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Categories: Engineering: Nanotechnology, Offbeat: Earth and Climate
Published Game-changing high-performance semiconductor material could help slash heat emissions


Researchers have engineered a material with the potential to dramatically cut the amount of heat power plants release into the atmosphere.
Published Scientists transform algae into unique functional perovskites with tunable properties


Scientists have transformed single-cell algae into functional perovskite materials. The team has converted mineral shells of algae into lead halide perovskites with tunable physical properties. The new perovskites have unique nano-architectures unachievable by conventional synthetic production. The method can be applied to the mass production of perovskites with tunable structural and electro-optical properties from single-celled organisms.
Published Are piezoelectrics good for generating electricity? Perhaps, but we must decide how to evaluate them


A 'best practice' protocol for researchers developing piezoelectric materials has been developed by scientists. The protocol was developed by an international team led by physicists in response to findings that experimental reports lack consistency. The researchers made the shocking discovery that nine out of 10 scientific papers miss experimental information that is crucial to ensure the reproducibility of the reported work.
Published 3D internal structure of rechargeable batteries revealed


Researchers have pioneered a technique to observe the 3D internal structure of rechargeable batteries. This opens up a wide range of areas for the new technique from energy storage and chemical engineering to biomedical applications.
Published Remarkable squirting mussels captured on film


Researchers have observed a highly unusual behavior in the endangered freshwater mussel, Unio crassus. The jets disturb the river surface and attract fish. Mussel larvae in the jets can then attach to the gills of the fish and complete their metamorphosis into adults.
Published Microscopy: Highest resolution in three dimensions


Researchers have developed a super-resolution microscopy method for the rapid differentiation of molecular structures in 3D.
Published Some stirring required: Fluid mixing enables scalable manufacturing of soft polymer structures


Researchers have developed and demonstrated an efficient and scalable technique that allows them to manufacture soft polymer materials in a dozen different structures, or 'morphologies,' from ribbons and nanoscale sheets to rods and branched particles. The technique allows users to finely tune the morphology of the materials at the micro- and nano-scale.
Published Knots smaller than human hair make materials unusually tough


A micro-architected material made from tiny knots proves tougher and more durable than unknotted counterparts.
Published Island-inhabiting giants, dwarfs more vulnerable to extinction


Island-dwelling mammal species often expand or contract in size, becoming giant or dwarf versions of their mainland counterparts. A new Science study from a global team shows that those giants and dwarfs have faced extreme risk of extinction -- an existential threat exacerbated by the arrival of humans.
Published Researchers unveil smart contact lens, capable of implementing AR-based navigation


A research team has introduced core technology for smart contact lenses that can implement AR-based navigation through a 3D printing process.
Published What 'Chornobyl dogs' can tell us about survival in contaminated environments


In the first step toward understanding how dogs -- and perhaps humans -- might adapt to intense environmental pressures such as exposure to radiation, heavy metals, or toxic chemicals, researchers found that two groups of dogs living within the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone showed significant genetic differences between them. The results indicate that these are two distinct populations that rarely interbreed. While earlier studies focused on the effects of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster on various species of wildlife, this is the first investigation into the genetic structure of stray dogs living near the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.
Published New kind of transistor could shrink communications devices on smartphones


One month after announcing a ferroelectric semiconductor at the nanoscale thinness required for modern computing components, a team has now demonstrated a reconfigurable transistor using that material. Their work paves the way for single amplifiers that can do the work of multiple conventional amplifiers, among other possibilities.
Published A pool at Yellowstone is a thumping thermometer


Doublet Pool's regular thumping is more than just an interesting tourist attraction. A new study shows that the interval between episodes of thumping reflects the amount of energy heating the pool at the bottom, as well as in indication of how much heat is being lost through the surface. Doublet Pool, the authors found, is Yellowstone's thumping thermometer.
Published Graphene quantum dots show promise as novel magnetic field sensors


Trapped electrons traveling in circular loops at extreme speeds inside graphene quantum dots are highly sensitive to external magnetic fields and could be used as novel magnetic field sensors with unique capabilities, according to a new study.
Published Can artificial intelligence help find life on Mars or icy worlds?


Researchers have mapped the sparse life hidden away in salt domes, rocks and crystals at Salar de Pajonales at the boundary of the Chilean Atacama Desert and Altiplano. Then they trained a machine learning model to recognize the patterns and rules associated with their distributions so it could learn to predict and find those same distributions in data on which it was not trained. In this case, by combining statistical ecology with AI/ML, the scientists could locate and detect biosignatures up to 87.5 percent of the time and decrease the area needed for search by up to 97 percent.
Published An innovative twist on quantum bits: Tubular nanomaterial of carbon makes ideal home for spinning quantum bits


Scientists develop method for chemically modifying nanoscale tubes of carbon atoms, so they can host spinning electrons to serve as stable quantum bits in quantum technologies.
Published Bending 2D nanomaterial could 'switch on' future technologies


Materials scientists have uncovered a property of ferroelectric 2D materials that could be exploited in future devices.
Published Scientists develop novel approach to enhance drug delivery for brain tumors in children


Researchers have developed a new drug delivery approach that uses nanoparticles to enable more effective and targeted delivery of anti-cancer drugs to treat brain tumors in children.
Published How patterns emerge in salt deserts


The honeycomb patterns which are often found in salt deserts in Death Valley, US, and Bolivia, among other places, look like something from another world. Researchers can now explain the origin of the mysterious patterns.
Published New purification method could make protein drugs cheaper



Engineers devised a way to purify protein drugs during manufacturing. Their approach, which uses nanoparticles to rapidly crystallize proteins, could help make protein drugs more affordable and accessible, especially in developing countries.