May 16, 2023 (Nanowerk News) The Sun’s rotation produces changes in its magnetic field, which flips completely every 11 years or so, triggering a phase of intense activity. Solar flares – huge eruptions from the surface of the Sun lasting minutes or hours – emit intense bursts of particles and...
Electrical creation and control of antiferromagnetic vortices shown in new study
May 16, 2023 (Nanowerk News) A new study has shown for the first time how electrical creation and control of magnetic vortices in an antiferromagnet can be achieved, a discovery that will increase the data storage capacity and speed of next generation devices. Researchers from the University of Nottingham’s School...
Researchers reveal DNA repair mechanism
May 16, 2023 (Nanowerk News) A new study adds to an emerging, radically new picture of how bacterial cells continually repair faulty sections of their DNA. Published in the journal Cell ("RNA Polymerase Drives Ribonucleotide Excision DNA Repair in E. coli"), the report describes the molecular mechanism behind a DNA...
3D-printed pills with desired drug release
May 16, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Don’t be surprised to see pills with unusual shapes in the future. At first sight they may look funny, but they can release pharmaceuticals inside the body in a controlled manner. Using a combination of advanced computational methods and 3D printing, objects are produced that...
Advanced flexible materials made from nanocellulose
May 16, 2023 (Nanowerk Spotlight) Nanocellulose, a specialized type of cellulose processed to create nanoscale fibers, represents a significant advancement in the materials industry. These fibers possess remarkable properties such as high strength, low weight, excellent biocompatibility, and efficient water retention, which makes them a standout candidate for numerous applications....
The first first 2D topological insulator that consists of a single element
May 16, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Researchers from the University of Twente proved that germanene, a two-dimensional material made of germanium atoms, behaves as a topological insulator. It is the first 2D topological insulator that consists of a single element. It also has the unique ability to switch between ‘on’ and...
Novel crystal compound melts under ultraviolet light (w/video)
May 16, 2023 (Nanowerk News) While many materials melt when heated, researchers from Japan recently discovered a novel material in which melting can be induced by ultraviolet light instead of being induced only by heat. Even more intriguing, this material exhibits changes in its luminescent properties while it melts. This...
Efficient wastewater treatment with nanobubble-integrated TiO2 photocatalytic reactor
May 16, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Urbanization and industrialization have led to escalating environmental issues, with dye wastewater, due to its high toxicity, posing a significant challenge. Traditional treatment methods, including physical, biological, and chemical approaches, are inadequate due to inefficiencies, high energy consumption, and incomplete remediation. Therefore, there's a pressing...
Novel AI-based software enables quick and reliable imaging of proteins in cells
May 16, 2023 (Nanowerk News) Max Planck researchers from Dortmund programmed a tool that accurately recognises and picks proteins in electron cryo-tomography, substituting troublesome hand selection. They report their findings in Nature Methods ("TomoTwin: generalized 3D localization of macromolecules in cryo-electron tomograms with structural data mining"). “TomoTwin paves the way...
Simulation provides images from the carbon nucleus
May 15, 2023 (Nanowerk News) What does the inside of a carbon atom’s nucleus look like? A new study by Forschungszentrum Jülich, Michigan State University (USA) and the University of Bonn provides the first comprehensive answer to this question. In the study, the researchers simulated all known energy states of...