ScienceDaily: Top Technology News

Iodine in desert dust destroys ozone

Posted: 22 Dec 2021 12:31 PM PST

When winds loft fine desert dust high into the atmosphere, iodine in that dust can trigger chemical reactions that destroy some air pollution, but also let greenhouse gases stick around longer. The finding may force researchers to re-evaluate how particles from land can impact the chemistry of the atmosphere.

70 new rogue planets discovered in our galaxy

Posted: 22 Dec 2021 12:31 PM PST

Rogue planets are elusive cosmic objects that have masses comparable to those of the planets in our Solar System but do not orbit a star, instead roaming freely on their own. Not many were known until now, but a team of astronomers, using data from several European Southern Observatory (ESO) telescopes and other facilities, have just discovered at least 70 new rogue planets in our galaxy. This is the largest group of rogue planets ever discovered, an important step towards understanding the origins and features of these mysterious galactic nomads.

Astronomers capture black hole eruption spanning 16 times the full Moon in the sky

Posted: 22 Dec 2021 12:30 PM PST

Astronomers have produced the most comprehensive image of radio emission from the nearest actively feeding supermassive black hole to Earth. The emission is powered by a central black hole in the galaxy Centaurus A, about 12 million light years away. When viewed from Earth, the eruption from Centaurus A now extends eight degrees across the sky -- the length of 16 full Moons laid side by side.

Tracking down the forces that shaped our Solar System’s evolution

Posted: 22 Dec 2021 12:30 PM PST

Meteorites are remnants of the building blocks that formed Earth and the other planets orbiting our Sun. Recent analysis of their isotopic makeup led settles a longstanding debate about the geochemical evolution of our Solar System and our home planet.

Earth and Mars were formed from inner Solar System material

Posted: 22 Dec 2021 12:30 PM PST

Cosmochemists now present the most comprehensive comparison to date of the isotopic composition of Earth, Mars and pristine building material from the inner and outer Solar System.

Scientists demonstrate a novel rocket for deep-space exploration

Posted: 22 Dec 2021 12:30 PM PST

The growing interest in deep-space exploration has sparked the need for powerful long-lived rocket systems to drive spacecraft through the cosmos. Scientists have developed a tiny version of a Hall thruster propulsion system that increases the lifetime of the rocket and produces high power.

Semiconductors reach the quantum world

Posted: 22 Dec 2021 12:29 PM PST

Quantum effects in superconductors could give semiconductor technology a new twist. Researchers have identified a composite material that could integrate quantum devices into semiconductor technology, making electronic components significantly more powerful.

Quantum marbles in a bowl of light

Posted: 22 Dec 2021 12:11 PM PST

Which factors determine how fast a quantum computer can perform its calculations? Physicists have devised an elegant experiment to answer this question.

Machine learning models quantum devices

Posted: 22 Dec 2021 05:40 AM PST

Technologies that take advantage of novel quantum mechanical behaviors are likely to become commonplace in the near future. These may include devices that use quantum information as input and output data, which require careful verification due to inherent uncertainties. The verification is more challenging if the device is time dependent when the output depends on past inputs. For the first time, researchers using machine learning dramatically improved the efficiency of verification for time-dependent quantum devices by incorporating a certain memory effect present in these systems.

Developing bioactive coatings for better orthopaedic implants

Posted: 22 Dec 2021 05:40 AM PST

Bioactive coatings play a vital role in the success of implants such as those for knees or hips, because their properties induce a biological response that is good for the health. Researchers are working on a coating that mimics bone tissue.

Study finds electric vehicles provide lower carbon emissions through additional channels

Posted: 21 Dec 2021 06:25 PM PST

A recent study found that the total indirect emissions from the supply of chain of electric vehicles pale in comparison to the same indirect emissions from fossil fuel-powered vehicles.

Fueling the future with new perovskite-related oxide-ion conductors

Posted: 21 Dec 2021 06:24 PM PST

Stable and high oxide-ion conductors based on a new hexagonal perovskite-related oxide has been reported in a recent study. These high-performance oxide-ion conductors could pave the way for the development of solid electrolytes for next-generation batteries and clean energy devices such as solid oxide fuel cells.

Could EKGs help doctors use AI to detect pulmonary embolisms?

Posted: 21 Dec 2021 01:27 PM PST

Pulmonary embolisms are dangerous, lung-clogging blot clots. In a pilot study, scientists showed that artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms can detect signs of these clots in electrocardiograms (EKGs), a finding which may one day help doctors with screening.

3D-bioprinted tissues can now be stored in the freezer until needed

Posted: 21 Dec 2021 10:35 AM PST

A major obstacle to widespread study and clinical use of 3D tissues is their short shelf-life, which may be anywhere from a just few hours to a few days. As in the case of an organ transplant, a bioprinted tissue must be transported rapidly to the location where it is needed, or it will not be viable. Researchers now describe new work combining 3D bioprinting with cryopreservative techniques to create tissues which can be preserved in a freezer at -196°C and thawed within minutes for immediate use.

