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| Iodine in desert dust destroys ozone Posted: 22 Dec 2021 12:31 PM PST When winds loft fine desert dust high into the atmosphere, iodine in that dust can trigger chemical reactions that destroy some air pollution, but also let greenhouse gases stick around longer. The finding may force researchers to re-evaluate how particles from land can impact the chemistry of the atmosphere. |
| Scientists demonstrate a novel rocket for deep-space exploration Posted: 22 Dec 2021 12:30 PM PST The growing interest in deep-space exploration has sparked the need for powerful long-lived rocket systems to drive spacecraft through the cosmos. Scientists have developed a tiny version of a Hall thruster propulsion system that increases the lifetime of the rocket and produces high power. |
| Semiconductors reach the quantum world Posted: 22 Dec 2021 12:29 PM PST Quantum effects in superconductors could give semiconductor technology a new twist. Researchers have identified a composite material that could integrate quantum devices into semiconductor technology, making electronic components significantly more powerful. |
| Quantum marbles in a bowl of light Posted: 22 Dec 2021 12:11 PM PST Which factors determine how fast a quantum computer can perform its calculations? Physicists have devised an elegant experiment to answer this question. |
| Birds’ dazzling iridescence tied to nanoscale tweak of feather structure Posted: 21 Dec 2021 10:35 AM PST Researchers found that the iridescent shimmer that makes birds such as peacocks and hummingbirds so striking is rooted in an evolutionary tweak in feather nanostructure that has more than doubled the range of iridescent colors birds can display. This insight could help researchers understand how and when iridescence first evolved in birds, as well as inspire the development of new materials that can capture or manipulate light. |
| Anesthesia: Double chalice breaks the blockade Posted: 21 Dec 2021 07:42 AM PST Under anesthesia, patients are often given muscle-relaxing neuromuscular blockers to make intubations easier and reduce the skeletal muscle tone during surgery. Using a drug to remove the blocking agent after the operation improves patient recovery and reduces the risk of complications. A research team has now reported a novel broad-spectrum antidote. It consists of two 'chalices' that are linked together and cover the two ends of the blocker. |
| Posted: 21 Dec 2021 07:42 AM PST The cochlear implant (CI) is the most successful neural prosthesis worldwide. Thanks to direct stimulation of the auditory nerve, it enables more than half a million people worldwide to hear, even though those affected were born deaf or deafened. Researchers have developed a method to convert the stimulation electrodes of common CIs into electrochemical sensors. With the help of this novel sensor function, the functionality of cochlear implants could be monitored directly in the inner ear in the long term. |
| Researchers develop new measurements for designing cooler electronics Posted: 21 Dec 2021 07:42 AM PST Researchers have observed interfacial phonon modes which only exist at the interface between silicon (Si) and germanium (Ge). This discovery shows experimentally that decades-old conventional theories for interfacial heat transfer are not complete and the inclusion of these phonon modes are warranted. |
| Engineers test an idea for a new hovering rover Posted: 21 Dec 2021 07:28 AM PST MIT aerospace engineers are testing a concept for a hovering rover that levitates by harnessing the moon's natural charge. The design uses tiny ion beams to charge up the vehicle and the surface underneath, with little power needed. Such an ion boost could be strong enough to levitate a 2-pound vehicle on the moon and large asteroids. |
| Face detection in untrained deep neural networks? Posted: 21 Dec 2021 07:27 AM PST Researchers have found that higher visual cognitive functions can arise spontaneously in untrained neural networks. A research team has shown that visual selectivity of facial images can arise even in completely untrained deep neural networks. This new finding has provided revelatory insights into mechanisms underlying the development of cognitive functions in both biological and artificial neural networks, also making a significant impact on our understanding of the origin of early brain functions before sensory experiences. |
| Posted: 21 Dec 2021 07:27 AM PST For many applications making use of quantum effects, the light has to be in a certain state -- namely a single photon state. But what is the best way of generating such single photon states? Researchers have now proposed an entirely new way. |
| IT security: Computer attacks with laser light Posted: 21 Dec 2021 07:27 AM PST Computer systems that are physically isolated from the outside world (air-gapped) can still be attacked. This is demonstrated by IT security experts. They show that data can be transmitted to light-emitting diodes of regular office devices using a directed laser. With this, attackers can secretly communicate with air-gapped computer systems over distances of several meters. In addition to conventional information and communication technology security, critical IT systems need to be protected optically as well. |
| Speeding the development of fusion energy Posted: 20 Dec 2021 04:06 PM PST Profile of path-setting method to simulate the crazy-quilt movement of free electrons during experimental efforts to harness on Earth the fusion power that drives the sun and stars. The method cracks a complex equation that can enable improved control of the random and fast-moving moving electrons in the fuel for fusion energy. |
| Step forward in quest to develop living construction materials and beyond Posted: 20 Dec 2021 10:13 AM PST Some engineered living materials can combine the strength of run-of-the-mill building materials with the responsiveness of living systems. Think self-healing concrete or paint that changes color when a specific chemical is detected. Critical early research sheds new light on this exciting advancement, which would revolutionize construction and maintenance, with wide-reaching economic and environmental implications and potential for biomedical applications. |
| Fast and durable batteries to come: A promising anode material for lithium-ion batteries Posted: 20 Dec 2021 09:07 AM PST To overcome the slow charging times of conventional lithium-ion batteries, scientists have developed a new anode material that allows for ultrafast charging. Produced via a simple, environmentally sound and efficient approach involving the calcination of a bio-based polymer, this novel material also retained most of its initial capacity over thousands of cycles. The findings of this study will pave the way to fast-charging and durable batteries for electric vehicles. |
| Solar power: 'Wonder material' phosphorene nanoribbons live up to hype in first demonstration Posted: 20 Dec 2021 09:07 AM PST Researchers have incorporated phosphorene nanoribbons into new types of solar cells, dramatically improving their efficiency. |
| Posted: 20 Dec 2021 09:07 AM PST Intelligent packaging with sensors that monitor goods, such as vegetables, on long transport routes is a trend for the future. Yet printed and disposable electronics also cause problems: Metals in printing inks are expensive -- and disposing of them in an environmentally sound manner is costly and exacerbates the problem of electronic waste. |
| Sneezes, rain clouds and ink jets: Optical microscopes to measure the volume of microdroplets Posted: 20 Dec 2021 09:06 AM PST By improving the calibration of a conventional optical microscope, researchers have for the first time measured the volume of individual droplets smaller than 100 trillionths of a liter with an uncertainty of less than 1%. That is a tenfold improvement over previous measurements. |
| 3D printed nanomagnets unveil a world of patterns in the magnetic field Posted: 20 Dec 2021 09:06 AM PST Researchers have created DNA-like magnetic nanostructures that form strong inter-helix magnetic bonds. These produce topological textures in the magnetic field, opening the door to the next generation of magnetic devices, and patterning magnetic fields on the nanoscale. |
| Measuring a quantum computer’s power just got faster and more accurate Posted: 20 Dec 2021 09:06 AM PST What does a quantum computer have in common with a top draft pick in sports? Both have attracted lots of attention from talent scouts. Quantum computers, experimental machines that can perform some tasks faster than supercomputers, are constantly evaluated, much like young athletes, for their potential to someday become game-changing technology. |
| Mind-controlled robots now one step closer Posted: 16 Dec 2021 12:02 PM PST Researchers teamed up to develop a machine-learning program that can be connected to a human brain and used to command a robot. The program adjusts the robot's movements based on electrical signals from the brain. The hope is that with this invention, tetraplegic patients will be able to carry out more day-to-day activities on their own. |
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