ScienceDaily: Technology - November 25, 2024
Top technology research news
Chemists create world's thinnest 'spaghetti'
The world's thinnest spaghetti, about 200 times thinner than a human hair, has been created.
Image: Sea Wave/Shutterstock.com
3D-printing advance mitigates three defects simultaneously for failure-free metal parts
Engineers have found a way to simultaneously mitigate three types of defects in parts produced using a prominent additive manufacturing technique called laser powder bed fusion.
Engineered additive makes low-cost renewable energy storage a possibility
As part of an effort to overcome the long-term energy-storage challenge, engineers have invented a water-soluble chemical additive that improves the performance of a type of electrochemical storage called a bromide aqueous flow battery.
Ancient hot water on Mars points to habitable past
New research has uncovered what may be the oldest direct evidence of ancient hot water activity on Mars, revealing the planet may have been habitable at some point in its past.
Researchers develop an efficient way to train more reliable AI agents
Researchers developed an efficient approach for training more reliable reinforcement learning models, focusing on complex tasks that involve variability. This could enable the leverage of reinforcement learning across a wide range of applications.
A groundbreaking new approach to treating chronic abdominal pain
A research team has developed a new class of oral peptide therapeutic leads for treating chronic abdominal pain. This groundbreaking innovation offers a safe, non-opioid-based solution for conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), which affect millions of people worldwide.
3.2 million km/h galaxy smash-up
A massive collision of galaxies sparked by one travelling at a scarcely-believable 2 million mph (3.2 million km/h) has been seen in unprecedented detail by one of Earth's most powerful telescopes. The dramatic impact was observed in Stephan's Quintet, a nearby galaxy group made up of five galaxies first sighted almost 150 years ago. It sparked an immensely powerful shock akin to a 'sonic boom from a jet fighter' -- the likes of which are among the most striking phenomena in the Universe.
Exploring the impact of offshore wind on whale deaths
Scientists have presented work examining the circumstances surrounding the whale deaths off the coast of New Jersey in the winter of 2022-23, which prompted concern that survey work in the area somehow contributed to their deaths. The Marine Mammal Commission has stated there is no evidence linking the whales' deaths to wind energy development; many of them died from collisions with ships. Researchers, however, are concerned that the increased presence of survey ships in and around New Jersey waters may have exacerbated the situation.
The Parasaurolophus' pipes: Modeling the dinosaur's crest to study its sound
Scientists have presented results on the acoustic characteristics of a physical model of the Parasaurolophus' crest. They created a physical setup made of tubes to represent a mathematical model that will allow researchers to discover what was happening acoustically inside the crest. The physical model, inspired by resonance chambers, was suspended by cotton threads and excited by a small speaker, and a microphone was used to collect frequency data.
Quantum-inspired design boosts efficiency of heat-to-electricity conversion
Researchers have found a new way to improve a key element of thermophotovoltaic systems, which convert heat into electricity via light. Engineers designed a thermal emitter that can deliver high efficiencies within practical design parameters.
Innovating archaeology: Scholars utilize immersive 3D tech to document and study the human past
Archaeology studies the human past through the excavation of things people made and used thousands of years ago -- from architecture to objects like pottery bowls and animal bones from meals. Although many excavation projects create digital 3D models of what they uncover, archaeologists need new ways to meaningfully use those data. Some projects share 3D models with the public as tourism and teaching tools -- one may have recently seen 3D displays at museums. However, archaeologists themselves have not yet taken full advantage of these models in their own fieldwork and research. That is about to change.
A nearby supernova could end the search for dark matter
Axions are the most likely candidate for enigmatic dark matter that dominates the universe. Astrophysicists are searching for evidence of high-mass axions produced during supernovae. Scientists propose that a quick way to find these axions is to look for a gamma ray burst coincident with a neutrino burst from a nearby core collapse supernova. But we need a fleet of gamma ray telescopes to insure we capture these rare events.
New imaging method enables detailed RNA analysis of the whole brain
Researchers have developed a groundbreaking microscopy method that enables detailed three-dimensional (3D) RNA analysis at cellular resolution in whole intact mouse brains. The new method, called TRISCO, has the potential to transform our understanding of brain function, both in normal conditions and in disease, according to the new study.
Stability of perovskite solar cells doubled with protective coating
Scientists have developed a new protective coating that significantly extends the life of perovskite solar cells, making them more practical for applications outside the lab.
