SwRI’s modular dam design could accelerate the adoption of renewable energy
From Southwest Research Institute 22/10/23 Southwest Research Institute has developed a new modular steel buttress dam system designed to resolve energy storage issues hindering the integration of renewable resources into the energy mix. The m-Presa™ modular steel buttress dam system facilitates the rapid construction of paired reservoir systems for grid-scale energy storage and generation using […]
Plasma technology transforms microalgae for faster wound healing
From Flinders University 21/10/23 Researchers at Flinders University have taken a major step in the field of wound care by using plasma technology to ‘transform’ Spirulina microalgae into ultrathin bioactive coatings. The innovative approach uses argon atmospheric plasma jet technology to transform Spirulina maxima, the blue-green microalgae, into bioactive coatings which can tackle bacterial infections […]
Japan’s technology progress pushes laser fusion energy closer to commercialization
From Tokyo Institute of Technology 21/10/23 EX-Fusion Inc. (CEO: Kazuki Matsuo, hereinafter referred to as “EX-Fusion”) has established a Collaborative Research Cluster focused on advancing liquid metal devices (Terminology 1) for the realization of commercial laser fusion reactors (Figure1, Terminology 2) in collaboration with Tokyo Institute of Technology (President: Kazuya Masu, hereinafter referred to as […]
Wireless, battery-free electronic ‘stickers’ gauge forces between touching objects
From University of California – San Diego 20/10/23 Engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed electronic “stickers” that measure the force exerted by one object upon another. The force stickers are wireless, run without batteries and fit in tight spaces. That makes them versatile for a wide range of applications, from arming […]
Early Cambrian microfossils preserve introvert musculature of cycloneuralians
From Chinese Academy of Sciences 20/10/23 An international research team led by Prof. ZHANG Huaqiao from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NIGPAS) has reported the discovery of extraordinary early Cambrian (ca. 535 million years ago, or Ma) microfossils preserving the introvert musculature of cycloneuralians, a group of […]
Could a new law of physics support the idea we’re living in a computer simulation?
From University of Portsmouth 18/10/23 A University of Portsmouth physicist has explored whether a new law of physics could support the much-debated theory that we are simply characters in an advanced virtual world. The simulated universe hypothesis proposes that what humans experience is actually an artificial reality, much like a computer simulation, in which they […]
Tumor-destroying sound waves receive FDA approval for liver treatment in humans
From University of Michigan19/10/23 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of sound waves to break down tumors—a technique called histotripsy—in humans for liver treatment. Pioneered at the University of Michigan, histotripsy offers a promising alternative to cancer treatments such as surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, which often have significant side effects. FDA […]
Mimicking ‘plant power’ through artificial photosynthesis
From American Chemical Society 18/10/23 Solar panels are an increasingly popular way to generate electricity from the sun’s energy. Although humans are still figuring out how to reliably turn that energy into fuel, plants have been doing it for eons through photosynthesis. Now, a team reporting in ACS Engineering Au has mimicked the process to […]
First evidence that albatrosses use infrasound to navigate long journeys
From University of Liverpool 18/10/23 A new study by the University of Liverpool provides the first evidence that wandering albatrosses, one of the widest-ranging seabirds, may use infrasound to help them navigate long and featureless foraging trips covering thousands of miles. In a paper published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences […]
Soccer goalies process the world differently, muti-sensory integration tests show
From Cell Press 17/10/23 In the game of soccer (association football), goalkeepers have a unique role. To do the job well, they must be ready to make split-second decisions based on incomplete information to stop their opponents from scoring a goal. Now researchers reporting in Current Biology on October 9 have some of the first […]