Your seat on public transportation determines level of exposure to exhaled droplets, study finds

Posted: 21 Dec 2021 10:35 AM PST

In a new study, researchers developed a model with an unprecedented level of detail and focused on conditions that are more characteristic of asymptomatic transmission. The multiphysics model involved air and droplet dynamics, heat transfer, evaporation, humidity, and effects of ventilation systems. The researchers modeled various scenarios in close detail and were able to reconstruct their ventilation paths.

A new platform for controlled design of printed electronics with 2D materials

Posted: 21 Dec 2021 10:35 AM PST

Scientists have shown how electricity is transported in printed 2D materials, paving the way for design of flexible devices for healthcare and beyond.

Sensor based on quantum physics could detect SARS-CoV-2 virus

Posted: 21 Dec 2021 10:34 AM PST

Researchers found it's possible to design a sensor, based on quantum physics, that could detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The approach may offer faster, cheaper, and more accurate detection of Covid-19, including of new variants.

Computer simulation models potential asteroid collisions

Posted: 21 Dec 2021 10:33 AM PST

Researchers have developed a computer simulation of asteroid collisions that initially sought to replicate model asteroid strikes performed in a laboratory. After verifying the accuracy of the simulation, he believes it could be used to predict the result of future asteroid impacts or to learn more about past impacts by studying their craters. The simulation was built using the space-time conservation element and solution element method to model shock waves and other acoustic problems.

Biosensors using field-effect transistors show great promise

Posted: 21 Dec 2021 10:33 AM PST

Researchers review scientific advances of electrolyte-gated carbon nanotube field-effect transistor biosensors, which are characterized by superior electronic properties and intrinsic signal amplification and are capable of detecting a wide range of biomolecules with high sensitivity. One of their main components is the biorecognition element, which selectively recognizes the analyte of interest. Biotransduction devices convert the interaction between the biorecognition element and analyte into a measurable signal.

Anesthesia: Double chalice breaks the blockade

Posted: 21 Dec 2021 07:42 AM PST

Under anesthesia, patients are often given muscle-relaxing neuromuscular blockers to make intubations easier and reduce the skeletal muscle tone during surgery. Using a drug to remove the blocking agent after the operation improves patient recovery and reduces the risk of complications. A research team has now reported a novel broad-spectrum antidote. It consists of two 'chalices' that are linked together and cover the two ends of the blocker.

Cochlear implant as a sensor

Posted: 21 Dec 2021 07:42 AM PST

The cochlear implant (CI) is the most successful neural prosthesis worldwide. Thanks to direct stimulation of the auditory nerve, it enables more than half a million people worldwide to hear, even though those affected were born deaf or deafened. Researchers have developed a method to convert the stimulation electrodes of common CIs into electrochemical sensors. With the help of this novel sensor function, the functionality of cochlear implants could be monitored directly in the inner ear in the long term.

Researchers develop new measurements for designing cooler electronics

Posted: 21 Dec 2021 07:42 AM PST

Researchers have observed interfacial phonon modes which only exist at the interface between silicon (Si) and germanium (Ge). This discovery shows experimentally that decades-old conventional theories for interfacial heat transfer are not complete and the inclusion of these phonon modes are warranted.

Study finds artificial intelligence accurately detects fractures on x-rays, alert human readers

Posted: 21 Dec 2021 07:28 AM PST

Emergency room and urgent care clinics are typically busy and patients often have to wait many hours before they can be seen, evaluated and receive treatment. Waiting for x-rays to be interpreted by radiologists can contribute to this long wait time because radiologists often read x-rays for a large number of patients. A new study has found that artificial intelligence (AI) can help physicians in interpreting x-rays after an injury and suspected fracture.

Face detection in untrained deep neural networks?

Posted: 21 Dec 2021 07:27 AM PST

Researchers have found that higher visual cognitive functions can arise spontaneously in untrained neural networks. A research team has shown that visual selectivity of facial images can arise even in completely untrained deep neural networks. This new finding has provided revelatory insights into mechanisms underlying the development of cognitive functions in both biological and artificial neural networks, also making a significant impact on our understanding of the origin of early brain functions before sensory experiences.

Step forward in quest to develop living construction materials and beyond

Posted: 20 Dec 2021 10:13 AM PST

Some engineered living materials can combine the strength of run-of-the-mill building materials with the responsiveness of living systems. Think self-healing concrete or paint that changes color when a specific chemical is detected. Critical early research sheds new light on this exciting advancement, which would revolutionize construction and maintenance, with wide-reaching economic and environmental implications and potential for biomedical applications.

Fast and durable batteries to come: A promising anode material for lithium-ion batteries

Posted: 20 Dec 2021 09:07 AM PST

To overcome the slow charging times of conventional lithium-ion batteries, scientists have developed a new anode material that allows for ultrafast charging. Produced via a simple, environmentally sound and efficient approach involving the calcination of a bio-based polymer, this novel material also retained most of its initial capacity over thousands of cycles. The findings of this study will pave the way to fast-charging and durable batteries for electric vehicles.