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Revolutionary biomimetic olfactory chips to enable advanced gas sensing and odor detection
A research team has addressed the long-standing challenge of creating artificial olfactory sensors with arrays of diverse high-performance gas sensors. Their newly developed biomimetic olfactory chips (BOC) are able to integrate nanotube sensor arrays on nanoporous substrates with up to 10,000 individually addressable gas sensors per chip, a configuration that is similar to how olfaction works for humans and other animals.
Long-period oscillations control the Sun's differential rotation
The interior of the Sun does not rotate at the same rate at all latitudes. The physical origin of this differential rotation is not fully understood. It turns out, long-period solar oscillations discovered in 2021 play a crucial role in controlling the Sun's rotational pattern. The long-period oscillations are analogous to the baroclinically unstable waves in Earth's atmosphere that shape the weather. In the Sun, these oscillations carry heat from the slightly hotter poles to the slightly cooler ...
Could AI play a role in locating damage to the brain after stroke?
Artificial intelligence (AI) may serve as a future tool for neurologists to help locate where in the brain a stroke occurred. In a new study, AI processed text from health histories and neurologic examinations to locate lesions in the brain. The study looked specifically at the large language model called generative pre-trained transformer 4 (GPT-4).
Artificial reef designed by MIT engineers could protect marine life, reduce storm damage
Engineers designed an 'architected' reef that can mimic the wave-buffering effects of natural reefs while providing pockets for marine life. The sustainable and cost-saving structure could dissipate more than 95 percent of incoming wave energy using a small fraction of the material normally needed.
Astronomers conduct first search for forming planets with new space telescope
Planets form in disks of dust and gas called protoplanetary disks that whirl around a central protostar during its final assembly.
Persistent hiccups in a far-off galaxy draw astronomers to new black hole behavior
Astronomers have found that a previously quiet black hole, which sits at the center of a galaxy about 800 million light years away, has suddenly erupted, giving off plumes of gas every 8.5 days before settling back to its normal, quiet state.
Robot, can you say 'cheese'?
What would you do if you walked up to a robot with a human-like head and it smiled at you first? You'd likely smile back and perhaps feel the two of you were genuinely interacting. But how does a robot know how to do this? Or a better question, how does it know to get you to smile back?
More efficient TVs, screens and lighting
New multidisciplinary research could lead to more efficient televisions, computer screens and lighting.
A solar cell you can bend and soak in water
Researchers have developed an organic photovoltaic film that is both waterproof and flexible, allowing a solar cell to be put onto clothes and still function correctly after being rained on or even washed.
A tiny spot leads to a large advancement in nano-processing, researchers reveal
Focusing a tailored laser beam through transparent glass can create a tiny spot inside the material. Researchers have reported on a way to use this small spot to improve laser material processing, boosting processing resolution.
Heat, cold extremes hold untapped potential for solar and wind energy
Conditions that usually accompany the kind of intense hot and cold weather that strains power grids may also provide greater opportunities to capture solar and wind energy. A study found that widespread, extreme temperature events are often accompanied by greater solar radiation and higher wind speeds that could be captured by solar panels and wind turbines. The research, which looked at extensive heat and cold waves across the six interconnected energy grid regions of the U.S. from 1980-2021, al...
A new type of cooling for quantum simulators
Quantum simulators are quantum systems that can be controlled exceptionally well. They can be used to indirectly learn something about other quantum systems, which cannot be experimented on so easily. Therefore, quantum simulators play an important role in unraveling the big questions of quantum physics. However, they are limited by temperature: They only work well, when they are extremely cold. Scientists have now developed a method to cool quantum simulators even more than before: by splitting ...
Astronomers unveil strong magnetic fields spiraling at the edge of Milky Way's central black hole
A new image from the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) collaboration has uncovered strong and organized magnetic fields spiraling from the edge of the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*). Seen in polarized light for the first time, this new view of the monster lurking at the heart of the Milky Way Galaxy has revealed a magnetic field structure strikingly similar to that of the black hole at the center of the M87 galaxy, suggesting that strong magnetic fields may be common to all black hol...
Distant 'space snowman' unlocks mystery of how some dormant deep space objects become 'ice bombs'
Researchers found that the double-lobed object, which is officially named Kuiper Belt Object 486958 Arrokoth and resembles a snowman, may have ancient ices stored deep within it from when the object first formed billions of years ago.
Researchers create biocompatible nanoparticles to enhance systemic delivery of cancer immunotherapy
Researchers are enhancing immunotherapy effects against malignant tumors by developing and validating patent-ending poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid), or PLGA, nanoparticles modified with adenosine triphosphate, or ATP.
