Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Biotechnology Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology Physics: General Physics: Quantum Computing Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

New disease testing component facilitates lower-cost diagnostics      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Biomedical researchers have developed a new, less expensive way to detect nuclease digestion -- one of the critical steps in many nucleic acid sensing applications, such as those used to identify COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Botany Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Biology: Genetics Biology: Microbiology Biology: Molecular Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Energy: Technology Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Low-Temperature Plasma used to remove E. coli from hydroponically grown crops      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

In a new study, a team sterilized a hydroponic nutrient solution using low-temperature plasma generated from electricity and the oxygen in the atmosphere. This new sterilization technique may allow farmers to grow crops without the use of chemical pesticides, representing an important advance in agricultural technology for sustainable crop production.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Energy: Batteries
Published

Imaging grain boundaries that impede lithium-ion migration in solid-state batteries      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A research team has developed a new technique to image grain boundaries obstructing lithium-ion migration in solid-state batteries -- a promising type of next-generation battery.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry
Published

AI-driven lab speeds catalysis research      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have developed a 'self-driving' lab that uses artificial intelligence (AI) and automated systems to provide in-depth analyses of catalytic reactions used in chemical research and manufacturing. The new tool, called Fast-Cat, can provide more information in five days than is possible in six months of conventional testing.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Environmental: General Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Black carbon sensor could fill massive monitoring gaps      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Black carbon is up to 25 times more hazardous to human health than other airborne particles of a similar size. Standard sensors are expensive and burdensome, resulting in sparse coverage in regions infamous for poor air quality, such as the greater Salt Lake City area. A University of Utah-led study found that a portable, more affordable sensor recorded black carbon concentrations as accurately as the most widely used instrument for monitoring black carbon in real time. The portable sensor could help expand an accurate observation network to establish disease risk and create effective public health policies.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Physics: General Physics: Quantum Physics
Published

A new theoretical development clarifies water's electronic structure      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists have decoded the electronic structure of water, opening up new perspectives for technological and environmental applications.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry Physics: General
Published

The mutual neutralization of hydronium and hydroxide      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers have been able to directly visualize the neutral products of the mutual neutralization of hydronium and hydroxide, and report three different product channels: two channels were attributed to a predominant electron-transfer mechanism, and a smaller channel was associated with proton transfer. The two-beam collision experiment is an important step toward understanding the quantum dynamics of this fundamental reaction.

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Published

A novel method for easy and quick fabrication of biomimetic robots with life-like movement      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Ultraviolet-laser processing is a promising technique for developing intricate microstructures, enabling complex alignment of muscle cells, required for building life-like biohybrid actuators. Compared to traditional complex methods, this innovative technique enables easy and quick fabrication of microstructures with intricate patterns for achieving different muscle cell arrangements, paving the way for biohybrid actuators capable of complex, flexible movements.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Biology: General Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General
Published

Using mussels and silkworm cocoons to stop organ bleeding      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A collaborative research team develops an absorbent multifunctional nanofiber adhesive hemostat based on a protein biomaterial.

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Published

UBC Okanagan researchers look to the past to improve construction sustainability      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Researchers are revisiting old building practices -- the use of by-products and cast-offs -- as a way to improve building materials and sustainability of the trade. A technique known as rammed earth construction uses materials that are alternatives to cement and are often more readily available in the environment. One such alternative is wood fly ash, a by-product of pulp mills and coal-fired power plants.

Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Organic Chemistry
Published

Chemists synthesize unique anticancer molecules using novel approach      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Nearly 30 years ago, scientists discovered a unique class of anticancer molecules in a family of bryozoans, a phylum of marine invertebrates found in tropical waters. The chemical structures of these molecules, which consist of a dense, highly complex knot of oxidized rings and nitrogen atoms, has attracted the interest of organic chemists worldwide, who aimed to recreate these structures from scratch in the laboratory. However, despite considerable effort, it has remained an elusive task. Until now, that is. A team of chemists has succeeded in synthesizing eight of the compounds for the first time using an approach that combines inventive chemical strategy with the latest technology in small molecule structure determination.

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Published

A new vibrant blue pottery pigment with less cobalt      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Whether ultramarine, cerulean, Egyptian or cobalt, blue pigments have colored artworks for centuries. Now, seemingly out of the blue, scientists have discovered a new blue pigment that uses less cobalt but still maintains a brilliant shine. Though something like this might only happen once in a blue moon, the cobalt-doped barium aluminosilicate colorant withstands the high temperatures found in a kiln and provides a bright color to glazed tiles.

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

Graphene research: Numerous products, no acute dangers found by study      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Graphene is an enormously promising material. It consists of a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a honeycomb pattern and has extraordinary properties: exceptional mechanical strength, flexibility, transparency and outstanding thermal and electrical conductivity. If the already two-dimensional material is spatially restricted even more, for example into a narrow ribbon, controllable quantum effects can be created. This could enable a wide range of applications, from vehicle construction and energy storage to quantum computing.

Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence (AI) Computer Science: General Energy: Technology Engineering: Robotics Research
Published

Method identified to double computer processing speeds      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Scientists introduce what they call 'simultaneous and heterogeneous multithreading' or SHMT. This system doubles computer processing speeds with existing hardware by simultaneously using graphics processing units (GPUs), hardware accelerators for artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), or digital signal processing units to process information.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

An environmentally friendly way to turn seafood waste into value-added products      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Reduce, reuse, recycle, and repurpose: These are all ways we can live more sustainably. One tricky aspect of recycling, though, is that sometimes the recycling process is chemically intensive, and this is the case for recycling one of the world's most abundant materials -- chitin. Researchers have tackled this problem and found a way to sustainably recover chitin from seafood waste.

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Published

Revolutionary breakthrough in solar energy: Most efficient QD solar cells      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

A research team has unveiled a novel ligand exchange technique that enables the synthesis of organic cation-based perovskite quantum dots (PQDs), ensuring exceptional stability while suppressing internal defects in the photoactive layer of solar cells.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Microbiology Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published

Engineering a coating for disease-free produce      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Texas A&M researchers combine food-grade wax with essential oils to defend produce from bacteria.

Biology: Biochemistry Biology: Cell Biology Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry
Published

It's the spin that makes the difference      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Biomolecules such as amino acids and sugars occur in two mirror-image forms -- in all living organisms, however, only one is ever found. Why this is the case is still unclear. Researchers have now found evidence that the interplay between electric and magnetic fields could be at the origin of this phenomenon.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry: Thermodynamics Energy: Alternative Fuels Energy: Technology Environmental: General Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Physicists develop more efficient solar cell      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Physicists have used complex computer simulations to develop a new design for significantly more efficient solar cells than previously available. A thin layer of organic material, known as tetracene, is responsible for the increase in efficiency.

Chemistry: Biochemistry Chemistry: General Chemistry: Inorganic Chemistry Engineering: Nanotechnology Environmental: General Environmental: Water Geoscience: Environmental Issues Geoscience: Geochemistry
Published

Plastic recycling with a protein anchor      (via sciencedaily.com)     Original source 

Polystyrene is a widespread plastic that is essentially not recyclable when mixed with other materials and is not biodegradable. A research team has now introduced a biohybrid catalyst that oxidizes polystyrene microparticles to facilitate their subsequent degradation. The catalyst consists of a specially constructed 'anchor peptide' that adheres to polystyrene surfaces and a cobalt complex that oxidizes polystyrene.