ScienceDaily: Technology - November 18, 2024
Top technology research news
Scientists find a new way of entangling light and sound
For a wide variety of emerging quantum technologies, such as secure quantum communications and quantum computing, quantum entanglement is a prerequisite. Scientists have now demonstrated a particularly efficient way in which photons can be entangled with acoustic phonons. The researchers were able to demonstrate that this entanglement is resilient to external noise, the usual pitfall of any quantum technology to date.
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Invisible touch: AI can feel and measure surfaces
Quantum-science advances using AI can measure very small surfaces and distances -- opening a world of medical, manufacturing and other applications.
'Walk this Way': How ants create trails to multiple food sources
Researchers have discovered that in a foraging ant's search for food, it will leave pheromone trails connecting its colony to multiple food sources when they're available, successfully creating the first model that explains the phenomenon of trail formation to multiple food sources.
Scientists have created a new 'biocooperative' material based on blood, which has shown to successfully repair bones, paving the way for personalised regenerative blood products that could be used as effective therapies to treat injury and disease.
Novel magnetic field integration enhances green hydrogen peroxide production
A sprinkling of magnetic nanoparticles is just enough to power up catalysts, so they can make hydrogen peroxide production more efficient.
Biodiversity in the city: Designing urban spaces for humans and animals
Animals and plants also live and thrive on public squares. This creates opportunities for greater biodiversity and well-being for the human population. Researchers have studied at 103 locations in Munich how various factors affect flora and fauna. They advocate a close examination of local conditions and a more nature-focused approach to the design of public spaces.
New route to 'quantum spin liquid' materials discovered
Scientists have produced a new route to materials with complex 'disordered' magnetic properties at the quantum level. The material, based on a framework of ruthenium, fulfils the requirements of the 'Kitaev quantum spin liquid state' -- an elusive phenomenon that scientists have been trying to understand for decades.
Material developed with novel stretching properties
Metamaterials are artificial materials that do not occur in nature. Their components function like atoms in conventional materials but have special optical, electrical and magnetic properties. Interaction between the components is crucial to a metamaterial's functionality. Previously a component could usually interact only with its immediate neighbors. Researchers have now developed a mechanical metamaterial with which these interactions can also be triggered at greater distances within the material. Potential uses of the material include measuring forces and structural monitoring.
Recycling batteries with citric acid
A simple, highly efficient, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly process could provide a viable pathway for the sustainable recycling of depleted lithium-ion batteries (LIBs): No chemicals beyond citric acid need to be added to leach out and separate over 99 % of the lithium, nickel, cobalt, and manganese metals contained in NCM batteries. The resulting recycled material can be directly converted into NCM electrodes, reports a research team.
Cash is King: The surprising truth about spending habits in a cashless world
Physical cash not only influences how much we spend but also fosters a profound sense of psychological ownership that digital payments cannot replicate, according to new research.
Deciphering the anomalous properties of water
Water, a molecule essential for life, has unusual properties -- known as anomalies -- that define its behavior. However, there are still many enigmas about the molecular mechanisms that would explain the anomalies that make the water molecule unique. Deciphering and reproducing this particular behavior of water in different temperature ranges is still a major challenge for the scientific community. Now, a study presents a new theoretical model capable of overcoming the limitations of previous methodologies to understand how water behaves in extreme conditions.
Novel electro-biodiesel a more efficient, cleaner alternative to existing alternatives
Scientists create biodiesel with electrocatalysis and bioconversion.
AI headphones create a 'sound bubble,' quieting all sounds more than a few feet away
Researchers have created a headphone prototype that allows listeners to hear people speaking within a bubble with a programmable radius of 3 to 6 feet. Voices and sounds outside the bubble are quieted an average of 49 decibels, even if they're louder than those in the bubble.
Scientists use math to predict crystal structure in hours instead of months
Researchers have devised a mathematical approach to predict the structures of crystals -- a critical step in developing many medicines and electronic devices -- in a matter of hours using only a laptop, a process that previously took a supercomputer weeks or months.