Engineering nature's blueprint: Dendron-based assemblies for chlorophyll's materials
Chlorophyll (a naturally occurring pigment involved in photosynthesis)-inspired molecules hold promise for developing next-generation light-harvesting materials. However, achieving precise control over their assembly is challenging. Researchers have now revealed that attaching dendrons -- branched, tree-like structures -- can aid in self-assembly of chlorophyll's materials. They found that smaller dendrons lead to stacked, fiber-like structures, while larger dendrons create spherical chlorophyll particles, advancing the development of materials that mimic the light-harvesting efficiency of natural photosynthetic systems.
Astronomers take the first close-up picture of a star outside our galaxy
While astronomers have taken about two dozen zoomed-in images of stars in our galaxy, unveiling their properties, countless other stars dwell within other galaxies, so far away that observing even one of them in detail has been extremely challenging. Up until now.
New method for designing artificial proteins
Protein design aims to create customized antibodies for therapies, biosensors for diagnostics, or enzymes for chemical reactions. An international research team has now developed a method for designing large new proteins better than before and producing them with the desired properties in the laboratory. Their approach involves a new way of using the capabilities of the AI-based software Alphafold2, for which the Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded in 2024.
Turning carbon emissions into methane fuel
Chemists have developed a novel way to capture and convert carbon dioxide into methane, suggesting that future gas emissions could be converted into an alternative fuel using electricity from renewable sources.
Research aims to roll back contamination caused by toxic tires
A new study demonstrates a way to diminish the impact that tires have on the environment when they can no longer be used on vehicles. The process upgrades 6PPD -- a useful but environmentally harmful molecule that helps tires last longer -- into safe chemicals.
Research team develops novel biomimetic speaking valve technology
A research team has developed a novel biomimetic speaking valve technology that could significantly increase the safety of tracheostomized patients.
Research on gravity in line with Einstein's theory of general relativity
Researchers used the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument to map how nearly 6 million galaxies cluster across 11 billion years of cosmic history. Their observations line up with what Einstein's theory of general relativity predicts.
Recycled pacemakers function as well as new devices, international study suggests
Recycled pacemakers can function as well as new devices, according to a new study. These used and reconditioned devices have the potential to increase access to pacemaker therapy in low- and middle-income countries, where many patients cannot afford the treatment.
Tapping excess heat from a camp stove for charging power
New research may make it possible to keep electronic devices powered with another piece of equipment you're likely to bring with you while exploring the great outdoors: camping stoves. The work focuses on using the excess heat produced by stoves to create a thermoacoustic engine, which converts thermal energy into acoustic energy. This acoustic energy can then be transformed into mechanical or electrical energy. When optimized, these engines can generate power ranging from tens to thousands of watts, depending on their size.
Do pipe organs create an auto-tune effect?
The pipe organ stands as a bastion in concert halls and church sanctuaries, and even when not in use, it affects the acoustical environment around it. Researchers performed a sine-sweep through loudspeakers facing the organ pipes and measured the response with a microphone at different positions. They verified experimentally that sympathetic resonance does occur in organ pipes during musical performances and speeches, and that the overall amplitude increases when the signal matches the resonance of one or more pipes.
Synchronized movement between robots and humans builds trust, study finds
Trust between humans and robots is improved when the movement between both is harmonized, researchers have discovered.
Physicists develop new method to visualize magnetic nanostructures with high resolution
A new method enables researchers to analyse magnetic nanostructures with a high resolution. The new method achieves a resolution of around 70 nanometers, whereas normal light microscopes have a resolution of just 500 nanometers. This result is important for the development of new, energy-efficient storage technologies based on spin electronics.
A re-engineered wearable ultrasound patch for continuous and noninvasive blood pressure monitoring has undergone comprehensive clinical validation on over 100 patients, marking a major milestone in wearable technology research. The soft, stretchy patch provides precise, real-time readings of blood pressure deep within the body. It could offer a simpler and more reliable alternative to current clinical methods.
Tumor cells suffer copper withdrawal
While toxic in high concentrations, copper is essential to life as a trace element. Many tumors require significantly more copper than healthy cells for growth -- a possible new point of attack for cancer treatment. Medical researchers have now introduced a novel method by which copper is effectively removed from tumor cells, killing them.
An innovative antibiotic for drug-resistant bacteria
Antibacterial drugs are important for treating infections. But increasingly, bacterial resistance to current drugs -- so they don't work well, or even at all -- means new ones are urgently needed. Researchers have demonstrated a potential antibacterial treatment from a modified darobactin, a compound originally from a bacterium. The team reports proof-of-concept animal trials on infections caused by bacteria, including E. coli, that are known to develop drug resistance.
Light-altering paint for greenhouses could help lengthen the fruit growing season in the UK
New spray developed by scientists could help boost UK farming and increase the UK's food security.