Implantable batteries can run on the body's own oxygen
From pacemakers to neurostimulators, implantable medical devices rely on batteries to keep the heart on beat and dampen pain. But batteries eventually run low and require invasive surgeries to replace. To address these challenges, researchers have devised an implantable battery that runs on oxygen in the body. The study shows in rats that the proof-of-concept design can deliver stable power and is compatible with the biological system.
Turbulence within solar transients imaged
Scientists captured images showing the development of turbulence as a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) interacted with the ambient solar wind in the circumsolar space.
Hidden geometry of learning: Neural networks think alike
Engineers have uncovered an unexpected pattern in how neural networks -- the systems leading today's AI revolution -- learn, suggesting an answer to one of the most important unanswered questions in AI: why these methods work so well. The result not only illuminates the inner workings of neural networks, but gestures toward the possibility of developing hyper-efficient algorithms that could classify images in a fraction of the time, at a fraction of the cost.
Memory self-test via smartphone can identify early signs of Alzheimer's disease
Dedicated memory tests on smartphones enable the detection of 'mild cognitive impairment', a condition that may indicate Alzheimer's disease, with high accuracy.
Sleeping supermassive black holes awakened briefly by shredded stars
Astronomers have concluded that an obscure class of galaxies known as Compact Symmetric Objects, or CSOs, are not young as previously thought but rather lead relatively short lives.
Optimizing electronic health records: Study reveals improvements in departmental productivity
Researchers identify transformative effects of electronic health record (EHR) optimization on departmental productivity.
Bullseye! Accurately centering quantum dots within photonic chips
Researchers have now developed standards and calibrations for optical microscopes that allow quantum dots to be aligned with the center of a photonic component to within an error of 10 to 20 nanometers (about one-thousandth the thickness of a sheet of paper). Such alignment is critical for chip-scale devices that employ the radiation emitted by quantum dots to store and transmit quantum information.
Using 'time travel' to think about technology from the perspective of future generations
Researchers have conducted a series of participatory deliberation workshops in which the participants were asked to consider issues of future society and manufacturing, in general, and as they relate to hydrothermally produced porous glass. In workshops where the perspective of 'imaginary future generations' was adopted, participants' perceptions of the technology's feasibility and future potentiality changed significantly.
New method to measure entropy production on the nanoscale
Entropy, the amount of molecular disorder, is produced in several systems but cannot be measured directly. A new equation sheds new light on how entropy is produced on a very short time scale in laser excited materials.
Silicon spikes take out 96% of virus particles
An international research team has designed and manufactured a virus-killing surface that could help control disease spread in hospitals, labs and other high-risk environments.
Tiniest 'starquake' ever detected
An orange dwarf star has yielded the tiniest 'starquakes' ever recorded, measured by an international team of scientists.
Mathematical innovations enable advances in seismic activity detection
Scientists successfully addressed mathematical challenges in conventional Spectral Matrix analysis, used to analyze three-component seismic signals, by introducing time-delay components. The new technique enables the characterization of various polarized waves and the detection of seismic events that have previously gone unnoticed by conventional methods. These findings pave the way for improving a variety of applications, including earthquake detection.
Scientists on the hunt for evidence of quantum gravity's existence at the South Pole
An Antarctic large-scale experiment is striving to find out if gravity also exists at the quantum level. An extraordinary particle able to travel undisturbed through space seems to hold the answer.
Research lights up process for turning CO2 into sustainable fuel
Researchers have successfully transformed CO2 into methanol by shining sunlight on single atoms of copper deposited on a light-activated material, a discovery that paves the way for creating new green fuels.
Engineering household robots to have a little common sense
Engineers aim to give robots a bit of common sense when faced with situations that push them off their trained path, so they can self-correct after missteps and carry on with their chores. The team's method connects robot motion data with the common sense knowledge of large language models, or LLMs.
GPT-4 for identifying cell types in single cells matches and sometimes outperforms expert methods
GPT-4 can accurately interpret types of cells important for the analysis of single-cell RNA sequencing -- a sequencing process fundamental to interpreting cell types -- with high consistency compared to that of time-consuming manual annotation by human experts of gene information.
Pairing crypto mining with green hydrogen offers clean energy boost
Pairing cryptocurrency mining -- notable for its outsize consumption of carbon-based fuel -- with green hydrogen could provide the foundation for wider deployment of renewable energy, such as solar and wind power, according to a new study.
With a new experimental technique, engineers probe the mechanisms of landslides and earthquakes
Researchers developed a method for 3D experiments that can reveal how forces are transmitted through granular materials, and how the shapes of the grains can dramatically change the outcomes. This could lead to better ways of understanding how landslides are triggered, and how to control the flow of granular materials in industrial processes.
