Technologies & Strategies That Enable R&D
New insight into early growth of solid thin-films
May 14, 2013 10:07 am | News | CommentsThin films sometimes grow layer by layer, each layer one atom thick, while in other cases atoms deposited onto a surface form 3D islands that grow, impinge, and coalesce into a continuous film. Scientists have traditionally assumed that the islands are homogeneous and coalesce at roughly the same time. In a recent study, researchers have discovered that the process is more dynamic than suggested by the traditional view.
Microgravity nanomedicine experiment may go to Space Station
May 14, 2013 10:00 am | News | CommentsNearly all drugs taken orally spike in concentration, decay quickly, and are only at their peak effectiveness for a short period of time. working on a solution―nanocapsules implanted beneath the skin that release pharmaceutical drugs through a nanochannel membrane and into the body at a sustained, steady rate. To design better nanochannels for a given drug, the team is hoping to use the International Space Station.
Researchers develop synthetic HDL cholesterol nanoparticles
May 14, 2013 9:46 am | News | CommentsA new study by University of Georgia researchers documents a technological breakthrough: Synthetic high density lipoprotein (HDL) nanoparticles. A completely biodegradable synthetic version of the so-called good cholesterol, the nanoparticles represent a potential new detection and therapy regimen for atherosclerosis.
Budget cuts pare real-time monitoring of volcanoes
May 14, 2013 8:09 am | by Rachel D’Oro, Associated Press | News | CommentsWorldwide, hundreds of flights are diverted each year because of volcanic activity. Scientists monitoring Alaska's volcanoes have been forced to shut down stations that provide real-time tracking of eruptions and forgo repairs of seismic equipment amid ongoing federal budget cuts—moves that could mean delays in getting vital information to airline pilots and emergency planners.
GM says supercomputers to keep recalls in check
May 13, 2013 3:31 pm | by TOM KRISHER - AP Auto Writer - Associated Press | News | CommentsGeneral Motors says a new supercomputer data storage center and efforts to write its own software are paying off. The company formally opened a giant data center on Monday in the Detroit suburb of Warren, Mich. The Detroit automaker says the changes are examples of how it's moving faster to cut costs and serve customers better.
Physicists light “magnetic fire” to reveal energy's path
May 13, 2013 3:27 pm | News | CommentsResearch on bursts of energy within magnetic systems dates back two decades. But scientists haven't been able to measure and understand what prompts this phenomenon, known as "magnetic deflagration." New York University physicists have uncovered how energy is released and dispersed in magnetic materials in a process akin to the spread of forest fires.
The mechanism that puts the curl in the curling stone revealed
May 13, 2013 3:10 pm | News | CommentsIn the curling sport, the players shoot their stones along the ice so that they slowly slide towards the target area, almost 30 m away. The game has its name from the slightly curved "curled" path taken by the stone, when released with a slow rotation. Researchers from Uppsala University in Sweden can now reveal the mechanism behind this curving path.
New method of finding planets scores first discovery
May 13, 2013 3:06 pm | News | CommentsDetecting alien worlds presents a significant challenge since they are small, faint, and close to their stars. The two most prolific techniques for finding exoplanets are radial velocity and transits. A team at Tel Aviv University and the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics has just discovered an exoplanet using a new method that relies on Einstein's special theory of relativity.
Carnivorous plant throws out "junk" DNA
May 13, 2013 1:12 pm | News | CommentsGenes make up about 2% of the human genome. The rest consists of a genetic material known as noncoding DNA, and scientists have spent years puzzling over why this material exists in such voluminous quantities. Now, a new study offers an unexpected insight: The large majority of noncoding DNA, which is abundant in many living things, may not actually be needed for complex life.
Graphene joins the race to redefine the ampere
May 13, 2013 10:00 am | News | CommentsA new joint innovation by the National Physical Laboratory and the University of Cambridge could pave the way for redefining the ampere in terms of fundamental constants of physics. The world's first graphene single-electron pump provides the speed of electron flow needed to create a new standard for electrical current based on electron charge.
Team observes real-time charging of a lithium-air battery
May 13, 2013 9:07 am | by David L. Chandler, MIT News Office | News | CommentsOne of the most promising new kinds of battery to power electric cars is called a lithium-air battery. But progress has been slow. Researchers have used transmission electron microscope (TEM) imaging to observe, at a molecular level, what goes on during a reaction called oxygen evolution as lithium-air batteries charge; this reaction is thought to be a bottleneck limiting further improvements to these batteries.
Surgical Microscope
May 13, 2013 8:39 am | Product Releases | CommentsLeica Microsystems and TrueVision 3D Surgical introduced the debut of 3D surgical microscopes. By incorporating the digital smart 3D system inside select models of Leica Microsystems’ surgical microscopes, Leica Microsystems and TrueVision have eliminated the need for a separate 3D cart.
Transparent Thin-Film Metrology System
May 13, 2013 8:35 am | Product Releases | CommentsRudolph Technologies Inc. has introduced the S3000SX thin-film metrology system for transparent films in advanced semiconductor fabrication applications at the 28-nm node and below. This latest addition to the S3000 product family uses Rudolph’s focused beam ellipsometry (FBE) and small site measurement optics (SSMO) to measure the thickness of single-layer and multilayer films on product wafers.
Platinum nanoparticles may keep fruit fresh longer
May 13, 2013 8:16 am | News | CommentsRipening fruit, vegetables, and flowers release ethylene, which works as a plant hormone. Ethylene accelerates ripening, so other unripened fruit also begins to ripen—fruit and vegetables quickly spoil and flowers wilt. researchers in Japan have now introduced a new catalytic system for the fast and complete degradation of ethylene. This could keep the air in warehouses ethylene-free, keeping perishable products fresh longer.
A silky spin on protective armor
May 13, 2013 8:15 am | News | CommentsAt seven times the toughness of Kevlar, a silk produced by the Caerostris darwini spider of Madagascar is more robust than any other material—synthetic or natural. Most spider silks are about two times tougher than Kevlar, and have long been considered an intriguing alternative for bulletproof vests and other protective gear. There’s only one problem: producing spider silk on demand is a tricky task.
