Âé¶¹ÒùÔº - latest science and technology news stories / en-us Âé¶¹ÒùÔº internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Âé¶¹ÒùÔºics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. Researchers develop flexible fiber material for self-powered health-monitoring sensors Could clothing monitor a person's health in real time, because the clothing itself would be a self-powered sensor? A new material created through electrospinning, which is a process that draws out fibers using electricity, brings this possibility one step closer. /news/2025-07-flexible-fiber-material-powered-health.html Condensed Matter Wed, 30 Jul 2025 16:00:19 EDT news673110015 Wafer lens changes X-ray beam size by more than 3,400 times Using only a single-crystal piezoelectric thin wafer of lithium niobate (LN) instead of the usual two-part structure, a group from Nagoya University in Japan has created a deformable mirror that changes X-ray beam size by more than 3,400 times. This improved tuning range enhances both imaging and analysis, especially for the X-rays used in industry. /news/2025-06-wafer-lens-ray-size.html Optics & Photonics Fri, 27 Jun 2025 12:14:03 EDT news670245242 Nanofibers yield stronger, tougher carbon fiber composites Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)'s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have developed an innovative new technique using carbon nanofibers to enhance binding in carbon fiber and other fiber-reinforced polymer composites—an advance likely to improve structural materials for automobiles, airplanes and other applications that require lightweight and strong materials. /news/2025-06-nanofibers-yield-stronger-tougher-carbon.html Nanomaterials Tue, 17 Jun 2025 13:00:06 EDT news669383405 'Electron shower' technique unlocks advanced piezoelectric films for next-generation electronics Our everyday lives are so riddled with electronics that we hardly notice them anymore. When we casually reach for our smartphone, we rarely think about how complex this device is. Hundreds of tiny components work together within it—each of them a high-precision masterpiece of engineering. /news/2025-06-electron-shower-technique-advanced-piezoelectric.html Nanophysics Nanomaterials Thu, 05 Jun 2025 12:13:04 EDT news668344381 Âé¶¹ÒùÔºics advance details new way to control solid objects in liquid Researchers have detailed the physics behind a phenomenon that allows them to create spin in liquid droplets using ultrasound waves, which concentrates solid particles suspended in the liquid. The discovery will allow researchers to engineer technologies that make use of the technique to develop applications in fields such as biomedical testing and drug development. /news/2025-05-physics-advance-solid-liquid.html Soft Matter Wed, 21 May 2025 11:37:03 EDT news667046221 High-performance piezoelectric fiber sensor offers real-time landslide detection A research team led by Dr. Lim Sang-kyu in DGIST's Department of Energy and Environmental Technology has developed a smart fiber sensor that can detect natural disasters such as landslides in real time. The new fiber is based on piezoelectric technology, which converts pressure into electricity. Its three-dimensional (3D) structure dramatically improves performance, facilitating the implementation of a self-powered sensor system that can operate without an external power source. /news/2025-05-high-piezoelectric-fiber-sensor-real.html Nanomaterials Mon, 19 May 2025 11:50:10 EDT news666874206 Improved modeling of the Pockels effect may help advance optoelectronic technology The use of light signals to connect electronic components is a key element of today's data communication technologies, because of the speed and efficiency that only optical devices can guarantee. Photonic integrated circuits, which use photons instead of electrons to encode and transmit information, are found in many computing technologies. Most are currently based on silicon—a good solution because it is already used for electronic circuits, but with a limited bandwidth. /news/2025-05-pockels-effect-advance-optoelectronic-technology.html Condensed Matter Optics & Photonics Wed, 07 May 2025 15:20:14 EDT news665850002 Ultrasound and microrobots team up to boost stem cell therapy for brain repair A novel study has unveiled a technique that enhances stem cell therapy for neurodegenerative diseases by combining magnetic guidance with localized ultrasound stimulation. This approach successfully navigates magnetically loaded stem cells to specific brain regions and promotes their differentiation into neurons using a miniaturized ultrasound device. /news/2025-04-ultrasound-microrobots-team-boost-stem.html Bio & Medicine Wed, 30 Apr 2025 16:34:04 EDT news665249642 First wurtzite-structured MgSiNâ‚‚ thin film unlocks promising electronic properties Wurtzite-structured crystals, characterized by their hexagonal symmetry, are widely valued for their unique electronic and piezoelectric properties—their ability to generate an electric charge when subjected to mechanical stress. Among these, gallium nitride (GaN), a key material in blue light-emitting diodes, and aluminum nitride (AlN), used in high-frequency radio frequency (RF) filters in smartphones, are prominent examples. These materials play a crucial role in advanced semiconductors, sensors, and actuators. /news/2025-04-wurtzite-mgsin-thin-electronic-properties.html