Pushing back the limits of optical imaging by processing trillions of frames per second
Pushing for a higher speed isn't just for athletes. Researchers, too, can achieve such feats with their discoveries. A new device called SCARF (for swept-coded aperture real-time femtophotography) can capture transient absorption in a semiconductor and ultrafast demagnetization of a metal alloy. This new method will help push forward the frontiers of knowledge in a wide range of fields, including modern physics, biology, chemistry, materials science, and engineering.
Scientists deliver quantum algorithm to develop new materials and chemistry
Scientists published the Cascaded Variational Quantum Eigensolver (CVQE) algorithm in a recent article, expected to become a powerful tool to investigate the physical properties in electronic systems.
The world is one step closer to secure quantum communication on a global scale
Researchers have brought together two Nobel prize-winning research concepts to advance the field of quantum communication. Scientists can now efficiently produce nearly perfect entangled photon pairs from quantum dot sources.
Cool paint coatings help pedestrians feel up to 1.5 degrees Celsius cooler in urban setting
A real-world study has shown that the use of cool paint coatings in cities can help pedestrians feel up to 1.5 degrees Celsius cooler, making the urban area more comfortable for work and play.
A self-cleaning wall paint
Beautiful white wall paint does not stay beautiful and white forever. Often, various substances from the air accumulate on its surface. This can be a desired effect because it makes the air cleaner for a while -- but over time, the color changes and needs to be renewed. Now, special titanium oxide nanoparticles have been developed that can be added to ordinary, commercially available wall paint to establish self-cleaning power: The nanoparticles are photocatalytically active, they can use sunligh...
Rectifying AI's usage in the quest for thermoelectric materials
AI is revolutionizing the way researchers seek to identify new materials, but it still has some shortcomings. Now, a team of researchers has navigated AI's pitfalls to identify a thermoelectric material that boasts remarkable properties.
New all-liquid iron flow battery for grid energy storage
A new iron-based aqueous flow battery shows promise for grid energy storage applications.
Quantum interference could lead to smaller, faster, and more energy-efficient transistors
Scientists made a single-molecule transistor using quantum interference to control electron flow. This new design offers high on/off ratio and stability, potentially leading to smaller, faster, and more energy-efficient devices. Quantum interference also improves the transistor's sensitivity to voltage changes, further boosting its efficiency.
Novel quantum algorithm for high-quality solutions to combinatorial optimization problems
Conventional quantum algorithms are not feasible for solving combinatorial optimization problems (COPs) with constraints in the operation time of quantum computers. To address this issue, researchers have developed a novel algorithm called post-processing variationally scheduled quantum algorithm. The novelty of this innovative algorithm lies in the use of a post-processing technique combined with variational scheduling to achieve high-quality solutions to COPs in a short time.
Semiconductors at scale: New processor achieves remarkable speed-up in problem solving
Annealing processors are crucial for solving combinatorial optimization problems. However, they face scalability challenges due to the complexity of required architecture. TUS researchers have now designed a scalable, fully-coupled processor with 4096 spins and parallel processing capabilities. It demonstrates superior performance and power efficiency compared to traditional devices. The research team aims to develop a 2050-level quantum computer computing system by 2030, potentially revolutioniz...
Astronomers discover 49 new galaxies in under three hours
New work aimed to study the star-forming gas in a single radio galaxy. Although the team didn't find any star-forming gas in the galaxy they were studying, they instead discovered other galaxies while inspecting the data. In total, the gas of 49 galaxies was detected.
Caller ID of the sea: Tagging whale communication and behavior
Biologists use a novel method of simultaneous acoustic tagging to gain insights into the link between whale communication and behavior
Droughts in Europe could be avoided with faster emissions cuts
Models suggest summer rainfall in southern Europe could decline by up to 48% by the year 2100 if emissions of greenhouse gases continue to rise rapidly.
Bioelectronic mesh capable of growing with cardiac tissues for comprehensive heart monitoring
A team of engineers has recently built a tissue-like bioelectronic mesh system integrated with an array of atom-thin graphene sensors that can simultaneously measure both the electrical signal and the physical movement of cells in lab-grown human cardiac tissue. This tissue-like mesh can grow along with the cardiac cells, allowing researchers to observe how the heart's mechanical and electrical functions change during the developmental process. The new device is a boon for those studying cardiac ...
Researchers take major step toward developing next-generation solar cells
Engineers have discovered a new way to manufacture solar cells using perovskite semiconductors. It could lead to lower-cost, more efficient systems for powering homes, cars, boats and drones.
James Webb Space Telescope captures the end of planet formation
How much time do planets have to form from a swirling disk of gas and dust around a star? A new study gives scientists a better idea of how our own solar system came to be.
Revolutionizing hydrogen production: Economical and efficient solutions unveiled
Scientists introduce superaerophobic three-dimensional nickel nanostructured catalysts for accelerated water electrolysis.
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