Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published

A simple paper test could offer early cancer diagnosis      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Engineers designed a nanoparticle sensor that could enable early diagnosis of cancer with a simple urine test. The sensors, which can detect many cancerous proteins, could also be used to distinguish the type of a tumor or how it is responding to treatment.

Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Microbiology Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published

'BeerBots' could speed up the brewing process      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Craft brewers are continuously upping the ante and coming up with innovative ways to make or flavor their newest beers. Now, researchers are adding a new twist of their own, speeding up the brewing process with beer-making mini-robots or 'BeerBots.' The team shows that these self-propelled, magnetic packages of yeast can make the fermentation phase go faster and cut out the need to filter the beverage.

Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

120-year-old storm's secrets key to understanding weather risks      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The conversion of handwritten weather records into digital information will help weather better understand future weather risks.

Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

A more precise model of the Earth's ionosphere      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The ionosphere -- the region of geospace spanning from 60 to 1000 kilometers above the Earth -- impairs the propagation of radio signals from global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) with its electrically charged particles. This is a problem for the ever higher precision required by these systems -- both in research and for applications such as autonomous driving or precise orbit determination of satellites. Models of the ionosphere and its uneven, dynamic charge distribution can help correct the signals for ionospheric delays, which are one of the main error sources in GNSS applications. Researchers have presented a new model of the ionosphere, developed on the basis of neural networks and satellite measurement data from 19 years. In particular, it can reconstruct the topside ionosphere, the upper, electron-rich part of the ionosphere much more precisely than before. It is thus also an important basis for progress in ionospheric research, with applications in studies on the propagation of electromagnetic waves or for the analysis of certain space weather events, for example.

Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Energy: Technology Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published

Cryo-imaging lifts the lid on fuel cell catalyst layers      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Thanks to a novel combination of cryogenic transmission electron tomography and deep learning, EPFL researchers have provided a first look at the nanostructure of platinum catalyst layers, revealing how they could be optimized for fuel cell efficiency.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology Offbeat: Computers and Math Offbeat: General
Published

Nanowire networks learn and remember like a human brain      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have demonstrated nanowire networks can exhibit both short- and long-term memory like the human brain.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Molecular Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Computer Science: General Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published

Reinforcement learning: From board games to protein design      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

An AI strategy proven adept at board games like Chess and Go, reinforcement learning, has now been adapted for a powerful protein design program. The results show that reinforcement learning can do more than master board games. When trained to solve long-standing puzzles in protein science, the software excelled at creating useful molecules. In one experiment, proteins made with the new approach were found to be more effective at generating useful antibodies in mice than were previous methods. If this method is applied to the right research problems, it likely could accelerate progress in a variety of scientific fields.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published

Stab-resistant fabric gains strength from carbon nanotubes, polyacrylate      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Fabrics that resist knife cuts can help prevent injuries and save lives. But a sharp enough knife or a very forceful jab can get through some of these materials. Now, researchers report that carbon nanotubes and polyacrylate strengthen conventional aramid to produce lightweight, soft fabrics that provide better protection. Applications include anti-stabbing clothing, helmets and insoles, as well as cut-resistant packaging.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published

Novel nanocages for delivery of small interfering RNAs      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are novel therapeutics that can be used to treat a wide range of diseases. This has led to a growing demand for selective, efficient, and safe ways of delivering siRNA in cells. Now, in a cooperation between the Universities of Amsterdam and Leiden, researchers have developed dedicated molecular nanocages for siRNA delivery. In a paper just out in the Journal Chem they present nanocages that are easy to prepare and display tuneable siRNA delivery characteristics.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Thermodynamics Energy: Alternative Fuels Engineering: Nanotechnology Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry Physics: General Physics: Optics
Published

Chemists propose ultrathin material for doubling solar cell efficiency      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers are studying radical new ways to improve solar power and provide more options for the industry to explore. Chemists are proposing to make solar cells using not silicon, but an abundantly available natural material called molybdenum disulfide. Using a creative combination of photoelectrochemical and spectroscopic techniques, the researchers conducted a series of experiments showing that extremely thin films of molybdenum disulfide display unprecedented charge carrier properties that could someday drastically improve solar technologies.

Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Engineering: Graphene Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

Physicists discover transformable nano-scale electronic devices      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

The nano-scale electronic parts in devices like smartphones are solid, static objects that once designed and built cannot transform into anything else. But physicists have reported the discovery of nano-scale devices that can transform into many different shapes and sizes even though they exist in solid states.

Energy: Alternative Fuels Engineering: Nanotechnology Environmental: General Geoscience: Earth Science Geoscience: Environmental Issues
Published

A novel platinum nanocluster for improved oxygen reduction reaction in fuel cells      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Hydrogen, derived from polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs), is an excellent source of clean energy. However, PEFCs require platinum (Pt), which is a limited resource. Some studies have shown that Pt nanoclusters (NCs) have higher activity than conventionally used Pt nanoparticles, however the origin of their higher activity is unclear. Now, researchers have synthesized a novel Pt NC catalyst with unprecedented activity and identified the reason for its high performance.

Biology: Zoology Ecology: Animals Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Temperature, drought influencing movement of Plains bison      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Temperature and severe drought can drive movement among herds of Plains bison, says a recent study. The team's GPS-backed data suggests that conserving the once-endangered species could depend on accounting for the climate extremes that Plains bison will likely encounter moving forward.

Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Scientists develop new way to measure wind      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Atmospheric scientists have developed an algorithm that uses data from water vapor movements to measure wind. This could help predict extreme events like hurricanes.

Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

New look at climate data shows substantially wetter rain and snow days ahead      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A new look at climate data shows that, by the end of the century, the heaviest days of rain and snowfall across much of North America will likely release 20 to 30 percent more moisture than they do now. Much of the increased precipitation will occur in winter, potentially exacerbating flooding in regions such as the upper Midwest and the west coast. Researchers also found that heavy precipitation days historically experienced once in a century will become more frequent -- as often as once every 30 or 40 years in the Pacific Northwest and southeastern United States.

Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published

Implantable device shrinks pancreatic tumors      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Nanomedicine researchers have found a way to tame pancreatic cancer -- one of the most aggressive and difficult to treat cancers -- by delivering immunotherapy directly into the tumor with a device that is smaller than a grain of rice.

Environmental: Ecosystems Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geography Geoscience: Severe Weather
Published

Shift to 'flash droughts' as climate warms      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

'Flash droughts' have become more frequent due to human-caused climate change and this trend is predicted to accelerate in a warmer future, according to new research.