A pair of light waves - one zipping clockwise the other counterclockwise around a microscopic track - may hold the key to creating the world's smallest gyroscope: one a fraction of the width of a human hair. By bringing this essential technology down to an entirely new scale, a team of applied physicists hopes to enable a new generation of phenomenally compact gyroscope-based navigation systems, among other intriguing applications.
Apr 2nd, 2015
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Damage to neural tissue is typically permanent and causes lasting disability in patients, but a new approach has recently been discovered that holds incredible potential to reconstruct neural tissue at high resolution in three dimensions. It demonstrated a method for embedding scaffolding of patterned nanofibers within three-dimensional hydrogel structures, and it was shown that neurite outgrowth from neurons in the hydrogel followed the nanofiber scaffolding by tracking directly along the nanofibers, particularly when the nanofibers were coated with a type of cell adhesion molecule called laminin.
Apr 2nd, 2015
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Therapeutic agents intended to reduce dental plaque and prevent tooth decay are often removed by saliva and the act of swallowing before they can take effect. But a team of researchers has developed a way to keep the drugs from being washed away.
Apr 2nd, 2015
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A novel nanomechanical plasmonic phase modulator harnesses tiny electron waves called plasmons. It's a step towards enabling computers to process information hundreds of times faster than today's machines.
Apr 2nd, 2015
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Rydberg atoms can be used to produce magnetic crystals in an optical lattice.
Apr 2nd, 2015
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Powered by a proton gradient, a world-first helical molecule transports water across membranes.
Apr 1st, 2015
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A polymeric material that changes its structure when immersed in salt water could help protect ships and marine structures.
Apr 1st, 2015
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Detailed experiments reveal the operational parameters for a promising thermo-magnetic data-storage technology.
Apr 1st, 2015
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Calculations reveal how mixtures of different elements can control the thermal properties of nanowires.
Apr 1st, 2015
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Scientists have achieved an unprecedented level of control over defects in liquid crystals that can be engineered for applications in liquid matter photonics.
Mar 31st, 2015
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Researchers have recorded the first direct observations of the micro-scale mechanisms behind the ability of skin to resist tearing. The results could be applied to the improvement of artificial skin, or to the development of thin film polymers for flexible electronics.
Mar 31st, 2015
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Cellulose nanocrystals derived from industrial byproducts have been shown to increase the strength of concrete, representing a potential renewable additive to improve the ubiquitous construction material.
Mar 31st, 2015
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Plants living in arid, mountainous and humid regions of the planet often rely on their leaves to obtain the moisture they need for survival by pulling mist out of the air. But how exactly they manage this feat has been a bit of a mystery - until now.
Mar 30th, 2015
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In order to develop an extremely sensitive temperature sensor, scientists took a close look at temperature-sensitive plants. However, they did not mimic the properties of the plants; instead, they developed a hybrid material that contains, in addition to synthetic components, the plant cells themselves.
Mar 30th, 2015
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A graphene lightbulb with lower energy emissions, longer lifetime and lower manufacturing costs has been launched thanks to a University of Manchester research and innovation partnership.
Mar 30th, 2015
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In an experiment, scientists used nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond to sense the properties of magnetic field noise tens of nanometers away from the silver samples.
Mar 30th, 2015
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