Building artificial nerve cells

Feb 22, 2022 (Nanowerk News) For the first time, researchers demonstrate an artificial organic neuron, a nerve cell, that can be integrated with a living plant and an artificial organic synapse. Both the neuron and the synapse are made from printed organic electrochemical transistors. On connecting to the carnivorous Venus...

Understanding bacterial biofilms

Feb 22, 2022 (Nanowerk News) Biofilms are a ubiquitous, resilient form of microbial life. They can form where liquids and solids meet, like around a knee replacement; where air and liquid meet, like in the lungs; and where oil and water meet, like in an oil spill on the ocean....

Development of nanoengineered bacteria for cancer optotheranostics

Feb 22, 2022 (Nanowerk News) There is substantial interest regarding the understanding and designing of nanoengineered bacteria to combat various fatal cancerous diseases. However, conventional nanotechnological approaches adopt genetic manipulation for attenuating and improving the efficacy of bacteria. In addition, complicated chemical reactions were essential in the previous approaches. Scientists...

Birch trees remove microplastics from the soil

Feb 21, 2022 (Nanowerk News) With the help of trees, microplastic-polluted soils could be remediated. For the first time, researchers at the Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) have shown that birch trees absorb microplastics through their roots during the growth phase. Good news, because soils are...