Dementia risk prediction: Zero-minute assessment at less than a dollar cost
A study by researchers presents their low cost, scalable methodology for the early identification of individuals at risk of developing dementia. While the condition remains incurable, there are a number of common risk factors that, if targeted and addressed, can potentially reduce the odds of developing dementia or slow the pace of cognitive decline.
Researchers use artificial intelligence to diagnose depression
Depression is one of the most common mental illnesses. As many as 280 million people worldwide are affected by this disease, which is why researchers have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) model that helps to identify depression based on both speech and brain neural activity. This multimodal approach, combining two different data sources, allows a more accurate and objective analysis of a person's emotional state, opening the door to a new phase of depression diagnosis.
A bioinspired capsule can pump drugs directly into the walls of the GI tract
Inspired by the jets of water that squids use to propel themselves through the ocean, a team developed an ingestible capsule that releases a burst of drugs directly into the lining of the stomach or other organs of the digestive tract.
New approach to breakdown PFAS, 'forever' chemicals
Researchers ahave found a new approach for breaking down PFAS -- a group of human-made 'forever' chemicals commonly used for their water-resistant properties that can carry health risks from long-term exposure. Researchers showcase an effective LED light-based photocatalytic system that can be used at room temperature to break down those key carbon-fluorine bonds. The system is an improvement over traditional chemical manufacturing processes that typically require high temperatures to achieve similar results.
Real-world chemists are more diverse than generative AI images suggest
Asking children 'What does a scientist look like?' now results in more illustrations of women and people of color than decades ago. But do generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools also depict the diversity among scientists? Researchers prompted AI image generators for portraits of chemists. They found that none of the collections accurately represents the gender, racial or disability diversity among real chemists today.
Thermochemical tech shows promising path for building heat
Energy stored in thermochemical materials can effectively heat indoor spaces, particularly in humid regions, according to researchers.
Astronomers have discovered the first pairs of white dwarf and main sequence stars -- 'dead' remnants and 'living' stars -- in young star clusters. This breakthrough offers new insights on an extreme phase of stellar evolution, and one of the biggest mysteries in astrophysics.
How flood risk affects home values
Houses for sale in a flood zone are around 10% cheaper than surrounding areas, according to new research. However, the reduced price tag is not worth the extra risk and can burden buyers with long-term insurance costs, according to new research.
New ion speed record holds potential for faster battery charging, biosensing
New theory reveals the shape of a single photon
A new theory, that explains how light and matter interact at the quantum level has enabled researchers to define for the first time the precise shape of a single photon.
Next step in light microscopy image improvement
It is the computational processing of images that reveals the finest details of a sample placed under all kinds of different light microscopes. Even though this processing has come a long way, there is still room for increasing for example image contrast and resolution. Based on a unique deep learning architecture, a new computational model is faster than traditional models while matching or even surpassing their images' quality.
Perovskite research boosts solar cell efficiency and product life
An international team has identified a strategy to improve both the performance and stability for solar cells made out of the 'miracle material' perovskite by mitigating a previously hidden degradation pathway.
New method of generating eco-friendly energy
Researchers have developed a new method of growing organic crystals that can be used for energy-harvesting applications.
In order to use remote locations to record and assess the behavior of wildlife and environmental conditions, the GAIA Initiative developed an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm that reliably and automatically classifies behaviors of white-backed vultures using animal tag data. As scavengers, vultures always look for the next carcass. With the help of tagged animals and a second AI algorithm, the scientists can now automatically locate carcasses across vast landscapes.
Battery research with X-ray microscope
New cathode materials are being developed to further increase the capacity of lithium batteries. Multilayer lithium-rich transition metal oxides (LRTMOs) offer particularly high energy density. However, their capacity decreases with each charging cycle due to structural and chemical changes. Using X-ray methods at BESSY II, teams from several research institutions have now investigated these changes for the first time with highest precision: at the unique X-ray microscope, they were able to observe morphological and structural developments on the nanometer scale and also clarify chemical changes.
Researchers develop crystals to harvest water from air, inspired by desert life
Researchers have developed a new crystalline material that can harvest water from fog without any energy input. The design of the novel type of smart crystals, which the researchers named Janus crystals, is inspired by desert plants and animals, which can survive in arid conditions.
Study tracks PFAS, microplastics through landfills and wastewater treatment plants
Scientists find that most of the microplastics and the 'forever chemicals' known as PFAS cycle through landfills and wastewater treatment plants and end up back in the environment.
Researchers have developed a new bio-inspired approach to building complex 3D microfluidic networks by utilizing plant roots and fungal hyphae as molds. The team grew plants and fungi in nanoparticles of silica, then baked out the plants and solidified the glass. What remains is glass with micrometer-sized networks where the roots used to be.
