Articles
A novel micro-valve for use in reliable small-scale thrusters
The changing shapes of liquid droplets on charged solid surfaces have been widely studied for decades – but only recently have physicists begun to explore how this ‘electrowetting’ behaviour can be enhanced through the use of salts in their liquid states. In their research, Professor Weizong Wang and Mr Jinrui Zhang at Beihang University, Beijing, China, have exploited this effect […]
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Mexico’s 1887 Sonora earthquake: Lessons from the aftershocks
In May 1887, a magnitude (Mw) 7.5 earthquake rocked Sonora, Mexico. While the immediate effects impacted local communities, the event has become the world’s longest recorded normal-fault rupture in historic time. Professor Raúl Castro from the Department of Seismology at CICESE, Mexico, used a network of seismic monitoring equipment to uncover evidence that aftershocks from the 1887 event are still […]
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Healing with star power: Using plasma to treat skin wounds
New resistant bacteria strains and viruses are appearing all the time, making the treatment of infections increasingly difficult. Humanity is in dire need of new weapons to fight this worldwide war against emerging pathogens. Dr Eric Robert, Thierry Prazuck, and their teams at GREMI, CNRS/Université d’Orléans, and CHRO, Orléans, France, perform pioneering work using cold plasma to treat bacterial infections. […]
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The collapse of the Polcevera Viaduct – an avoidable tragedy
The dramatic collapse of the Polcevera Viaduct, in the Italian port city of Genoa in 2018, had all the hallmarks of unfortunate tragedy, but to the trained eye it was inevitable. Twenty-five years before the disaster, Professor Janusz Rymsza, a specialist in bridge design and field testing at Poland’s Road and Bridge Research Institute, warned Italian engineers that the design […]
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DNA molecular scissors as new cancer chemotherapeutics
The discovery of efficient new metallodrugs with minimal side effects is urgently needed in cancer medicine. Associate Professor Andrew Kellett and Dr Creina Slator, Dublin City University, Ireland, have employed ‘click chemistry’ to generate new copper DNA molecular scissors with anticancer and gene editing properties. Their molecules have coordinated metal centres and mimic the action of natural products that cause […]
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Sustainable urban mobility: Data-based insights for a future with only seamless public transport
Research being carried out by Professor Avishai (Avi) Ceder from the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology offers a fresh global perspective of the current situation of urban transport. He examines opportunities for us to move towards sustainable urban mobility that could substantially reduce road traffic damages and its global impact. Using data from 19 countries and 17 major cities, Ceder measures […]
When children’s storytelling says so much more
We take for granted that our children tell stories. But what if they can’t? Oral storytelling is a bridge to literacy, yet many children do not develop this skill naturally. Research has shown that narrative skill at school entry predicts writing and reading comprehension up to ten years later. Narrative intervention is a form of language therapy and a classroom […]
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Continuous flow strategies for accelerated materials discovery
Polymerisation reactions play a crucial role in the design and optimisation of new materials for many existing and emerging technologies. The large commercial demand for tailored polymers requires developing innovative synthetic approaches that afford precision, control, and automation, while addressing environmental and workplace safety concerns. Dr Tim Erdmann and colleagues at IBM Research, Almaden Lab (USA), are exploring new synthetic routes […]
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Epidemiology–laboratory interactions for developing resilience against future infectious diseases
Bacteria are one of the leading causes of public health burden associated with food and waterborne diseases. In addition, they have many abilities that allow them to survive decontamination methods, such as biofilm formation. With the rise in antibiotic resistance and climate change also driving bacterial proliferation, new approaches are needed to mitigate the public health burden of infectious diseases. […]
EvoSphere: A system where robots can physically evolve
While the field of robotics has made many exciting advances in recent years, designs of new robots are still generally being conceived by human engineers. Inspired by the evolution of organisms in nature, Professor A E Eiben at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, in The Netherlands, aims to show how robot designs may not need to be constrained in this way. Instead, they could […]
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