ScienceDaily: Matter & Energy News

How can we reduce the carbon footprint of electricity consumption in Switzerland? The country relies on electricity imports from fossil fuel power plants, which are major emitters of greenhouse gases.

Toward a new kind of superconductivity: In the past four years scientists have discovered metals whose crystal structure mimics that of a traditional Japanese woven bamboo pattern: kagome metals. The international research activity in this new direction of quantum materials has recently reached a new climax: an international team of physicists has discovered that the underlying kagome lattice structure induces the joint appearance of intricate quantum phenomena which can lead to an unprecedented type of superconductivity.

In conflict with the current prevailing theory used to describe the universe, a new study suggests the existence of a direct interaction between the elementary particles that make up the dark matter halo and those that make up ordinary matter.

Researchers may have cleared a significant hurdle on the path to quantum computing, demonstrating step-change improvements in the spin transport characteristics of nanoscale graphene-based electronic devices.

More than eight million tons of plastic end up in the oceans every year -- a serious danger for the environment and health. Biodegradable bioplastics could provide an alternative. A research team has now introduced a new method for the production of protein-based plastics that are easily processable, biodegradable, and biocompatible, as well as having favorable mechanical properties.

A new study could be a game changer for users of prosthetic hands who have long awaited advances in dexterity. Researchers examined if people could precisely control the grip forces applied to two different objects grasped simultaneously with a dexterous artificial hand. They designed a multichannel wearable soft robotic armband to convey artificial sensations of touch to the robotic hand users. Subjects were able to successfully grasp and transport two objects simultaneously with the dexterous artificial hand without breaking or dropping them, even when their vision of both objects was obstructed. The study is the first to show the feasibility of this complex simultaneous control task while integrating multiple channels of haptic/touch sensation feedback noninvasively.

A new woody composite is tough as bone and hard as aluminum, and might pave way for naturally derived plastics.

Facing the challenging task of developing lightweight, high-strength ceramic materials, an engineer has turned to an unexpected collaborator for design inspiration: the knobby sea star from the tropical Indo-Pacific. By investigating the complex and highly ordered mineralized skeletal system of this unusual marine species, the research team discovered an unexpected combination of characteristics that may lead to developing an entirely new class of high-performance lightweight ceramic composites. 

Clean energy researchers have designed a molecule to boost the performance of lithium-oxygen batteries to give electric vehicles the same driving range as petrol-fueled cars. Lithium-oxygen batteries are aimed to deliver maximum energy density through breathing air to generate electricity. To date, they have been beset by challenges, including low discharge capacity, poor energy efficiency and severe parasitic reactions. This molecule can simultaneously tackle those issues.

Researchers show how magnetic flux sensors can be used to monitor the operation of proton exchange membrane fuel cells that run on hydrogen. By detecting changes in current, failure states due to incorrect water levels can be identified. This work may lead to cost-effective sustainable energy generation for electric vehicles.

Cellular proteins that hold cells and tissues together also perform critical functions when they experience increased tension. A new study observed that when tugged upon in a controlled manner, these proteins -- called cadherins -- communicate with growth factors to influence in vitro tumor growth in human carcinoma cells.

Researchers have developed a new material that improves the performance of solid-state sodium batteries, a less dangerous and more durable alternative to lithium.

Carbon capture and storage describes the process of injecting carbon dioxide from industrial sources into underground geological reservoirs, theoretically for thousands of years. Researchers used supercomputers to understand how carbon dioxide storage works at the level of micrometer-wide pores in rock. They found that two factors greatly impact the amount of carbon dioxide that can be stored: wettability and injection rate.

A new study demonstrates 'species agnostic' screening of lipid nanoparticles, which could significantly accelerate the development of cutting edge mRNA targeted therapies.

New research could make it much simpler to repair disease-causing mutations in RNA without compromising precision or efficiency. The new RNA editing technology holds promise as a gene therapy for treating genetic diseases. In a proof of concept, researchers showed that the technology can treat a mouse model of Hurler syndrome, a rare genetic disease, by correcting its disease-causing mutation in RNA.