A new study determines that just four policies can reduce mismanaged plastic waste -- plastic that isn't recycled or properly disposed of and ends up as pollution -- by 91% and plastic-related greenhouse gasses by one-third. The policies are: mandate new products be made with 40% post-consumer recycled plastic; cap new plastic production at 2020 levels; invest significantly in plastic waste management -- such as landfills and waste collection services; and implement a small fee on plastic packaging. This policy package also delivers climate benefits, reducing emissions equivalent to taking 300 million gasoline-powered vehicles off the road for one year.
Breakthrough in capturing 'hot' CO2 from industrial exhaust
Capturing carbon dioxide from the hot industrial exhaust of cement and steel plants requires cooling the exhaust from around 200 C to 60 C so that liquid amines can react with the CO2. Chemists have now created a new type of metal-organic framework that captures CO2 at high temperatures, avoiding the need to expend energy and water to cool the exhaust. The MOF opens up a new field of high-temperature gas capture.
Scientists discover laser light can cast a shadow
Researchers have found that under certain conditions, a laser beam can act like an opaque object and cast a shadow, opening new possibilities for technologies that could use a laser beam to control another laser beam.
Deep learning streamlines identification of 2D materials
Researchers look to deep learning techniques in order to streamline the time-consuming process of identifying 2D materials.
Robotic shorts support people when walking
Researchers have developed robotic trousers that enable people to walk more easily while expending measurably less energy. The aim is to keep frail individuals and in particular the elderly mobile and healthy for longer.
How long did it take our Sun to form in its stellar nursery? Scientists are now closer to an answer. They succeeded in the measurement of the bound-state beta decay of fully-ionized thallium ions at the Experimental Storage Ring (ESR) of GSI/FAIR. This measurement has profound effects on the production of radioactive lead in asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars and can be used to help determine the Sun's formation time.
Wave-predicting robots could cut green energy costs
Underwater robots that can predict waves in real-time could reduce the cost of producing offshore renewable energy, a study suggests.
Scientists compile library for evaluating exoplanet water
By probing chemical processes observed in the Earth's hot mantle, scientists have started developing a library of basalt-based spectral signatures that not only will help reveal the composition of planets outside of our solar system but could demonstrate evidence of water on those exoplanets.
Behavioral analysis in mice: More precise results despite fewer animals
Researchers are utilizing artificial intelligence to analyze the behavior of laboratory mice more efficiently and reduce the number of animals in experiments.
AI method can spot potential disease faster, better than humans, study finds
A 'deep learning' artificial intelligence model can identify pathology, or signs of disease, in images of animal and human tissue much faster, and often more accurately, than people. The development could dramatically speed up the pace of disease-related research. It also holds potential for improved medical diagnosis, such as detecting cancer from a biopsy image in a matter of minutes, a process that typically takes a human pathologist several hours.
Transforming anion exchange membranes in water electrolysis for green hydrogen production
Researchers have implemented polyphenylene-based anion exchange membranes poised to make hydrogen production more efficient and durable. The robust hydrophobic design enables effective ion transport while resisting chemical degradation.
'Cool' white car headlights more likely to dazzle moths
'Cool' white lights -- such as those in modern car headlights -- endanger moths by causing them to fly erratically, new research shows.
Mathematical modelling leads to a better understanding of prostate cancer
Researchers have developed a three-dimensional mathematical model of prostate cancer. The model depicts various processes, including tumour growth, genetic evolution and tumour cell competition.
When is a hole not a hole? Researchers investigate the mystery of 'latent pores'
Researchers have explored how a particular chemical can selectively trap certain molecules in the cavities of its structure -- even though in normal conditions it has no such cavities. This innovative material with now-you-see-them-now-you-don't holes could lead to more efficient methods for separating and capturing chemicals right across industry.
Sensitive ceramics for soft robotics
Robots that can sense touch and perceive temperature differences? An unexpected material might just make this a reality. Researchers are developing soft and intelligent sensor materials based on ceramic particles.
'Game changer' in lithium extraction: Researchers develop novel electrochemical reactor
Researchers have developed an innovative electrochemical reactor to extract lithium from natural brine solutions, offering a promising approach to address the growing demand for lithium used in rechargeable batteries.
Bluetooth technology unlocks urban animal secrets
Mobile phones could be the key to a cheaper and more reliable way of tracking animals for ecology and conservation research, according to a new study.
