First observed radio waves from a type Ia supernova

May 18, 2023 (Nanowerk News) For the first time, astronomers have observed radio waves emitted by a Type Ia supernova, a type of explosion originating from a white dwarf star. This provides important clues to understand how white dwarfs explode (Nature, "A radio-detected type Ia supernova with helium-rich circumstellar material")....

‘Charge density wave’ linked to atomic distortions in would-be superconductor

May 18, 2023 (Nanowerk News) What makes some materials carry current with no resistance? Scientists are trying to unravel the complex characteristics. Harnessing this property, known as superconductivity, could lead to perfectly efficient power lines, ultrafast computers, and a range of energy-saving advances. Understanding these materials when they aren’t superconducting...

MXene hydrogel-based antibacterial epidermic sensors

May 18, 2023 (Nanowerk Spotlight) The field of wearable electronics has seen a surge of interest in the research and development of conductive hydrogels, largely due to their skin-like softness, structural resemblance to biological tissues, and tunable 3D conductive channels. These features make them particularly suitable for a variety of...

Newly developed photochromic active colloids shed light on the development of new smart active materials

May 18, 2023 (Nanowerk News) In nature, the skin of cephalopods (animals with tentacles attached to the head) exhibits unparalleled camouflage ability. Their skin contains pigment groups that can sense changes in environmental light conditions and adjust their appearance through the action of pigment cells. Although intricate in nature, this...