Sep 19, 2024 (Nanowerk Spotlight) Precision in drug delivery has long posed a significant challenge to the medical field. Relying on the body’s circulatory system to transport medications often results in inefficient drug distribution, with only a fraction of the intended dose reaching the target area. This inefficiency forces higher...
Majorana fermion produced by quantum interference in a nanoscale circuit
Sep 19, 2024 (Nanowerk News) Scientists have long known that electrons are indivisible fundamental particles. Yet surprising new research shows that a weird feature of quantum mechanics can be used to produce objects that behave like half of an electron. These ‘split-electrons’ might hold the key to unlocking the power...
Organic matter on Mars was formed from atmospheric formaldehyde
Sep 19, 2024 (Nanowerk News) Although Mars is currently a cold, dry planet, geological evidence suggests that liquid water existed there around 3 to 4 billion years ago. Where there is water, there is usually life. In their quest to answer the burning question about life on Mars, researchers at...
DNA origami with cargo function
Sep 18, 2024 (Nanowerk News) In the world of nanotechnology, the development of dynamic systems that respond to molecular signals is becoming increasingly important. The DNA origami technique, whereby DNA is programmed so as to produce functional nanostructures, plays a key role in these endeavors. Teams led by LMU chemist...
Magnifying deep space through the ‘carousel lens’
Sep 18, 2024 (Nanowerk News) In a rare and extraordinary discovery, researchers have identified a unique configuration of galaxies that form the most exquisitely aligned gravitational lens found to date. The Carousel Lens is a massive cluster-scale gravitational lens system that will enable researchers to delve deeper into the mysteries...
Flexible circuits made with silk and graphene
Sep 18, 2024 (Nanowerk News) After thousands of years as a highly valuable commodity, silk continues to surprise. Now it may help usher in a whole new direction for microelectronics and computing. While silk protein has been deployed in designer electronics, its use is currently limited in part because silk...
Hexagonal electrohydraulic modules shape-shift into versatile robots
Sep 18, 2024 (Nanowerk News) Scientists at the Max-Planck-Institute for Intelligent Systems (MPI-IS) have developed hexagon-shaped robotic components, called modules, that can be snapped together LEGO-style into high-speed robots that can be rearranged for different capabilities. The team of researchers from the Robotic Materials Department at MPI-IS, led by Christoph...
Hubble finds more black holes than expected in the early universe
Sep 18, 2024 (Nanowerk News) With the help of NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, an international team of researchers led by scientists in the Department of Astronomy at Stockholm University has found more black holes in the early universe than has previously been reported. The new result can help scientists understand...
Reconfigurable photonic bricks advance light-based technology
Sep 18, 2024 (Nanowerk Spotlight) The ability to precisely control the flow of light is critical for technologies like high-speed data transfer, advanced computing, and telecommunications. Yet, despite the promise of photonics, existing systems remain rigid and impractical for large-scale use. Current photonic designs are either fixed in their function...
New qubit architecture may ease quantum computer manufacturing without loss of performance
Sep 18, 2024 (Nanowerk News) Scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory have shown that a type of qubit whose architecture is more amenable to mass production can perform comparably to qubits currently dominating the field. With a series of mathematical analyses, the scientists have provided...