Plugged wells and reduced injection lower induced earthquake rates in Oklahoma, study finds
Wastewater injection resulting from oil and gas production in Oklahoma caused a dramatic rise in seismic activity in the state between 2009 and 2015. But regulatory efforts to backfill some injection wells with cement and reduce injection volumes have been effective in lowering the state's induced earthquake rate, according to a new study.
Researchers have developed a simple model system that can be used to break down fibrils -- the cause of numerous disorders including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease -- into their constituent single units or liquid droplets.
Meteorite contains evidence of liquid water on Mars 742 million years ago
An asteroid struck Mars 11 million years ago and sent pieces of the red planet hurtling through space. One of these chunks of Mars eventually crashed into the Earth and is one of the few meteorites that can be traced directly to Mars. This meteorite was rediscovered in a drawer at Purdue University in 1931 and therefore named the Lafayette Meteorite. During early investigations of the Lafayette Meteorite, scientists discovered that it had interacted with liquid water while on Mars. Scientists have long wondered when that interaction with liquid water took place. Scientists have recently determined the age of the minerals in the Lafayette Meteorite that formed when there was liquid water.
Engineers make converting CO2 into useful products more practical
A new electrode design developed at MIT boosts the efficiency of electrochemical reactions that turn carbon dioxide into ethylene and other products.
Gas-churning monster black holes
Scientists using observations from NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory have discovered, for the first time, the signal from a pair of monster black holes disrupting a cloud of gas in the center of a galaxy.
An advance toward inhalable mRNA medications, vaccines
Most people don't enjoy getting shots for treatments or vaccines. So, researchers are working to create more medicines, such as those made from messenger RNA (mRNA), that can be sprayed and inhaled. A study reports steps toward making inhalable mRNA medicines a possibility. Researchers outline their improved lipid-polymer nanoparticle for holding mRNA that is stable when nebulized and successfully delivers aerosols (liquid droplets) in mice's lungs.
A step toward safer X-rays with new detector technology
X-rays are a common component of diagnostic testing and industrial monitoring, used for everything from monitoring your teeth to scanning your suitcase at the airport. But the high-energy rays also produce ionizing radiation, which can be dangerous after prolonged or excessive exposures. Now, researchers have taken a step toward safer X-rays by creating a highly sensitive and foldable detector that produces good quality images with smaller dosages of the rays.
On the origin of life: How the first cell membranes came to exist
Few questions have captivated humankind more than the origin of life on Earth. How did the first living cells come to exist? How did these early protocells develop the structural membranes necessary for cells to thrive and assemble into complex organisms? New research has uncovered a plausible explanation involving the reaction between two simple molecules.
Research reveals unseen factors behind lithium-ion battery degradation
An international team of scientists has identified a surprising factor that accelerates the degradation of lithium-ion batteries leading to a steady loss of charge. This discovery provides a new understanding of battery life and offers strategies to combat self-discharge, which could improve performance in various applications from smartphones to electric vehicles.
Anti-fatberg invention could help unclog city sewers
Engineers have invented a protective coating for concrete pipes that could help drastically reduce the formation of fatbergs in sewers.
Does AI improve doctors' diagnoses? Study puts it to the test
Hospitals are already deploying artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance patient care. But can it actually improve doctors' diagnoses? A new study has surprising answers.
How 'clean' does a quantum computing test facility need to be?
How to keep stray radiation from 'shorting' superconducting qubits; a pair of studies shows where ionizing radiation is lurking and how to banish it.
Robot identifies plants by 'touching' their leaves
Researchers have developed a robot that identifies different plant species at various stages of growth by 'touching' their leaves with an electrode. The robot can measure properties such as surface texture and water content that cannot be determined using existing visual approaches. The robot identified ten different plant species with an average accuracy of 97.7% and identified leaves of the flowering bauhinia plant with 100% accuracy at various growth stages.
New route to fluorochemicals: Fluorspar activated in water under mild conditions
Researchers have developed a new method to extract fluorine from fluorspar using oxalic acid and a fluorophilic Lewis acid in water under mild reaction conditions. This technology enables direct access to fluorochemicals, including commonly used fluorinating agents, from both fluorspar and lower-grade metspar, eliminating reliance on the supply chain of hazardous hydrogen fluoride (HF).
