Duke University
New method for producing clean hydrogen
May 21, 2013 2:43 pm | News | CommentsDuke University engineers have developed a novel method for producing clean hydrogen, which could prove essential to weaning society off of fossil fuels and their environmental implications. The Duke engineers, using a new catalytic approach, have shown in the laboratory that they can reduce carbon monoxide levels to nearly zero in the presence of hydrogen and the harmless byproducts of carbon dioxide and water.
Groundwater unaffected by shale gas production in Arkansas
May 15, 2013 11:46 am | News | CommentsScientists sampling 127 shallow drinking water wells in areas overlying Fayetteville Shale gas production in north-central Arkansas found no evidence of groundwater contamination. The team of scientists at Duke University and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) analyzed the samples for major and trace elements and hydrocarbons, and used isotopic tracers to identify the sources of possible contaminants.
Engineers build living patch for damaged hearts
May 7, 2013 7:56 am | News | CommentsDuke University biomedical engineers have grown 3D human heart muscle that acts just like natural tissue. This advancement could be important in serving as a platform for testing new heart disease medicines. The “heart patch” grown in the laboratory from human cells overcomes two major obstacles facing cell-based therapies—the patch conducts electricity at about the same speed as natural heart cells and it “squeezes” appropriately.
Do-it-yourself invisibility with 3D printing
May 6, 2013 11:51 am | News | CommentsSeven years ago, Duke University engineers demonstrated the first working invisibility cloak in complex laboratory experiments. Now it appears creating a simple cloak has become a lot simpler through 3D printing. Producing a cloak through this method is inexpensive and easy; and the small one the team made looks like a Frisbee disc made out of Swiss cheese.
Structure of cell signaling molecule suggests general on-off switch
April 22, 2013 8:07 am | News | CommentsA 3D image of a protein that serves as an on-off switch as it binds to receptors on the surface of a cell suggests there may be a sort of main power switch that could be tripped. These surface receptors are responsible for helping cells discern light, set the heart racing, or detect pain. The finding could help in the development of more effective drugs to switch on or off the cell receptors that regulate bodily functions.
Antibody evolution could guide HIV vaccine development
April 6, 2013 3:25 pm | News | CommentsObserving the evolution of a particular type of antibody in an infected HIV-1 patient has provided insights that will enable vaccination strategies that mimic the actual antibody development within the body. Spearheaded by Duke University, the multi-institution study included analysis from Los Alamos National Laboratory and used high-energy X-rays from the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory.
New emissions standards would fuel shift from coal to natural gas
April 5, 2013 12:00 pm | News | CommentsTougher EPA air-quality standards could spur an increased shift away from coal and toward natural gas for electricity generation, according to a new Duke University study. Complying with stricter regulations on sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, nitrogen oxide, and mercury may make nearly two-thirds of the nation's coal-fired power plants as expensive to run as plants powered by natural gas. The regulations would make 65% of U.S. coal plants as expensive as natural gas, even if gas prices rise significantly.
Bioengineers recreate natural complex gene regulation
February 4, 2013 10:21 am | News | CommentsBy reproducing in the laboratory the complex interactions that cause human genes to turn on inside cells, Duke University bioengineers have created a system they believe can benefit gene therapy research and the burgeoning field of synthetic biology. This new approach should help basic scientists as they tease out the effects of "turning on" or "turning off" many different genes, as well as clinicians seeking to develop new gene-based therapies for human disease.
Study: Hydraulic fracturing produces less wastewater per unit of gas
February 1, 2013 7:55 am | News | CommentsHydraulically fractured natural gas wells are producing less wastewater per unit of gas recovered than conventional wells would. But the scale of fracking operations in the Marcellus shale region is so vast that the wastewater it produces threatens to overwhelm the region's wastewater disposal capacity, according to new analysis by researchers at Duke and Kent State universities.
Novel materials shake ship scum
January 31, 2013 9:46 am | News | CommentsJust as horses shake off pesky flies by twitching their skin, ships may soon be able to shed the unwanted accumulation of bacteria and other marine growth with the flick of a switch. Duke University engineers have developed a material that can be applied like paint to the hull of a ship and will literally be able to dislodge bacteria, keeping it from accumulating on the ship's surface.
Controlled graphene crumpling key to artificial muscle
January 23, 2013 3:28 pm | News | CommentsDuke University engineers are layering atom-thick lattices of carbon with polymers to create unique materials with a broad range of applications, including artificial muscles. The lattice, known as graphene, is made of pure carbon and appears under magnification like chicken wire. Because of its unique optical, electrical, and mechanical properties, graphene is used in electronics, energy storage, composite materials, and biomedicine.
