A pea-sized device used to seal tiny but potentially deadly holes in the hearts of premature infants has been approved by U.S. regulators, making it one of the smallest complex medical devices ever invented and cleared for sale. Abbott Laboratories' Amplatzer Piccolo Occluder is one of the first treatments to become available for a [...]

Scientists have discovered that squamous cell skin cancers do not require increased glucose to power their development and growth, contrary to a long-held belief about cancer metabolism. The findings could bring about a better understanding of many cancers' metabolic needs and lead to the development of more effective therapies for squamous cell skin cancer [...]

Hacking humans with nanotechnology may sound like a concept from a futuristic science fiction novel or movie, but the truth is, it's not that far off and it could be the next big cyberthreat. If you thought data breaches involving your social security number or credit card information were scary, imagine the ramifications [...]

Nanotechnology may well be one of the most talked about industries of the last few years. Predicted to value US$173.95 billion globally by 2025, this fast-moving sector is already delivering major sustainability, health and well-being benefits to society. Nanomaterials, as the name suggests, are very small, less than a millionth of a metre in size. They have unique [...]

The idea that we might create machines more intelligent than ourselves is not new. Myths and folk stories abound with creations such as the bronze automaton Talos, who patrolled the island of Crete in Greek mythology. These stories reflect a deep, atavistic fear that there could be other minds that bear the same relationship [...]

Catalysts are chemical matchmakers: They bring other chemicals close together, increasing the chance that they’ll react with each other and produce something people want, like fuel or fertilizer. Since some of the best catalyst materials are also quite expensive, like the platinum in a car’s catalytic converter, scientists have been looking for ways to [...]

In a first-of-its-kind study, researchers used an ingenious experimental setup and high-energy X-ray beams to observe a high-temperature, high-pressure chemical reaction to establish how the formation of two varied nanoscale crystalline structures in the metal cobalt is controlled. The method enabled continuous analysis of cobalt nanoparticles as they formed from clusters that include tens [...]

These days, movies and video games render increasingly realistic 3-D images on 2-D screens, giving viewers the illusion of gazing into another world. For many physicists, though, keeping things flat is far more interesting. One reason is that flat landscapes can unlock new movement patterns in the quantum world of atoms and electrons. For [...]

When people are in the early stages of an undiagnosed disease, immediate tests that lead to treatment are the best first steps. But a blood draw—usually performed by a medical professional armed with an uncomfortably large needle—might not be quickest, least painful or most effective method, according to new research. Now a technique using [...]

A team of neuroscientists and engineers has developed a tiny, implantable device that has potential to help people with bladder problems bypass the need for medication or electronic stimulators. The team -- from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and the Feinberg School of Medicine at [...]