ScienceDaily: Top Technology News

Researchers detect coronavirus particles with 'slow light'

Posted: 21 Apr 2022 06:41 AM PDT

Existing methods for detecting and diagnosing COVID-19 are either expensive and complex or inaccurate. Now, scientists have developed a novel biosensing platform to detect and quantify viral particles using a simple optical microscope and antibody proteins. Their versatile approach, based on slowing down light, could pave the way to new diagnostic tools and next-generation detection platforms that are fast, accurate, and low-cost.

Risky driving behaviors increase as common sleep disorder worsens

Posted: 20 Apr 2022 02:05 PM PDT

Up to half of older adults may have sleep apnea, a condition in which breathing and sleep are briefly interrupted many times a night. A new study shows that this chronic tiredness can have serious implications for road safety.

Molecular robots work cooperatively in swarms

Posted: 20 Apr 2022 12:14 PM PDT

Scientists have demonstrated that molecular robots are able to accomplish cargo delivery by employing a strategy of swarming, achieving a transport efficiency five times greater than that of single robots.

Portable MRIs almost as effective as standard MRIs in detecting strokes

Posted: 20 Apr 2022 12:13 PM PDT

Portable MRI machines, an emerging technology that makes medical imaging accessible even in remote locations, detected ischemic strokes, or strokes caused by clotting, in 90% of patients scanned, according to a new study.

Dying stars' cocoons might explain fast blue optical transients

Posted: 20 Apr 2022 10:36 AM PDT

Using a newly developed model, astrophysicists present a new theory to explain fast blue optical transients, a new class of transients that has boggled researchers since their discovery in 2018. In the new study, astrophysicists find that FBOTs could result from the actively cooling cocoons that surround jets launched by dying stars.

Astronomers identify likely location of medium-sized black holes

Posted: 20 Apr 2022 10:36 AM PDT

Intermediate-mass black holes are notoriously hard to find but a new study indicates there may be some at the center of dense, star clusters located throughout the universe. A study now sheds new light on when and where black holes of about 100-100,000 solar masses could form and how they came into being.

Clearing up biases in artificial intelligence

Posted: 20 Apr 2022 10:36 AM PDT

Scientists have noticed grave disparities in artificial intelligence, noting that the methods are not objective, especially when it comes to geodiversity. AI tools, whether forecasting hail, wind or tornadoes, are assumed to be inherently objective, says one of the researchers. They aren't, she says.

Lasers trigger magnetism in atomically thin quantum materials

Posted: 20 Apr 2022 10:36 AM PDT

Researchers have discovered that light -- from a laser -- can trigger a form of magnetism in a normally nonmagnetic material. This magnetism centers on the behavior of electrons 'spins,' which have a potential applications in quantum computing. Scientists discovered that electrons within the material became oriented in the same direction when illuminated by photons from a laser. By controlling and aligning electron spins at this level of detail and accuracy, this platform could have applications in the field of quantum simulation.

Fewer smartphones, more well-being

Posted: 20 Apr 2022 10:35 AM PDT

How much digital detox is necessary to live a better life? The good news is that we don't have to waive them completely.

Arm movement and running speed: Is the partnership overrated?

Posted: 20 Apr 2022 10:35 AM PDT

New research into human speed suggests that athletes who performed short sprints with their arms closed across their chests were nearly as fast as when they sprinted with their normal arm swing.

Everyday plastic products release trillions of microscopic particles into water

Posted: 20 Apr 2022 10:35 AM PDT

Plastics surround us, whether it's the grocery bags we use at the supermarket or household items such as shampoo and detergent bottles. Plastics don't exist only as large objects, but also as microscopic particles that are released from these larger products. These microscopic plastics can end up in the environment, and they can be ingested into our bodies.

New technology 3D-prints glass microstructures with rays of light

Posted: 20 Apr 2022 10:35 AM PDT

Researchers have developed a new way to 3D-print glass microstructures that is faster and produces objects with higher optical quality, design flexibility and strength.

Astronomers discover micronovae, a new kind of stellar explosion

Posted: 20 Apr 2022 09:23 AM PDT

A team of astronomers has observed a new type of stellar explosion -- a micronova. These outbursts happen on the surface of certain stars, and can each burn through around 3.5 billion Great Pyramids of Giza of stellar material in only a few hours.

