World record optical fiber transmission capacity doubles to 22.9 petabits per second
From National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) 11/12/23 Highlights -A record-breaking transmission capacity of 22.9 petabits per second in a single optical fiber was demonstrated. -Large-scale space-division multiplexing technology was successfully combined with multi-band wavelength-division multiplexing technology with 18.8 THz transmission bandwidth. -Demo is a major step toward the realization of future ultra-large […]
Rice husk and recycled newspaper may be the eco-friendly insulation material of the future
From Frontiers 11/12/23 The building sector is the second largest sector in plastic consumption and is responsible for more than a third of energy related greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. Manufacturing processes of construction materials pollute air, land, and water. Accordingly, construction materials made from agro-industrial waste become increasingly attractive due to their lower environmental impact. […]
Broadband buzz: Periodical cicadas’ chorus measured with fiber optic cables
From Entomological Society of America 11/12/23 Hung from a common utility pole, a fiber optic cable—the kind bringing high-speed internet to more and more American households—can be turned into a sensor to detect temperature changes, vibrations, and even sound, through an emerging technology called distributed fiber optic sensing. However, as NEC Labs America photonics researcher […]
Researchers invent new way to stretch diamond for better quantum bits
From DOE/Argonne National Laboratory 08/12/23 In work supported by the Q-NEXT quantum research center, scientists “stretch” thin films of diamond to create more cost-effective and controllable qubits. A future quantum network may become less of a stretch thanks to researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory, the University of Chicago and […]
Fish-like genetic program used to turn human retinal cells into neurons
From International Society for Stem Cell Research 10/12/23 Loss of neurons in in the retina due to trauma or disease leads to vision impairment or blindness, a process which is irreversible in humans. Interestingly, some animals like fish have the built-in ability to regenerate retinal neurons by turning another retinal cell type called “Muller glia” […]
A delicious surprise: Vertically farmed greens taste as good as organic ones
From University of Copenhagen – Faculty of Science 09/12/23 Consumer skepticism about the taste of vertically farmed greens is widespread. But the first scientific taste test from the University of Copenhagen and Plant Food & Research, New Zealand shows that respondents rate greens grown vertically and without soil as just as good as organic ones. […]
Straining memory leads to new computing possibilities
From University of Rochester 09/12/23 By strategically straining materials that are as thin as a single layer of atoms, University of Rochester scientists have developed a new form of computing memory that is at once fast, dense, and low-power. The researchers outline their new hybrid resistive switches in a study published in Nature Electronics. Developed […]
Wing blade track promises wind energy at 1/3 cost
From Superinnovators 08/12/23 US company Airloom Energy, supported by Bill Gates’s Breakthrough Energy Ventures, has developed a wind energy harvester with a novel design featuring vertical wings on an oval track, a stark contrast to traditional turbines. This innovative setup, unveiled last week, aims to significantly lower wind power costs, potentially to one-third of current […]
No sex please – marine life turned off by swimming in plastic chemicals
From University of Portsmouth 08/12/23 Plastic waste in the water might be stopping – or interrupting – some shrimp-like creatures from reproducing. In a unique study, the ability of ‘shrimp like’ creatures to reproduce successfully was found to be compromised by chemicals found in everyday plastics. Research showed that little critters, known as marine amphipod […]
Study reveals distinct brain activity triggered by memories of trauma
From Yale University 08/12/23 It is well known that people who have lived through traumatic events like sexual assault, domestic abuse, or violent combat can experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including terrifying flashbacks, severe anxiety, and uncontrollable thoughts about the incident. But what exactly happens in the brains of PTSD patients as they […]