Three galactic 'red monsters' in the early Universe
Astronomers have identified three ultra-massive galaxies -- nearly as massive as the Milky Way -- already in place within the first billion years after the Big Bang. This surprising discovery was made possible by the James Webb Space Telescope's FRESCO program, which uses the NIRCam/grism spectrograph to measure accurate distances and stellar masses of galaxies. The results indicate that the formation of stars in the early Universe was far more efficient than previously thought, challenging existing galaxy formation models.
Fossil fuel CO2 emissions increase again in 2024
Global carbon emissions from fossil fuels have reached a record high in 2024, according to new research.
Bioluminescent proteins made from scratch enable non-invasive, multi-functional biological imaging
Completely artificial proteins that produce bioluminescence can serve as a non-invasive method for bioimaging, diagnostics, drug discovery, and more.
Earliest ancient Maya salt works excavated
A team of archaeologists has excavated the earliest known ancient Maya salt works in southern Belize.
A new study has uncovered important behavior in the flow of electric current through quantum superconductors, potentially advancing the development of future technologies like quantum computing.
Lab-grown human immune system uncovers weakened response in cancer patients
These miniature immune system models -- known as human immune organoids -- mimic the real-life environment where immune cells learn to recognize and attack harmful invaders and respond to vaccines. Not only are these organoids powerful new tools for studying and observing immune function in cancer, their use is likely to accelerate vaccine development, better predict disease treatment response for patients, and even speed up clinical trials.
A formula for life? New model calculates chances of intelligent beings in our Universe and beyond
The chances of intelligent life emerging in our Universe -- and in any hypothetical ones beyond it -- can be estimated by a new theoretical model which has echoes of the famous Drake Equation. This was the formula that American astronomer Dr Frank Drake came up with in the 1960s to calculate the number of detectable extraterrestrial civilizations in our Milky Way galaxy. More than 60 years on, astrophysicists have produced a different model which instead focuses on the conditions created by the acceleration of the Universe's expansion and the amount of stars formed.
Experts urge complex systems approach to assess artificial intelligence risks
Scientists point out that a coherent approach to understanding the threats posed by artificial intelligence is still elusive. They call for a complex systems perspective to better assess and mitigate these risks, particularly in light of long-term uncertainties and complex interactions between AI and society.
Synthetic cells emulate natural cellular communication
A research team has succeeded in synthesizing simple, environmentally sensitive cells complete with artificial organelles. For the first time, the researchers have also been able to emulate natural cell-cell communication using these proto-cells -- based on the model of photoreceptors in the eye. This opens up new possibilities for basic research and applications in medicine.
Giving robots superhuman vision using radio signals
Researchers have developed PanoRadar, a new tool to give robots superhuman vision by transforming simple radio waves into detailed, 3D views of the environment.
In unity towards complex structures
When active filaments are exposed to localized illumination, they accumulate into stable structures along the boundaries of the illuminated area. Based on this fact, researchers developed a model that can be used to simulate the self-organization of thread-like living matter. This model provides important insights for potential technical applications in the formation of structures.
Blood vessel-like coating could make medical devices safer for patients
Researchers have developed a groundbreaking coating that could make medical devices safer for millions of patients, reducing the risks associated with blood clots and dangerous bleeding. The new material is designed to mimic the natural behavior of blood vessels so that catheters, stents, blood-oxygenation machines and dialysis machines won't trigger clotting by activating certain proteins in the blood.
NeuroMechFly v2: Simulating how fruit flies see, smell, and navigate
Scientists have advanced their NeuroMechFly model, simulating fruit fly movement in the real world. With integrated vision and smell, NeuroMechFly v2 helps us understand brain-body coordination, setting a path for neuroengineering's role in robotics and AI.
Breakthrough in photonic time crystals could change how we use and control light
An international research team has for the first time designed realistic photonic time crystals ---- exotic materials that exponentially amplify light. The breakthrough opens up exciting possibilities across fields such as communication, imaging and sensing by laying the foundations for faster and more compact lasers, sensors and other optical devices.
Researchers develop nanofiber patch for treatment of psoriasis
Researchers have developed a patch for easier and more effective treatment of psoriasis. The method may also be used in treatment of other inflammatory skin diseases.
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