Nanostructures with improved stability for the development of more effective cancer nanomedicine

Posted: 20 Apr 2022 06:21 AM PDT

Most drugs used today have only one mechanism of action and it is both difficult and expensive to manufacture drugs with multiple functions. Researchers have recently found a way to create more stable nanostructures that can assemble biomolecules with different functions, which in combination e.g., can provide more effective cancer medicine.

Why Venus rotates, slowly, despite sun's powerful grip

Posted: 20 Apr 2022 06:21 AM PDT

If not for the soupy, fast-moving atmosphere on Venus, Earth's sister planet would likely not rotate. Instead, Venus would be locked in place, always facing the sun the way the same side of the moon always faces Earth.

Smartwatches and fitness bands reveal individual physiological responses to COVID-19 vaccine

Posted: 19 Apr 2022 02:07 PM PDT

A new digital health study shows how data from wearable sensors, such as smartwatches and fitness bands, can track a person's physiological response to the COVID-19 vaccination.

Portable, point-of-care COVID-19 test discerns alpha variant from earlier strains

Posted: 19 Apr 2022 10:09 AM PDT

A point-of-care COVID-19 test developed by researchers can now detect and differentiate the alpha variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus from earlier strains in saliva samples.

Jupiter's moon has splendid dunes

Posted: 19 Apr 2022 09:41 AM PDT

Scientists have long wondered how Jupiter's innermost moon, Io, has meandering ridges as grand as any that can be seen in movies like 'Dune.' Now, a research study has provided a new explanation of how dunes can form even on a surface as icy and roiling as Io's.

Engineers introduce the Oreometer

Posted: 19 Apr 2022 09:40 AM PDT

Engineers subjected Oreo cookies to rigorous materials tests to get to the center of a tantalizing question: Why does the cookie's cream stick to just one wafer when twisted apart?

Sending out bacteria-carrying mosquitoes to protect people from dengue

Posted: 19 Apr 2022 08:25 AM PDT

Researchers developed a model to spatially distribute mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia bacteria, which reduce the transmission of the dengue virus. The researchers use real data on human and vector activity in a framework that can be analyzed from a mathematical point of view, allowing them to re-create and understand the epidemiological situation and identify those geographical areas with the greatest vulnerability, creating a ranking of areas that prioritizes those where Wolbachia-carrying mosquitoes can have the strongest and most beneficial impact on the spread of the virus.

Most vital strategies for successfully implementing changes in industry

Posted: 19 Apr 2022 08:24 AM PDT

Researchers have conducted a study in which they studied change initiatives at more than 600 architecture, engineering and construction firms in North America. They found those that were very successful and sustainable used six key strategies, and that effective change agents and a realistic timeline were vital to making an initiative a lasting success.

New process enables 3D printing of small and complex components made of glass in just a few minutes

Posted: 19 Apr 2022 08:24 AM PDT

Scientists combine materials science invention with newly developed 3D printing technology. Components made of highly transparent glass can be manufactured in just a few minutes and with great geometric freedom. Possible applications of the new process technology are micro-optical components of sensors, microscopes or lab-on-a-chip systems

Wearables can track COVID symptoms, other diseases

Posted: 19 Apr 2022 08:24 AM PDT

If you become ill with COVID-19, your smartwatch can track the progression of your symptoms, and could even show how sick you become.

Almost ready for prime time: Deep UV photodetectors head to real-world testing

Posted: 19 Apr 2022 08:24 AM PDT

Researchers are asking why, after decades of development and promising results, ultrawide bandgap photodetectors with deep UV capabilities haven't enjoyed widespread adoption, and are taking stock of advancements and challenges in the field. Unlike their silicon-based counterparts, UWBG photodetectors made from aluminum gallium nitride and gallium (III) oxide are more efficient, can tailor cutoff wavelengths, and do not need optical filters to reject visible or infrared wavelengths for solar-blind applications.

Explanation for formation of abundant features on Europa bodes well for search for extraterrestrial life

Posted: 19 Apr 2022 08:23 AM PDT

Ice-penetrating radar data from Greenland suggests that shallow water pockets may be common within Europa's ice shell, increasing the potential habitability of the Jovian moon's ice shell.