Artificial intelligence can be used to predict river discharge and warn of potential flooding
Researchers have created a method that uses artificial intelligence to more accurately predict short-term river discharge using historical data from two hydrometric stations on the Ottawa River along with other weather-based parameters. They built on an existing type of algorithm called group method of data handling, which constructs predictive models by sorting and combining data into groups. The models are computed in different combinations repeatedly until the best and most reliable data combination is identified.
Improving hurricane modeling with physics-informed machine learning
Researchers employ machine learning to more accurately model the boundary layer wind field of tropical cyclones. Conventional approaches to storm forecasting involve large numerical simulations run on supercomputers incorporating mountains of observational data, and they still often result in inaccurate or incomplete predictions. In contrast, the author's machine learning algorithm is equipped with atmospheric physics equations that can produce more accurate results faster and with less data.
Sliding seeds can provide insight into devastating landslides and rock avalanches
Researchers study how Champatis roll and bounce down inclines. The authors released a heap of the seeds down an inclined plane while a camera recorded their descent to analyze their speed and the dynamics of their movement. The grains start to spread out slowly, then decrease quickly as they move downstream, akin to rock avalanches. This research may provide valuable insights into geological flows, including hyperspreading of rock avalanches, and could contribute to resolving challenges in this area.
Leaner large language models could enable efficient local use on phones and laptops
Researchers have introduced a technique for compressing a large language model's reams of data, which could increase privacy, save energy and lower costs. The new algorithm works by trimming redundancies and reducing the precision of an LLM's layers of information. This type of leaner LLM could be stored and accessed locally on a device like a phone or laptop and could provide performance nearly as accurate and nuanced as an uncompressed version.
Using zero liquid discharge to increase water recovery from desalination is an emerging method to combat water scarcity, but is expensive, energy-intensive and comes with environmental risks. Researchers have optimized zero liquid discharge technologies for cost, energy consumption and land use.
Electron imaging reveals the vibrant colors of the outermost electron layer
Surfaces play a key role in numerous chemical reactions, including catalysis and corrosion. Understanding the atomic structure of the surface of a functional material is essential for both engineers and chemists. Researchers used atomic-resolution secondary electron (SE) imaging to capture the atomic structure of the very top layer of materials to better understand the differences from its lower layers.
Researchers have used machine learning and supercomputer simulations to investigate how tiny gold nanoparticles bind to blood proteins. The studies discovered that favorable nanoparticle-protein interactions can be predicted from machine learning models that are trained from atom-scale molecular dynamics simulations. The new methodology opens ways to simulate efficacy of gold nanoparticles as targeted drug delivery systems in precision nanomedicine.
Ytterbium thin-disk lasers pave the way for sensitive detection of atmospheric pollutants
Alongside carbon dioxide, methane is a key driver of global warming. To detect and monitor the climate pollutants in the atmosphere precisely, scientists have developed an advanced laser technology. A high-power ytterbium thin-disk laser drives an optical parametric oscillator (OPO) to generate high-power, stable pulses in the short-wave infrared (SWIR) spectral range. This allows researchers to detect and analyze a wide variety of atmospheric compounds. This novel method can play a crucial role in tracking greenhouse gas cycles and the effects of climate change.
Keeping the lights on and the pantry stocked: Ensuring water for energy and food production
Water scarcity threatens the viability of hydropower and agriculture. A new study in the Andes shows sustainable irrigation and reforestation are the best responses.
Study identifies strategy for AI cost-efficiency in health care settings
A study has identified strategies for using large language models (LLMs), a type of artificial intelligence (AI), in health systems while maintaining cost efficiency and performance. The findings provide insights into how health systems can leverage advanced AI tools to automate tasks efficiently, saving time and reducing operational costs while ensuring these models remain reliable even under high task loads.
Humans and animals move with remarkable economy without consciously thinking about it by utilizing the natural oscillation patterns of their bodies. A new tool can now utilize this knowledge for the first time to make robots move more efficiently.
Confinement may affect how we smell and feel about food
New research found confined and isolating environments changed the way people smelled and responded emotionally to certain food aromas. The team in this study compared 44 people's emotional responses and perception of eight food aromas in two environmental scenarios: sitting in reclined chairs that mimic astronauts' posture in microgravity; and then in the confined setting of the International Space Station (ISS), which was simulated for participants with virtual reality goggles. The research builds on previous work by the team and aims to help explain why astronauts report meals taste different in space and struggle to eat their normal nutritional intake over long missions, which has been reported in the news recently.