ScienceDaily: Top Technology News

New material could pave the way for better, safer batteries

Posted: 21 Oct 2021 02:51 PM PDT

A material derived from trees could potentially replace liquid electrolytes in next-generation batteries.

Shape-shifting materials with infinite possibilities

Posted: 21 Oct 2021 02:51 PM PDT

Researchers have developed a shape-shifting material that can take and hold any possible shape, paving the way for a new type of multifunctional material that could be used in a range of applications, from robotics and biotechnology to architecture.

How pearls achieve nanoscale precision

Posted: 21 Oct 2021 02:51 PM PDT

In research that could inform future high-performance nanomaterials, a study has uncovered how mollusks build ultradurable structures with a level of symmetry that outstrips everything else in the natural world, with the exception of individual atoms.

Astronomers provide 'field guide' to exoplanets known as hot Jupiters

Posted: 21 Oct 2021 09:11 AM PDT

By combining Hubble Space Telescope observations with theoretical models, a team of astronomers has gained insights into the chemical and physical makeup of a variety of exoplanets known as hot Jupiters. The findings provide a new and improved 'field guide' for this group of planets and inform ideas about planet formation in general.

New photonic chip for isolating light may be key to miniaturizing quantum devices

Posted: 21 Oct 2021 09:11 AM PDT

Light plays a critical role in enabling 21st century quantum information applications. Limited by size, engineers need to miniaturize quantum devices, which requires re-thinking certain components for harnessing light. Researchers have designed a simple, compact photonic circuit that uses sound waves to rein in light. The team's measurements show that their approach to isolation currently outperforms all previous on-chip alternatives and is optimized for compatibility with atom-based sensors.

Two beams are better than one

Posted: 21 Oct 2021 09:10 AM PDT

History's greatest couples rely on communication to make them so strong their power cannot be denied. But that's not just true for people, it's also true for lasers. According to new research from the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, adding two lasers together as a sort of optical 'it couple' promises to make wireless communications faster and more secure than ever before.

Tap water produces a protective shield against microplastics

Posted: 21 Oct 2021 09:09 AM PDT

Tap water produces a natural protective shield against harmful microplastics, which can help prevent household products such as plastic kettles from releasing them.

Better silicon solar panels

Posted: 19 Oct 2021 07:32 PM PDT

Researchers are applying a new technique to identify defects in silicon solar cells that cause a drop in efficiency. The lessons learned at the atomic level could lead to improvements in the way manufacturers strengthen their products against what is known as light-induced degradation.

Controllable nanoscale gas-liquid interface fabricated

Posted: 19 Oct 2021 09:01 AM PDT

When liquid meets gas, a unique zone forms. Variable by nature, molecules can cross from one state to another, combining in unique ways to either desirable or unwanted ends. From heat escaping a mug of coffee to increasing molecular concentrations in chemical solutions, gas-liquid interfaces are ubiquitous across nature and engineering. But a lack of tools capable of precisely controlling such gas-liquid interfaces limit their applications -- until now.

Targeting cancer at the nanoscale

Posted: 19 Oct 2021 08:05 AM PDT

Researchers fabricate gold nanoparticles with a rapidly decaying radioisotope that can be internalized by cancer cells. Because the radiation remains strongly localized, high doses can be administered without concern for side effects. This research may lead to safer and more effective treatments for many types of cancer.

Scientists show how AI may spot unseen signs of heart failure

Posted: 18 Oct 2021 02:22 PM PDT

A special artificial intelligence (AI)-based computer algorithm was able to learn how to identify subtle changes in electrocardiograms (also known as ECGs or EKGs) to predict whether a patient was experiencing heart failure.

Anticorrosion coating sets new benchmark

Posted: 18 Oct 2021 02:22 PM PDT

EEngineers adapt a compound to serve as a universal anticorrosive coating for steel.

Building a better dipstick: Researchers develop improved, user-friendly disposable lab tests

Posted: 18 Oct 2021 11:17 AM PDT

Lateral flow assays have been a popular point-of-care testing platform for decades. Researchers are now turning these simple tests into complex biomedical assays which can be used in the home, performing tests that currently require a lab or a trip to the clinic.

Experiments reveal formation of a new state of matter-electron quadruplets

Posted: 18 Oct 2021 08:25 AM PDT

The central principle of superconductivity is that electrons form pairs. But can they also condense into foursomes? Recent findings have suggested they can, and a physicist has published experimental evidence of this quadrupling effect and details of the mechanism by which this state of matter occurs.

Running shoe material inspired 3D-printed design to protect buildings from impact damage

Posted: 18 Oct 2021 07:00 AM PDT

A material used in running shoes and memory foam pillows has inspired the design of a 3D-printed product that could help protect buildings from collision damage and other high impact forces, equivalent to a car travelling at 60km/hr.

Cutting through the noise: AI enables high-fidelity quantum computing

Posted: 18 Oct 2021 07:00 AM PDT

SANKEN researchers achieved over 95% accuracy when reading the output spin states of qubits by implementing machine learning. By using deep neural networks, the team was able to overcome noise in both simulated and real data sets from quantum dots. This work may lead to a proliferation of real-world quantum computers.

AI predicts extensive material properties to break down a previously insurmountable wall

Posted: 15 Oct 2021 03:42 PM PDT

Researchers have developed a machine learning model to predict never-before-determined material properties from energy loss near-edge structure (ELNES) and X-ray near-edge structure (XANES) spectra. The spectra of 22,155 organic molecules were input into the neural network model and allowed the first correct prediction of both intensive and extensive material properties. It is hoped that the model will allow high-throughput screening to develop materials across numerous applications.

Using quantum Parrondo’s random walks for encryption

Posted: 15 Oct 2021 06:48 AM PDT

SUTD has set out to apply concepts from quantum Parrondo's paradox in search of a working protocol for semiclassical encryption.