Nanophysics Nanomaterials Wed, 30 Apr 2025 14:17:04 EDT news665241421 How do robots feel in space? How do robots feel in space? This is both a practical and possibly an existential question. Still, today, we'll focus on the practical side by looking at a review paper from Hadi Jahanshahi and Zheng Zhu of York University in Canada that discusses different tactile sensor types and their advantages and disadvantages for use in space. /news/2025-04-robots-space.html Space Exploration Wed, 30 Apr 2025 13:32:04 EDT news665238722 First-ever real-time visualization of nanoscale domain response may boost ultrasound imaging technology Ultrasound imaging is one of the most widely used diagnostic tools in modern medicine. Behind its noninvasive magic lies a class of materials known as piezoelectric single crystals, which can convert electrical signals into mechanical vibrations and vice versa. /news/2025-04-real-visualization-nanoscale-domain-response.html Nanophysics Nanomaterials Tue, 22 Apr 2025 11:40:02 EDT news664540162 Solvent-free method developed to destroy PFAS on spent sorbents A research team at Clarkson University has developed a method to effectively destroy per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) on spent sorbents, addressing a critical environmental challenge. /news/2025-04-solvent-free-method-destroy-pfas.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Thu, 10 Apr 2025 04:36:08 EDT news663478564 A new computational method for super-large-scale atomic structures New theoretical physics research introduces a simulation method of machine-learning-based effective Hamiltonian for super-large-scale atomic structures. This effective Hamiltonian method could simulate much larger structures than the methods based on quantum mechanisms and classical mechanics. /news/2025-03-method-super-large-scale-atomic.html General Âé¶¹ÒùÔºics Quantum Âé¶¹ÒùÔºics Mon, 17 Mar 2025 17:40:39 EDT news661452031 Researchers achieve record-high electrostrain in lead-free piezoceramics Researchers from Tsinghua University, the Beijing Institute of Technology, the University of Wollongong (Australia), and the Hefei Institutes of Âé¶¹ÒùÔºical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, have achieved an ultrahigh electrostrain of 1.9% in (K,Na)NbO3 (KNN) lead-free piezoelectric ceramics. /news/2025-03-high-electrostrain-free-piezoceramics.html Condensed Matter Thu, 13 Mar 2025 12:31:02 EDT news661087861 Seismic clues from Marsquakes suggest liquid water and life potential beneath the surface Are subterranean lifeforms viable on Mars? A new interpretation of Martian seismic data by scientists Ikuo Katayama of Hiroshima University and Yuya Akamatsu of Research Institute for Marine Geodynamics suggests the presence of water below the surface of Mars. "If liquid water exists on Mars," Katayama says, "the presence of microbial activity" is possible. /news/2025-03-seismic-clues-marsquakes-liquid-life.html Planetary Sciences Sat, 08 Mar 2025 05:35:51 EST news660634545 Research illuminates the path to superior electro-optic performance in aluminum scandium nitride alloys From integrated photonics to quantum information science, the ability to control light with electric fields—a phenomenon known as the electro-optic effect—supports vital applications such as light modulation and frequency transduction. These components rely on nonlinear optical materials, in which light waves can be manipulated by applying electric fields. /news/2025-02-illuminates-path-superior-electro-optic.html Condensed Matter Optics & Photonics Tue, 25 Feb 2025 16:11:08 EST news659722252 Emerging biomedical ultrasound tech: Flexible micromachined ultrasound transducers A new review article unveils the world of flexible micromachined ultrasound transducers (MUTs), an emerging technology at the intersection of wearables, ultrasound, and MEMS. These cutting-edge devices, which include both piezoelectric (PMUT) and capacitive (CMUT) variants, can offer flexibility and user-friendly health care solutions. Capable of conforming to the body's contours, flexible MUTs can enable continuous monitoring and targeted stimulation. The study dives deep into the fabrication methods, performance benchmarks, and potential applications of these revolutionary devices. /news/2025-02-emerging-biomedical-ultrasound-tech-flexible.html Bio & Medicine Fri, 21 Feb 2025 13:44:42 EST news659367878 Exploring BiFeO₃'s piezocatalytic potential: From materials engineering to diverse applications Materials scientists have long been exploring advanced materials for environmental and energy applications, with piezocatalysis emerging as a promising technology for sustainable solutions. BiFeO3 (BFO), a versatile material known for its unique piezoelectric, multiferroic, and optical properties, has garnered significant attention for its potential in piezocatalysis, specifically for organic pollutant degradation, hydrogen production, CO2 reduction, and sterilization. /news/2025-02-exploring-bifeo-piezocatalytic-potential-materials.html Analytical Chemistry Materials Science Thu, 20 Feb 2025 14:33:03 EST news659284381 Multiferroic material can function up to 160°C, opening doors for advanced spintronics While most multiferroics can't operate above room temperature, a team of researchers at Tohoku University demonstrated that terbium