Development of neural networks or AI tools for data analysis is increasing exponentially. However, networks existing in natural ecosystems, such as webs of interspecies relationships, have information processing potential that has largely remained untapped.
New blue light technique could enable advances in understanding nanotechnologies
Apr 19, 2023 (Nanowerk News) With a new microscopy technique that uses blue light to measure electrons in semiconductors and other nanoscale materials, a team of Brown University researchers is opening a new realm of possibilities in the study of these critical components, which can help power devices like mobile...
New findings pave the way for stable organic solar cells that may enable cheap and renewable electricity generation
Apr 19, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Due to the recent improvements in the efficiency with which solar cells made from organic (carbon-based) semiconductors can convert sunlight into electricity, improving the long-term stability of these photovoltaic devices is becoming an increasingly important topic. Real-world applications of the technology demand that the efficiency...
Informed by mechanics and computation, flexible bioelectronics can better conform to a curvy body
Apr 19, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Today, foldable phones are ubiquitous. Now, using models that predict how well a flexible electronic device will conform to spherical surfaces, University of Wisconsin–Madison and University of Texas at Austin engineers could usher in a new era in which these bendy devices can integrate seamlessly...
Nanoparticles provoke immune response against tumors but avoid side effects
Apr 19, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Cancer drugs that stimulate the body’s immune system to attack tumors are a promising way to treat many types of cancer. However, some of these drugs produce too much systemic inflammation when delivered intravenously, making them harmful to use in patients. MIT researchers have now...
Intelligent membranes with memories make next-generation smart filters
Apr 19, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Researchers from the National Graphene Institute (NGI) have made 'intelligent' membranes whose 'memory' can be used in areas like smart separation technology, wound management, drug delivery, sensors and memory devices. "The history of membrane development spans more than 100 years and has led to a...
Study reveals new mechanism for DNA folding
Apr 19, 2023 (Nanowerk News) A hitherto unknown mechanism for DNA folding is described in a study in Nature ("The Smc5/6 complex is a DNA loop extruding motor") published by researchers from Karolinska Institutet and the Max Planck Institute for Biophysics. Their findings provide new insights into chromosomal processes that...
Flexible gold sensor unlocks new generation of medical implants
Apr 19, 2023 (Nanowerk News) A thin, flexible gold sensor engineered at The University of Queensland (UQ) has the potential to unlock the next generation of implantable medical devices. Using a brand-new engineering method, researchers at UQ’s Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN) were able to produce a small...
The first 3D-printed biodegradable seed robot, able to change shape in response to humidity (w/video)
Apr 19, 2023 (Nanowerk News) In the pursuit of innovative solutions that harmoniously blend with the natural world, researchers at the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT) in Genoa have developed the first 3D-printed seed-robot, known as I-Seed. Inspired by the shape of a seed and capable of navigating through soil...
Novel nanocages for delivery of small interfering RNAs
Apr 19, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are novel therapeutics that can be used to treat a wide range of diseases. This has led to a growing demand for selective, efficient, and safe ways of delivering siRNA in cells. Now, in a cooperation between the Universities of Amsterdam...