May 04, 2026 The approach uses a reprogrammed virus that evolves 160,000 times faster than the host, effectively training bacteria to consume a common plastic ingredient. After five cycles, plastic degradation improved by over 50%. (Nanowerk News) Millions of tonnes of plastic waste accumulate in landfills and oceans every year....
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New Star Wars-like planet candidates with two suns discovered
May 04, 2026 A team of astronomers have piloted a new method to find planets and in the process, found 27 potential new worlds in double star systems. To date, we've only confirmed the existence of 18 circumbinary planets, compared to the more than 6000 planets we know about in...
Outer solar system object has an atmosphere but shouldn’t
May 04, 2026 Evidence suggests a tiny outer Solar System body has a thin atmosphere, surprising for its size and raising questions future observations may answer. (Nanowerk News) A team of professional and amateur Japanese astronomers found evidence for a thin atmosphere around a small body in the outer Solar...
Heavy water makes the 190-year-old Daniell cell rechargeable for the first time
May 04, 2026 Heavy water's stronger hydrogen-bond network lowers ion desolvation energy in a zinc-copper Daniell cell, enabling uniform metal deposition and over 2,500 rechargeable cycles from a 190-year-old design. (Nanowerk Spotlight) Every chemistry student meets the Daniell cell. A strip of zinc in one beaker, a strip of copper...
Analytical breakthrough reveals how resonances open true energy gaps in quasicrystals
May 04, 2026 New analytical work shows how true energy gaps can arise in quasicrystals, answering a longstanding open question about these extraordinary materials.? (Nanowerk News) Quasicrystals sit between ordinary crystals and fully disordered materials: their atoms form ordered patterns that never exactly repeat. Once thought impossible, they have since...
Innovative numerical simulation methods for resilient hydrogen networks
May 04, 2026 Green hydrogen is a key area of opportunity in the energy transition. However, the use of pipelines to transport this energy source is associated with a degree of risk. Research scientists are developing a hydraulic simulation tool to assist with the planning of a resilient hydrogen infrastructure...
Breakthrough in magnon research paves the way for mini quantum computers
May 04, 2026 Physicists extended magnon lifetimes 100-fold to 18 microseconds, clearing a key barrier to coin-sized quantum computers and quantum sensing. (Nanowerk News) Magnons are tiny waves in magnetisation and ideal building blocks for hybrid quantum systems and quantum metrology. However, their previously too-short lifetime of at most a...
Room-temperature photodetector spans visible light all the way to terahertz
May 04, 2026 A single topological insulator photodetector covers visible through terahertz light at room temperature, combining two detection mechanisms to achieve record speed and sensitivity. (Nanowerk Spotlight) Light carries energy, and the amount depends on its type. A photon of red light delivers roughly a hundred thousand times more...
Self-healing synaptic transistor recovers memory after damage
May 03, 2026 A soft electronic device built to mimic a brain synapse repairs itself after being cut in half, recovering most of its electrical function and memory within a day. (Nanowerk Spotlight) Artificial synapses are electronic devices that store and process signals in the same place, mimicking a basic...
Light-driven nanomotors target kidney stones before crystals take hold
May 02, 2026 Light-driven antioxidant nanomotors help reach injured kidney tissue and reduce the damage that allows kidney stone crystals to attach. (Nanowerk Spotlight) Kidney stones become a clinical problem when hard crystals grow large enough to cause pain, obstruction, or infection. By that stage, treatment often focuses on removing...