A long-time staple of science fiction is the tractor beam, a technology in which light is used to move massive objects - recall the tractor beam in the movie Star Wars that captured the Millennium Falcon and pulled it into the Death Star. While tractor beams of this sort remain science fiction, beams of light today are being used to mechanically manipulate atoms or tiny glass beads, with rapid progress being made to control increasingly larger objects. Those who see major roles for optomechanical systems in a host of future technologies will take heart in the latest results from a first-of-its-kind experiment.
Aug 15th, 2012
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EU-funded scientists joined together to form a broad collaboration in nanomaterials research. The consortium sought to include European Member States and Candidate and potential Candidate Countries to develop a unified European Research Area.
Aug 15th, 2012
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Screening for toxicity of potential new drugs presents a bottleneck in the pharmaceutical industry. A European consortium addressed this issue by developing chip assays containing nanodrops of cells that could be used to screen various chemicals.
Aug 15th, 2012
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The Program Committee has announced that Nobel Laureate Sir Harold (Harry) Kroto will deliver the Pittcon 2013 Wallace H. Coulter Plenary Lecture, 'Exameter Objects to Nanometer Ones and Back Again'. The Plenary Lecture will be part of the Opening Session for the Technical Program at Pittcon 2013 which will be held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, March 17-21, 2013.
Aug 15th, 2012
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From July 19 to 23, scientists lined up samples of some of the largest known viruses on the planet for an extensive X-ray 'photo shoot' that may produce the highest-resolution 3-D images yet of these mysterious specimens - and bring researchers closer to understanding their functions and origins.
Aug 15th, 2012
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A new microscope to be built at the University of Houston will give scientists a better way to study the chemical properties of an array of surfaces, running the gamut from plastics and metals to cells and water. Researchers say this will help in both environmental studies and materials science.
Aug 15th, 2012
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For the first time, engineers at the University of New South Wales have demonstrated that hydrogen can be released and reabsorbed from a promising storage material, overcoming a major hurdle to its use as an alternative fuel source.
Aug 15th, 2012
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Penn State College of Medicine has been awarded a $1 million research grant from the PA Department of Health's CURE program, earmarked for the development of a cancer treatment with commercialization potential.
Aug 15th, 2012
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Researchers have produced organic light-emitting electrochemical cells (LECs) using a roll-to-roll compatible process under ambient conditions.
Aug 15th, 2012
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The European Commission has requested the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) to deliver an opinion on the safety of medical devices containing nanomaterials.
Aug 15th, 2012
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Researchers have developed a unique approach to aiming a laser beam that will enable increased data storage capacity as well as the ability to encrypt information on DVDs coated with gold nanorods.
Aug 15th, 2012
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Researchers have shown that graphene has additional applications in magnetic data storage. They have developed a method to measure magnetic fields by detecting changes in the electrical resistance of graphene.
Aug 15th, 2012
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Studies reveal a new way to make superhydrophobic surfaces with better self-cleaning capabilities.
Aug 15th, 2012
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New technique yields never-before-seen information critical to biofuels research.
Aug 14th, 2012
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U.S. Army researchers have developed a new chemical sensor that can simultaneously identify a potentially limitless numbers of agents, in real time.
Aug 14th, 2012
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Technologists at SEMATECH have successfully demonstrated extremely low defect levels for the deposition of critical films, meeting the 22 nm defect requirements for EUV mask blanks.
Aug 14th, 2012
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