Physical Sciences
Bioinspired light-responsive materials for on-demand drug delivery
Polymer-based nanomaterials represent one of the most innovative and promising approaches in modern biomedical applications, including cancer and antibacterial therapy. They offer the ability to control the delivery of specific drugs within the human body. Their practical application, however, faces many challenges, for instance low tumour penetration in cancer or low drug internalisation in the case of antimicrobials. Professor Filippo […]
Understanding the atomic and electronic structure of solid-density liquid carbon
How fast does a solid melt? You might think quite slowly, on a timescale of minutes to hours. However, recent experiments by Dr Emiliano Principi and his team at the FERMI free electron laser show that the melting of carbon by a laser pulse is actually an ultrafast, nonthermal process – taking less than a billionth of a second. By […]
Electron paramagnetic resonance: EPR everywhere
Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measures the signal from unpaired electrons and is a technique already widely used in the bioscience and pharmaceutical industries. Dr Joshua R. Biller of TDA Research, Inc, USA is championing the novel use of EPR to answer research questions. He explains that rapid innovations in EPR will allow a wider group of researchers to image tumours, […]
Highly efficient modelling of electronic structure
Chemistry can be defined as the study of electron motion in the field of nuclei, which obeys the rules of quantum dynamics. The electronic structure of a given system of N electrons is best described by an N-electron wave function built up with one-electron wave functions (orbitals) subject to the antisymmetry principle. The major issue is that the orbitals may […]
Synchronisation in symmetrically and asymmetrically coupled oscillators
Complex networks are systems composed of several components which may interact with each other. Examples range from laser arrays to the human brain, global climate, and digital communication forms. The behaviour of complex systems depends upon the internal dynamics of the individual unit, communication among cells, type of coupling between them, and symmetry. Dr Antonio Palacios from San Diego State […]
Investigating gravity waves and infrasound in the ionosphere
The Earth’s ionosphere provides a crucial barrier between the lower atmosphere and outer space – yet relatively little is known about how the complex dynamics of this layer are influenced by low-frequency atmospheric waves, generated close to Earth’s surface. In his research, Dr Jaroslav Chum at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics in Prague uses advanced observation techniques to investigate the […]
Molecular hopping in solid-like liquids: Understanding the self-diffusion and viscosity of liquid molecules
To fully understand how liquids flow, it is crucial for researchers to build models which can accurately recreate their behaviours on molecular scales – yet since the time of Newton, the complexities involved have presented numerous challenges. In their research, Prof Russ Keanini, Prof Peter Tkacik and Prof Jerry Dahlberg at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, present new ways […]
Monitoring electrolyte stability in lithium-air batteries for electric aircraft
Switching to electric powered transport is one way of reducing CO2 emissions and their negative effects on the climate. Lithium-air batteries could play an important role in this transition, as they have the potential to provide the highest known theoretical energy density (3,400 Wh/kg). Development of lithium-air batteries requires highly stable electrolytes that are resistant to decomposition under operating conditions. […]
Advancing connector technologies for multicore optical fibres
Optical fibres play indispensable roles in modern communication technologies, as well as in remote sensing and power transmission. With the expansion of the domain of application of optical fibre communication to subscriber and customer premises, the focus of new optical fibre-based technologies has been shifting from performance improvement to miniaturisation and cost reduction. Optical connectors are crucial components of optical […]
A rigorous model of electron attachment in lanthanide atoms
Understanding the physical mechanism underlying negative ion formation in low-energy electron collisions with lanthanide atoms is of fundamental importance in physics and chemistry. It also has important implications for a wide range of applications, from catalysis to drug delivery and water purification. Unfortunately, the complexity of the interactions among electrons in lanthanides has for a long time made it virtually […]