Mar 02, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Brain tumors are notoriously hard to treat. One reason is the challenge posed by the blood-brain barrier, a network of blood vessels and tissue with closely spaced cells. The barrier forms a tight seal to protect the brain from harmful substances, but it also prevents...
Grasshopping robots made possible with new, improved latch control
Mar 02, 2023 (Nanowerk News) If animals and insects can jump across grass and sand, why can’t robots? Sarah Bergbreiter, Professor of Mechanical Engineering, has found that researchers don’t have to look far to enable this in robots. Existing latch mechanisms that were once thought of as an ‘on’ or...
A new way to identify bacteria in fluids
Mar 02, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Shine a laser on a drop of blood, mucus, or wastewater, and the light reflecting back can be used to positively identify bacteria in the sample. “We can find out not just that bacteria are present, but specifically which bacteria are in the sample –...
DNA repair discovery could improve biotechnology (w/video)
Mar 02, 2023 (Nanowerk News) A team of researchers from Michigan State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine has made a discovery that may have implications for therapeutic gene editing strategies, cancer diagnostics and therapies and other advancements in biotechnology. Kathy Meek, a professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine, and...
Researchers propose a simple, inexpensive approach to fabricating carbon nanotube wiring on plastic films
Mar 02, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are cylindrical tube-like structures made of carbon atoms that display highly desirable physical properties like high strength, low weight, and excellent thermal and electrical conductivities. This makes them ideal materials for various applications, including reinforcement materials, energy storage and conversion devices, and...
How a seaweed second skin could transform health and fitness sensor tech
Mar 02, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Scientists at the University of Sussex have successfully trialed new biodegradable health sensors that could change the way we experience personal healthcare and fitness monitoring technology (ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, "Food-Inspired, High-Sensitivity Piezoresistive Graphene Hydrogels"). The team at Sussex have developed the new health...
Scientists use new optical tweezer technology to study DNA repair
Mar 02, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Tucked away in a small, dark room at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Brittani Schnable is on a fishing expedition. Wielding a joystick similar to those used by video gamers, she casts microscopic beads into an ocean of molecules, pushing and pulling the beads apart until...
New NASA DART data prove viability of asteroid deflection as planetary defense strategy
Mar 01, 2023 (Nanowerk News) NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) was Earth’s first attempt at launching a spacecraft to intentionally collide with and deflect an asteroid as a planetary defense technique. On September 26, 2022, the DART spacecraft collided with a small asteroid moon called Dimorphos, which orbits a...
Artificial Intelligence from a psychologist’s point of view
Mar 01, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tübingen have examined the general intelligence of the language model GPT-3, a powerful AI tool. Using psychological tests, they studied competencies such as causal reasoning and deliberation, and compared the results with the abilities of...
Designing 4D-printed hygromorphs
Mar 01, 2023 (Nanowerk Spotlight) Hygromorphs are materials that can change their shape or size in response to changes in humidity or moisture. They are also sometimes referred to as humidity-responsive materials or moisture-responsive materials. Hygromorphs can be found in nature, such as in the way that some plant structures...