MIT News April 8, 2018 Based on research interviews with over 200 of the world’s most innovative leaders in business, technology, government, and social enterprises, MIT researcher found that great questions have a catalytic quality — that is, they dissolve barriers to creative thinking and channel the pursuit of solutions into new, accelerated pathways. To boost questioning skills, a variation on the traditional brainstorming session is called a “question burst.” Rather than proposing new ideas, participants ask questions about a challenge or opportunity. The process often produces fresh perspectives and innovative solutions…read more.
Electrical Pulses and Neural Code Boost Memory Storage
IEEE Spectrum April 6, 2018 A team of researchers in the US (Wake Forest School of Medicine, UCLA, Virginia Tech, University of South Carolina) recorded the brain activity associated with the storage of specific information, mathematically modeled and decoded that activity, and then wrote the code back into brain to make existing memory work better. With the electrical boost, volunteers’ memory performance improved by 35 percent. The research is one of several approaches that could one day lead to “brain prostheses” to fill in for lost memory. The study was funded by DARPA through its Restoring Active Memory, or RAM […]
The future of photonics using quantum dots
Nanowerk March 27, 2018 Quantum dot lasers, amplifiers, modulators, and photodetectors epitaxially grown on Si are showing promise for achieving low-cost, scalable integration with silicon photonics. Researchers at UC Santa Barbara made III-V quantum-dot lasers using molecular beam epitaxy. They can run on less power, operate at higher temperatures and scaled down to smaller sizes. They are now testing lasers that can operate at 60 to 80 degrees Celsius, the more typical temperature range of a data center or supercomputer. Replacing the electronic components that connect devices with photonic components could cut energy use by 20 to 75 percent…read more. […]
Genetically engineered E. coli can make industrial chemicals from feedstock
RIKEN Research April 6, 2018 Researchers in Japan genetically modified Escherichia coli and used the bacterium and glucose harvested from feedstock to produce maleate, a salt or ester of maleic acid. The process requires much less energy, and process works under ordinary temperatures and pressures. The research opens the door to more environmentally friendly industrial-scale production of maleate which is a key adhesion promoter for materials like galvanized steel and nylon, as well a drug stabilizer…read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Honeybees may unlock the secrets of how the human brain works
Science Daily March 27, 2018 An international team of researchers (UK, Italy) studied a theoretical model of how honeybees decide where to build their nest and viewed the bee colony as a single superorganism which displays a coordinated response to external stimuli — similar to the human brain. Such behavior, suggests that these laws arise from fundamental mechanisms of information processing and decision-making. Studying superorganisms such as bee colonies is much simpler than watching brain neurons in action when a decision is being made…read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLE
A different spin on superconductivity—Unusual particle interactions open up new possibilities in exotic materials
Phys.org April 7, 2018 A team of researchers in the US (University of Maryland, Iowa State University, University of Central Florida, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, University of Wisconsin) has uncovered evidence for a new type of superconductivity in the material YPtBi, one that seems to arise from spin-3/2 particles rather than a spin of ½ as in an ordinary superconductor. By varying the temperature while exposing it to weak magnetic field they detected changes to the superconductor’s magnetic properties and found unusual magnetic intrusion. As the material warmed from absolute zero, the field penetration depth for YPtBi increased linearly. According […]
New research shows how paper-cutting can make ultra-strong, stretchable electronics
Nanowerk April 3, 2018 A team of researchers in the US (SUNY Buffalo, Temple University) inspired by kirigami used nanoconfinement engineering and strain engineering to create tiny sheets of strong yet bendable electronic materials made of a polymer, PthTFB. The nanosheets can be stretched up to 2000% with simultaneously high electrical conductivity, show remarkable electronic and mechanical reversibility and reproducibility under more than 1000 cycle. The conductivity of the nanosheets increases by three orders of magnitude due to the charge‐transfer complex formation between polymer chain and halogen, while the electrical conductance can be maintained over the entire strain regime. The […]
New source of global nitrogen discovered
Science Daily April 4, 2018 Nitrogen is both the most important limiting nutrient on Earth and a dangerous pollutant, so it is important to understand the natural controls on its supply and demand. A team of researchers in the US (UC Davis, industry) found that up to 26 percent of the nitrogen in natural ecosystems is sourced from rocks which is determined by weathering, which can be physical, such as through tectonic movement, or chemical, such as when minerals react with rainwater. According to the study large areas of Africa are devoid of nitrogen-rich bedrock while northern latitudes and mountainous […]
Researchers develop injectable bandage
Eurekalert April 2, 2018 Researchers at Texas A&M used thickening agent known as kappa-carrageenan, obtained from seaweed, to design injectable hydrogels simulating the structure of human tissues. When kappa-carrageenan is mixed with clay-based nanoparticles, injectable gelatin is obtained. The charged characteristics of clay-based nanoparticles provide hemostatic ability to the hydrogels. Specifically, plasma protein and platelets form blood adsorption on the gel surface and trigger a blood clotting cascade. These bandages can show a prolonged release of therapeutics that can be used to heal the wound…read more. TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Researchers develop nanoparticle films for high-density data storage
Nanowerk April 3, 2018 Films made of the semiconductor titania and silver nanoparticles are promising for holographic data storage. But exposure to UV light has been shown to erase the data, making the films unstable for long-term information storage. Researchers in China used electron-accepting molecules that measured 1 to 2 nanometers to disrupt the electron flow from the semiconductor to the metal nanoparticles. They fabricated semiconductor films with a honeycomb nanopore structure that allowed the nanoparticles, electron-accepting molecules and the semiconductor to all interface with each other. In tests holograms could be written into them efficiently and with high stability […]