriers of energy will play a key role in future solar cells, LEDs and detectors.
New atom-based thermometer measures temperature more accurately
Scientists have developed a new method for measuring temperature extremely accurately by using giant 'Rydberg' atoms. This atomic thermometer provides accurate measurements 'out of the box,' without needing initial factory adjustments, because it relies on the basic principles of quantum physics. By using Rydberg atoms' sensitivity to environmental changes, this technique could simplify temperature sensing in extreme environments, from space to high-precision industries.
New training approach could help AI agents perform better in uncertain conditions
AI agents trained in simulations that differ from the environments where they are deployed sometimes perform better than agents trained and deployed in the same environment, research shows.
Quantum-inspired computing drives major advance in simulating turbulence
Researchers have pioneered a new approach to simulate turbulent systems, based on probabilities.
Materials can 'remember' a sequence of events in an unexpected way
Many materials store information about what has happened to them in a sort of material memory, like wrinkles on a once crumpled piece of paper. Now, a team of physicists has uncovered how, under specific conditions, some materials seemingly violate underlying mathematics to store memories about the sequence of previous deformations.
Creating nanoislands for better platinum catalysts
A new technique to trap clusters of platinum atoms in nanoscale islands could lead to more efficient catalysts for the chemical industry.
Chemical looping turns environmental waste into fuel
Turning environmental waste into useful chemical resources could solve many of the inevitable challenges of our growing amounts of discarded plastics, paper and food waste, according to new research.
A less 'clumpy,' more complex universe?
New research has combined cosmological data from two major surveys of the universe's evolutionary history and found hints that it may be less clumpy at certain points than previously thought. Their findings suggest that the universe may have become more complex with advancing age.
Scientists 'mimic real biological processes' using synthetic neurons
A new collaboration has unlocked new potential for the field by creating a novel high-performance organic electrochemical neuron that responds within the frequency range of human neurons.
Optical fiber sensor provides simple and sensitive detection of arsenic in drinking water
Researchers have developed a new optical sensor that provides a simple way to achieve real-time detection of extremely low levels of arsenic in water.
Common plastic pigment promotes depolymerization
This startling mechanism for promoting depolymerization relies on an additive that many plastics already contain: a pigment called carbon black that gives plastic its black color. Through a process called photothermal conversion, intense light is focused on plastic containing the pigment to jumpstart the degradation. The lab's method has since been tried out on such post-consumer waste as PVC pipes, black construction pipes, trash bags, credit cards, even those ubiquitous yellow rubber duckies. It works on all of them.
The secret life of catalysts: New discoveries in chemical reactions
Scientists have made an advancement in the field of electrocatalysis. Their latest research sheds light on how catalysts can stay in unanticipated forms during the process of nitrate reduction. The study offers new insights that could pave the way for more efficient catalyst design.
Performance-improvement mechanisms of tin-based perovskite solar cells
Researchers have used electron spin resonance technology to observe the state and movement of the charge inside Ruddlesden-Popper tin -based perovskite solar cells, an emerging technology for next-generation solar cells. They have discovered a mechanism that improves the performance of these cells compared with conventional three-dimensional tin-based perovskite solar cells. Their findings signal a great leap forward in the development of high-efficiency, long-lasting solar cells.
New acoustic wave phenomenon discovered
This novel finding regarding the nonreciprocal diffraction of acoustic waves could open doors for next-generation communication devices.
The hidden power of the smallest microquasars
Researchers found for the first time evidence that even microquasars containing a low-mass star are efficient particle accelerators, which leads to a significant impact on the interpretation of the abundance of gamma rays in the universe.
Green phosphonate chemistry -- Does it exist?
Phosphorus is a critical raw material that should be recycled more efficiently. There is also a need for more environmentally friendly production methods for organic phosphorus compounds. A recently published review article examines the potential of green chemistry to contribute to these goals in the production and use of multifunctional phosphorus compounds, phosphonates.
New study improves the trustworthiness of wind power forecasts
By applying techniques from explainable artificial intelligence, engineers can improve users' confidence in forecasts generated by artificial intelligence models. This approach was recently tested on wind power generation.
Research leads to viable solution for polycotton textile waste recycling
Researchers present a solution to the challenging problem of recycling poly-cotton textile waste. The process starts with fully removing all cotton from the fabric using superconcentrated hydrochloric acid at room temperature. The cotton is converted into glucose, which can be used as a feedstock for biobased products such as renewable plastics. The remaining polyester fibers can be reprocessed using available polyester recycling methods.
Even quantum physics obeys the law of entropy
The universe is getting more disordered, entropy is growing -- this is the second law of thermodynamics. But according to quantum theory, entropy should actually stay the same. Scientists took a closer look and resolved this apparent contradiction.
Improving the way flash memory is made
The narrow, deep holes required for one type of flash memory are made twice as fast with the right recipe, which includes a plasma made from hydrogen fluoride.
Life's building blocks in Asteroid Bennu samples
Scientists detected all five nucleobases -- building blocks of DNA and RNA -- in samples returned from asteroid Bennu by NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission.
Exploring mysteries of Asteroid Bennu
Scientists found that asteroid Bennu contained a set of salty mineral deposits that formed in an exact sequence when a brine evaporated, leaving clues about the type of water that flowed billions of years ago.
Advanced brain circuit-mapping technique reveals new anxiety drug target
Investigators have identified in a preclinical model a specific brain circuit whose inhibition appears to reduce anxiety without side effects. Their work suggests a new target for treating anxiety disorders and related conditions and demonstrates a general strategy, based on a method called photopharmacology, for mapping drug effects on the brain.
Moon is not as 'geologically dead' as previously thought
Scientists developed advanced dating methods to track geological changes on the far side of the moon and found evidence of relatively recent activity.
Sharp look into Ockham's razor
A new article argues that by relying too much on parsimony in modeling, scientists make mistakes and miss opportunities.
New structures of a critical amyloid protein illuminated
The tiny protein known as transthyretin can cause big problems in the body when it misfolds after secretion. While healthy transthyretin moves hormones through blood and spinal fluid, misfolded versions of the protein form dangerous clumps in the heart and along nerves -- triggering a progressive and fatal disease known as transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR). Up to a quarter of all men over the age of 80 have some degree of ATTR, which can cause shortness of breath, dizziness and tingling or loss of sensation in the extremities. Now, scientists have uncovered new structures of transthyretin.
A new register with thousands of entangled nuclei to scale quantum networks
In a groundbreaking achievement for quantum technologies, researchers have created a functional quantum register using the atoms inside a semiconductor quantum dot.
New avenues in quantum research: Supramolecular qubit candidates detected
Researchers were able to demonstrate for the first time that non-covalent bonds between spin centers are also capable of producing quartet states through spin mixing. Supramolecular chemistry is thus a valuable tool for the research, development and scaling of new materials for quantum technologies.
Follow the water: Searching for a lunar oasis
As humankind imagines living off-planet -- on the moon, Mars and beyond -- the question of how to sustain life revolves around the physical necessities of oxygen, food and water. We know there is water on the moon, but how do we find it? Researchers may help bring science fiction to reality by providing a divining rod to guide future space missions.
Testing the effect of thousands of compounds on cellular metabolism
Researchers are able to test in parallel the effects of over 1500 active substances on cell metabolism. Their analysis also led to the discovery of previously unknown mechanisms for known medications. This approach might help scientists to better predict side effects and find additional uses for commercially available pharmaceuticals.
Towards a new generation of human-inspired language models
Can a computer learn a language the way a child does? A recent study sheds new light on this question. The researchers advocate for a fundamental revision of how artificial intelligence acquires and processes language.