oxide Tb2(MoO4)3 works as a multiferroic even at 160°C. /news/2025-01-multiferroic-material-function-160c-doors.html Condensed Matter Fri, 31 Jan 2025 08:33:04 EST news657534782 Could gravitational waves be the key to cosmic communication? When astronomers detected the first long-predicted gravitational waves in 2015, it opened a whole new window into the universe. Before that, astronomy depended on observations of light in all its wavelengths. /news/2025-01-gravitational-key-cosmic-communication.html Space Exploration Thu, 30 Jan 2025 09:39:05 EST news657452342 New acoustic wave phenomenon discovered A unique propagation phenomenon of acoustic waves has been discovered, paving the way for developing advanced communication technologies using acoustic devices. /news/2025-01-acoustic-phenomenon.html Nanophysics Wed, 29 Jan 2025 09:34:51 EST news657365688 Photoacoustic spectroscopy approach achieves real-time detection of low gas concentrations Researchers have developed a new method for quickly detecting and identifying very low concentrations of gases. The new approach, called coherently controlled quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy, could form the basis for highly sensitive real-time sensors for applications such as environmental monitoring, breath analysis and chemical process control. /news/2025-01-photoacoustic-spectroscopy-approach-real-gas.html Optics & Photonics Thu, 09 Jan 2025 10:00:01 EST news655551994 Small changes can dramatically boost efficacy of piezoceramics In a new study published in Nature, researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and collaborators show that the efficacy of a commonly used piezoelectric ceramic material can be dramatically increased just by reducing its thickness and by preventing atomic defects inadvertently formed during manufacturing. /news/2025-01-small-boost-efficacy-piezoceramics.html Condensed Matter Thu, 09 Jan 2025 09:50:03 EST news655638601 Smarter memory: Researchers introduce next-generation RAM with reduced energy consumption Numerous memory types for computing devices have emerged in recent years, aiming to overcome the limitations imposed by traditional random access memory (RAM). Magnetoresistive RAM (MRAM) is one such memory type which offers several advantages over conventional RAM, including its non-volatility, high speed, increased storage capacity and enhanced endurance. /news/2025-01-smarter-memory-generation-ram-energy.html Condensed Matter Tue, 07 Jan 2025 09:56:47 EST news655466203 Leaves' resilience to raindrops offer insights into energy harvesting potential To a leaf, a falling raindrop is equivalent in mass to a bowling ball dropping on a person—so how does the leaf survive? New research elucidates the raindrop's impact and the physical dynamics that help the leaf respond, with potential applications for agriculture and renewable-energy harvesting. /news/2024-12-resilience-raindrops-insights-energy-harvesting.html General Âé¶¹ÒùÔºics Soft Matter Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:38:03 EST news654183481 Scientists develop ultrasound-based technique as a tool for directing cell growth and orientation Developing reliable methods to replace dead or damaged tissue is one of the primary goals of regenerative medicine. With steady advances in tissue engineering and biomedicine, scientists are almost at a point where growing cell sheets in the lab and transplanting them onto damaged or diseased organs is becoming a reality rather than fiction. /news/2024-12-scientists-ultrasound-based-technique-tool.html Cell & Microbiology Biotechnology Thu, 05 Dec 2024 09:53:26 EST news652614800 Tellurium nanowires show potential for room-temperature ferroelectricity and data storage A discovery by an international team of scientists has revealed room-temperature ferroelectric and resistive switching behaviors in single-element tellurium (Te) nanowires, paving the way for advancements in ultrahigh-density data storage and neuromorphic computing. /news/2024-11-tellurium-nanowires-potential-room-temperature.html Nanophysics Nanomaterials Fri, 29 Nov 2024 11:51:17 EST news652103473 New method of generating eco-friendly energy uses piezoelectricity Researchers at University of Limerick in Ireland have developed a new method of growing organic crystals that can be used for energy-harvesting applications. /news/2024-11-method-generating-eco-friendly-energy.html Condensed Matter Tue, 19 Nov 2024 15:56:13 EST news651254168 Âé¶¹ÒùÔºicists create the first fully mechanical qubit A team of physicists at ETH Zürich has built the first-ever working mechanical qubit. In their paper published in the journal Science, the group describes their novel idea for creating such a qubit and how well it has worked during testing. /news/2024-11-physicists-fully-mechanical-qubit.html Quantum Âé¶¹ÒùÔºics Fri, 15 Nov 2024 10:10:01 EST news650885412 High-performance inkjet print head enhances bioprinting productivity Bioprinting is a technology used to create three-dimensional structures, such as human tissues or organs, using bio-inks made of cells and hydrogels. However, conventional inkjet technology has difficulty dispensing bio-inks that are sensitive to temperature due to the heat generated during operation. /news/2024-11-high-inkjet-bioprinting-productivity.html Materials Science Tue, 12 Nov 2024 14:00:08 EST news650642401