A material that thickens when you pull on it seems to contradict the laws of physics. However, the so-called auxetic effect, which also occurs in nature, is interesting for a number of applications. A new Empa study recently published in Nature Communications ("Random auxetics from buckling fibre networks") shows how this amazing behavior [...]

Each Cyclops had a single eye because, legend has it, the mythical giants traded the other one with the god Hades in return for the ability to see into the future. But Hades tricked them: the only vision the Cyclopes were shown was the day they would die. They carried this knowledge through their [...]

Over 200 molecules have been discovered in space, some (like Buckminsterfullerene) very complex with carbon atoms. Besides being intrinsically interesting, these molecules radiate away heat, helping giant clouds of interstellar material cool and contract to form new stars. Moreover, astronomers use the radiation from these molecules to study the local conditions, for example, as [...]

An international team of scientists, led by the University of Manchester, has developed a metal-organic framework, or MOF, material that provides a selective, fully reversible and repeatable capability to capture a toxic air pollutant, nitrogen dioxide, produced by combusting diesel and other fossil fuels. The material then requires only water and air to convert [...]

This week Jamilee interviews Robin Farmanfarmaian. She is a professional speaker and entrepreneur, author of "The Patient as CEO" and "The Thought Leader Formula". Robin is the CEO and Co-founder of ArO. From Jamilee's podcast site: On today's episode of "In a Click" I talk to Robin Farmanfarmaian about how new technologies can heal [...]

Synthetic protocells can be made to move toward and away from chemical signals, an important step for the development of new drug-delivery systems that could target specific locations in the body. By coating the surface of the protocells with enzymes--proteins that catalyze chemical reactions--a team of researchers at Penn State was able to control [...]

You may not always think about it when you do your laundry or flush the toilet; but whatever you eat, wear or apply on your skin ends up in wastewater and eventually reaches the environment. The use of nanoparticles in consumer products like textiles, foods and personal care products is increasing. What is so [...]

An update from the NanoMedicines Innovation Network (NMIN): On August 21, 2019, the Board of Directors approved NMIN's initial investments of $4.3M in nanomedicines research. Over a two-year period, NMIN will support 20 innovative projects led by Canadian leaders in nanomedicine drug delivery, gene therapy and diagnostics. These projects, hosted at six [...]

Boston University researchers have developed a new, "intelligent" metamaterial – which costs less than ten dollars to build – that could revolutionize magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), making the entire MRI process faster, safer, and more accessible to patients around the world. The technology, which builds on previous metamaterial work by the team, was described [...]

We can directly see the hidden world of atoms thanks to electron microscopes, first developed in the 1930s. Today, electron microscopes, which use beams of electrons to illuminate and magnify a sample, have become even more sophisticated, allowing scientists to take real-world snapshots of materials with a resolution of less than half the diameter [...]