Researchers create 3D model for rare neuromuscular disorders, setting stage for clinical trial

Posted: 19 Apr 2022 07:32 AM PDT

Scientists have created a bioengineered 3-D model that mimics the biology of two rare diseases. The researchers used the 'tissue chip' model to show how a drug could potentially treat the diseases, providing data for a drug company's FDA submission for authorization for clinical testing. This is one of the first examples of using primarily tissue chip data for an FDA application to test the efficacy of a candidate drug for rare diseases.

Nanoparticles prove effective against the yellow fever mosquito

Posted: 19 Apr 2022 07:32 AM PDT

Before being accidentally introduced to the New World by the 16th century slave trade, the yellow fever mosquito was a species native only to Africa. Highly adaptable, it has since become an invasive species in North America, but researchers at may have found a way to squash the pesky population in its juvenile stages.

Particles released by red blood cells are effective carriers for anti-cancer immunotherapy

Posted: 19 Apr 2022 07:32 AM PDT

A study has demonstrated that nano-sized vesicles released by red blood cells are a viable platform for delivering immunotherapeutic RNA molecules to suppress breast cancer growth and metastasis. The study successfully delivered RIG-I-activating RNAs using small, lipid membrane-bound particles released by red blood cells, called red blood cell extracellular vesicles (RBCEVs), to suppress cancer progression. The team had also discovered in earlier studies that these vesicles are ideal therapeutic carriers with a natural ability to deliver bioactive molecules to many cell types.

Phase transitions in the early universe and their signals

Posted: 19 Apr 2022 07:32 AM PDT

The early universe may chirp about unknown physics. A research team has demonstrated how an early universe phase transition will lead to gravitational wave signals potentially visible in the upcoming satellite missions.

Researchers take step toward developing 'electric eye'

Posted: 19 Apr 2022 06:23 AM PDT

Using nanotechnology, scientists have created a newly designed neuromorphic electronic device that endows microrobotics with colorful vision. The newly designed artificial vision device could have far-reaching applications for the fields of medicine, artificial intelligence, and microrobotics.

Guiding a superconducting future with graphene quantum magic

Posted: 19 Apr 2022 06:23 AM PDT

Superconductors are materials that conduct electrical current with practically no electrical resistance at all. This ability makes them extremely interesting and attractive for a plethora of applications such as loss-less power cables, electric motors and generators, as well as powerful electromagnets that can be used for MRI imaging and for magnetic levitating trains. Now, researchers have detailed the superconducting nature of a new class of superconducting material, magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene.

Bacterial soundtracks revealed by graphene membrane

Posted: 18 Apr 2022 09:04 AM PDT

Have you ever wondered if bacteria make distinctive sounds? If we could listen to bacteria, we would be able to know whether they are alive or not. When bacteria are killed using an antibiotic, those sounds would stop -- unless of course the bacteria are resistant to the antibiotic. This is exactly what a team of researchers have now have managed to do: they captured low-level noise of a single bacterium using graphene.

Stem cell-based biomaterial can help regenerate tissue associated with low back pain and spinal issues

Posted: 18 Apr 2022 06:40 AM PDT

Researchers developed a biomaterial using stem cells aiming to reverse a condition called intervertebral disk (IVD) degeneration, which is associated with back pain and certain spinal issues. The stem cells were induced into chondrocytes -- cells producing collagen that supports cartilage tissue. Implanting this biomaterial into a rat model of IVD degeneration brought the spinal mechanical properties back to control levels. This could be crucial for regenerative medicine to reverse this painful back problem.

New insights into fermentation enzyme will lower the chemical industry's carbon footprint

Posted: 18 Apr 2022 06:40 AM PDT

Researchers have determined the atom-by-atom structure of the fermentation enzyme phosphoketolase by cryogenic electron microscopy. They identified details that were mistakenly characterized by X-ray crystallography yet are essential for correlating enzyme structure with enzyme function. These findings will help researchers produce chemical feedstocks in an environmentally sustainable manner, and thus lower the carbon footprint of the chemical industry.

Predicting the most stable boron nitride structure with quantum simulations

Posted: 14 Apr 2022 08:08 AM PDT

Despite the huge technological interest in boron nitride (BN), understanding the relative stability of its different structural phases remains a challenge owing to conflicting results from experiments and simulations. In a new study, an international research team addresses this issue with state-of-the-art quantum Monte Carlo simulation technique, demonstrating the most stable BN structure. This accurate and reliable method could lay the groundwork for future breakthroughs in the field of materials science.