Analysis of fracking wastewater yields some surprises
January 22, 2013 10:07 am | News | CommentsHydraulically fractured natural gas wells are producing less wastewater per unit of gas recovered than conventional wells would. But the scale of fracking operations in the Marcellus shale region is so vast that the wastewater it produces threatens to overwhelm the region's wastewater disposal capacity, according to new analysis by researchers at Duke and Kent State universities.
Novel sensor provides bigger picture
January 17, 2013 3:41 pm | News | CommentsDuke University engineers have developed a novel sensor that is more efficient, versatile, and cheaper for potential use in such applications as airport security scanners and collision avoidance systems for aircraft, cars, or maritime vessels.
Molecular levers may make materials better
December 26, 2012 8:02 am | News | CommentsIn a forced game of molecular tug-of-war, some strings of atoms can act like a lever, accelerating reactions 1,000 times faster than other molecules. The discovery suggests that scientists could use these molecular levers to drive chemical and mechanical reactivity among atoms and ultimately engineer more efficient materials.
Grains gang up to bear brunt of major impacts
December 12, 2012 10:38 am | News | CommentsHigh-speed video of projectiles slamming into a bed of disks has given scientists a new microscopic picture of the way a meteorite or missile transfers the energy of its impact to sand and dirt grains. To their surprise, the transition is jerky, not smooth. The finding may change the way scientists model meteorite and missile impacts and their effects.
Silver nanocubes make super light absorbers
December 7, 2012 7:50 am | News | CommentsMicroscopic metallic cubes, developed by Duke University, could unleash the enormous potential of metamaterials to absorb light, leading to more efficient and cost-effective large-area absorbers for sensor applications or energy-harvesting devices.
Making a better invisibility cloak
November 12, 2012 7:53 am | News | CommentsThe first functional "cloaking" device reported by Duke University electrical engineers in 2006 worked like a charm, but it wasn't perfect. Now a member of that laboratory has developed a new design that ties up one of the major loose ends from the original device. These new findings could be important in transforming how light or other waves can be controlled or transmitted.
Droplet response to electric voltage in solids exposed
October 23, 2012 4:09 pm | News | CommentsFor the first time, scientists have observed how droplets within solids deform and burst under high electric voltages. This is important, according to the Duke University engineers who made the observation, because it explains a major reason why such materials as insulation for electrical power lines eventually fail and cause blackouts.
Cancer research yields unexpected way to produce nylon
September 24, 2012 3:50 am | News | CommentsIn their quest for a cancer cure, researchers at the Duke Cancer Institute made a serendipitous discovery: a molecule necessary for cheaper and greener way to produce nylon. The finding arose from an intriguing notion that some of the genetic and chemical changes in cancer tumors might be harnessed for beneficial uses.
Physicists measure photonic interactions at the atomic level
August 31, 2012 3:28 am | News | CommentsBy measuring the unique properties of light on the scale of a single atom, researchers from Duke University and Imperial College London believe that they have characterized the limits of metal's ability in devices that enhance light.
Math ability requires crosstalk in the brain
August 29, 2012 11:38 am | News | CommentsAccording to a recent study that used functional magnetic resonance imaging to measure brain activity, the strength of communication between the left and right hemispheres of the brain predicts performance on basic arithmetic problems. The findings shed light on the neural basis of human math abilities and suggest a possible route to aiding those who suffer from dyscalculia—an inability to understand and manipulate numbers.
Electromagnetic “swamps” don't always bog electrons down
August 1, 2012 11:37 am | by Ashley Yeager | News | CommentsDuke University physicist Gleb Finkelstein and his collaborators were manipulating the environment of tunneling electrons' using electrical leads and carbon nanotubes when they unexpectedly discovered they could create a quantum phase transition and track how electrons travel through energy barriers instead of over them.
HIV immunity study could pave way for vaccine development
July 17, 2012 9:33 am | News | CommentsTwo Los Alamos National Laboratory scientists are among the team recently funded to explore ways to create the precise immune factors needed for effective vaccines against HIV. The Duke University-led consortium will largely concentrate on inducing broadly neutralizing antibodies that can prevent HIV-1 infection, as well as on generating protective T-cell and innate immune system responses.
Animal smarts: What do dolphins and dogs know?
June 25, 2012 9:21 am | by Seth Borenstein, AP Science Writer | News | CommentsDolphins are so distantly related to humans that it's been 95 million years since we had even a remotely common ancestor. Yet when it comes to intelligence, social behavior and communications, some researchers say dolphins come as close to humans as our ape and monkey cousins. Maybe even closer. And they aren’t the only non-primates to show similar brain powers.
Engineers build 50 gigapixel camera
June 20, 2012 10:38 am | News | CommentsBy synchronizing 98 tiny cameras in a single device, electrical engineers from Duke University and the University of Arizona have developed a prototype camera that can create images with unprecedented detail. The camera's resolution is five times better than 20/20 human vision over a 120 degree horizontal field.
