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Categories: Engineering: Nanotechnology, Offbeat: Earth and Climate
Published Water droplet spun by sound screens for colon cancer



Mechanical engineers have devised a diagnostic platform that uses sound waves to spin an individual drop of water up to 6000 revolutions per minute. These speeds separate tiny biological particles within samples placed in a very light disc sitting on top of the spinning drop. The technique could allow new point-of-care applications ranging from precision bioassays to cancer diagnosis. The technique requires less time and sample volume while inflicting less damage to delicate exosomes.
Published New high-speed microscale 3D printing technique



A new process for microscale 3D printing creates particles of nearly any shape for applications in medicine, manufacturing, research and more -- at the pace of up to 1 million particles a day.
Published Sonic youth: Healthy reef sounds increase coral settlement



Healthy coral reefs have rich soundscapes, full of the croaks, purrs, and grunts of various fishes and the crackling of snapping shrimp. Larval coral uses these sounds as cues to identify the best places to settle and grow. The authors found that sound could potentially be a vital tool in the effort to restore coral reefs. Broadcasting the sounds of a healthy reef to a reef that is degraded encourages coral larvae to settle there. This indicates that it's possible that 'acoustic enrichment' can be a key intervention to support imperiled reefs.
Published Spiral wrappers switch nanotubes from conductors to semiconductors and back



By wrapping a carbon nanotube with a ribbon-like polymer, researchers were able to create nanotubes that conduct electricity when struck with low-energy light that our eyes cannot see. In the future, the approach could make it possible to optimize semiconductors for applications ranging from night vision to new forms of computing.
Published Have metalenses expanded their reach into the ultraviolet region?



A team achieves successful mass production of metalenses designed for application in the ultraviolet region.
Published Scientists propose new theory that explains sand ripples on Mars and on Earth



Sand ripples are symmetrical. Yet wind -- which causes them -- is very much not. Furthermore, sand ripples can be found on Mars and on Earth. They would be even more fascinating if the same effect found on Mars could be found here on Earth as well. What if one unified theory could explain their formation on both planets?
Published Cheetahs' unrivalled speed explained by their 'sweet spot' size, finds Imperial study



A new study has answered a long-held question about why medium-sized land animals like cheetahs tend to be fastest.
Published Giving particle detectors a boost



Researchers have tested the performance of a new device that boosts particle signals.
Published GPS nanoparticle platform precisely delivers therapeutic payload to cancer cells



A newly developed 'GPS nanoparticle' injected intravenously can home in on cancer cells to deliver a genetic punch to the protein implicated in tumor growth and spread, according to researchers. They tested their approach in human cell lines and in mice to effectively knock down a cancer-causing gene, reporting that the technique may potentially offer a more precise and effective treatment for notoriously hard-to-treat basal-like breast cancers.
Published Breakthrough in nanostructure technology for real-time color display



New groundbreaking technology enables the real-time display of colors and shapes through changes in nanostructures.
Published Combined microscopy technique catches light-driven polymers in the act



Researchers have used tip-scan high-speed atomic force microscopy combined with an optical microscope to observe light-induced deformation of azo-polymer films. The process could be followed in real time, and the film patterns were found to change with the polarization of the light source. The observations will contribute to the use of azo-polymers in applications such as optical data storage, and the approach is expected to be useful across materials science and physical chemistry.
Published Interstellar signal linked to aliens was actually just a truck



Sound waves thought to be from a 2014 meteor fireball north of Papua New Guinea were almost certainly vibrations from a truck rumbling along a nearby road, new research shows. The findings raise doubts that materials pulled last year from the ocean are alien materials from that meteor, as was widely reported.
Published New deep-sea worm discovered at methane seep off Costa Rica



Marine biologists have discovered a new species of deep-sea worm living near a methane seep some 50 kilometers (30 miles) off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica.
Published New type of nanoparticle makes vaccines more powerful



A type of nanoparticle called a metal organic framework (MOF) could be used to deliver vaccines and act as an adjuvant. Researchers find these particles provoke a strong immune response by activating the innate immune system through cell proteins called toll-like receptors.
Published Do some electric fish sense the world through comrades' auras?



It would be a game-changer if all members of a basketball team could see out of each other's eyes in addition to their own. Biologists have found evidence that this kind of collective sensing occurs in close-knit groups of African weakly electric fish, also known as elephantnose fish. This instantaneous sharing of sensory intelligence could help the fish locate food, friends and foes.
Published Aluminum nanoparticles make tunable green catalysts



A nanotechnology pioneer has uncovered a transformative approach to harnessing the catalytic power of aluminum nanoparticles by annealing them in various gas atmospheres at high temperatures.
Published Tiny worms tolerate Chornobyl radiation



A new study finds that exposure to chronic radiation from Chornobyl has not damaged the genomes of microscopic worms living there today -- which doesn't mean that the region is safe, the scientists caution, but suggests that these worms are exceptionally resilient.
Published Using light to precisely control single-molecule devices



Researchers flip the switch at the nanoscale by applying light to induce bonding for single-molecule device switching.
Published Researchers closing in on genetic treatments for hereditary lung disease, vision loss



Researchers who work with tiny drug carriers known as lipid nanoparticles have developed a new type of material capable of reaching the lungs and the eyes, an important step toward genetic therapy for hereditary conditions like cystic fibrosis and inherited vision loss.
Published 'Like a lab in your pocket' -- new test strips raise game in gene-based diagnostics



Biosensing technology developed by engineers has made it possible to create gene test strips that rival conventional lab-based tests in quality.