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Categories: Biology: Botany, Engineering: Nanotechnology
Published Light-activated molecular machines get cells 'talking'
(via sciencedaily.com) Scientists have used light-activated molecular machines to induce cell-to-cell calcium signaling, revealing a powerful new strategy for drug design. This technology could lead to improved treatments for people with heart problems, digestive issues and more.
Published Chemists create the microspine with shape-transforming properties for targeted cargo delivery at microscale
(via sciencedaily.com) With the goal of advancing biomimetic microscale materials, the research team has developed a new method to create microscale superstructures, called MicroSpine, that possess both soft and hard materials which mimic the spine structure and can act as microactuators with shape-transforming properties. This breakthrough was achieved through colloidal assembly, a simple process in which nano- and microparticles spontaneously organize into ordered spatial patterns.
Published Researchers grow precise arrays of nanoLEDs
(via sciencedaily.com) A new platform enables researchers to 'grow' halide perovskite nanocrystals with precise control over the location and size of each individual crystal, integrating them into nanoscale light-emitting diodes.
Published Nanosheet technology developed to boost energy storage dielectric capacitors
(via sciencedaily.com) A research group has used nanosheet technology to develop a dielectric capacitor for advanced electronic and electrical power systems. Innovations in energy storage technology are vital for the effective use of renewable energy and the mass production of electric vehicles. The capacitor has the highest energy storage density recorded. It has a short charging time, high output, long life, and high temperature stability, making it a major advancement in technology.
Published Chemists discover why photosynthetic light-harvesting is so efficient
(via sciencedaily.com) Chemists have measured the energy transfer between photosynthetic light-harvesting proteins. They discovered that the disorganized arrangement of light-harvesting proteins boosts the efficiency of the energy transduction.
Published Researchers demonstrate single-molecule electronic 'switch' using ladder-like molecules
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have demonstrated a new material for single-molecule electronic switches, which can effectively vary current at the nanoscale in response to external stimuli. The material for this molecular switch has a unique structure created by locking a linear molecular backbone into a ladder-type structure. A new study finds that the ladder-type molecular structure greatly enhances the stability of the material, making it highly promising for use in single-molecule electronics applications.
Published Chemists develop new method to create chiral structures
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source In trying to produce artificial chirality in the lab, chemists have found that the distribution of a magnetic field is itself chiral.
Published 'Electronic skin' from bio-friendly materials can track human vital signs with ultrahigh precision
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have used materials inspired by molecular gastronomy to create smart wearables that surpassed similar devices in terms of strain sensitivity. They integrated graphene into seaweed to create nanocomposite microcapsules for highly tunable and sustainable epidermal electronics. When assembled into networks, the tiny capsules can record muscular, breathing, pulse, and blood pressure measurements in real-time with ultrahigh precision.
Published Squid-inspired soft material is a switchable shield for light, heat, microwaves
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source With a flick of a switch, current technologies allow you to quickly change materials from being dark to light, or cold to hot, just by blocking or transmitting specific wavelengths. But now, inspired by squid skin, researchers report a soft film that can regulate its transparency across a large range of wavelengths -- visible, infrared and microwave -- simultaneously. They demonstrated the material in smart windows and in health monitoring and temperature management applications.
Published Dry days trigger leaves to send a surprising growth signal telling roots to keep growing
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Scientists have discovered a new molecular signalling pathway, triggered when leaves are exposed to low humidity, that ensures plant roots keep growing towards water. A new study has found that when the leaves of a plant are exposed to dry air (low humidity), they send a shoot-to-root signal, using abscisic acid (ABA), to tell the roots to keep growing. This is a surprising finding as ABA is usually thought to be a growth inhibitor, not a growth promoter.
Published Nanophotonics: Coupling light and matter
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have developed a metasurface that enables strong coupling effects between light and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs).
Published The clue is in the glue -- Nature's secret for holding it together
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source An obscure aquatic plant has helped to explain how plants avoid cracking up under the stresses and strains of growth.
Published A roadmap for gene regulation in plants
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source For the first time, researchers have developed a genome-scale way to map the regulatory role of transcription factors, proteins that play a key role in gene expression and determining a plant's physiological traits. Their work reveals unprecedented insights into gene regulatory networks and identifies a new library of DNA parts that can be used to optimize plants for bioenergy and agriculture.
Published 'Shoebox' satellites help scientists understand trees and global warming
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source As scientists try to understand the effect of climate on trees, advances in imaging technology are helping them see both the whole forest and every individual tree. High-resolution images taken by cubesats, small, shoebox-sized devices launched into low Earth orbit, are helping environmental scientists make more precise measurements about trees' response to a warming climate.
Published Plant extracts used by indigenous people hold promise in treatment of ataxia
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Researchers have discovered that extracts from plants used by the Kwakwaka'wakw First Nations peoples in their traditional botanical medicine practices are able to rescue the function of ion channel proteins carrying mutations that cause human Episodic Ataxia.
Published AI reveals hidden traits about our planet's flora to help save species
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Machine learning can help extract important information from the huge numbers of plant specimens stored in herbaria, say scientists.
Published From cross to self-pollination
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Biologists provide evidence for an alternative genetic mechanism that can lead to plants becoming self-pollinators.
Published Fossil study sheds light on famous spirals found in nature
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source A 3D model of a 407-million-year-old plant fossil has overturned thinking on the evolution of leaves. The research has also led to fresh insights about spectacular patterns found in plants.
Published How will a warming world impact the Earth's ability to offset our carbon emissions?
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source New work deploys a bold new approach for inferring the temperature sensitivity of ecosystem respiration -- which represents one side of the equation balancing carbon dioxide uptake and carbon dioxide output in terrestrial environments. This will improve scientists' models for climate change scenarios.
Published Cleaner air with a cold catalytic converter
(via sciencedaily.com) Original source Although passenger vehicle catalytic converters have been mandatory for over 30 years, there is still plenty of room for improvement. For instance, they only work correctly when the engine is sufficiently hot, which is not always the case, especially with hybrid vehicles. Researchers have now developed an improved catalyst that can properly purify exhaust gases even at room temperature.