'Nano-raspberries' could bear fruit in fuel cells

Scientists have developed a fast, simple process for making platinum 'nano-raspberries' - microscopic clusters of nanoscale particles of the precious metal. The berry-like shape is significant because it has a high surface area, which is helpful in the design of catalysts.

Physicists develop ultrasensitive nanomechanical biosensor

It can analyze the chemical composition of substances and detect biological objects, such as viral disease markers, which appear when the immune system responds to incurable or hard-to-cure diseases, including HIV, hepatitis, herpes, and many others.

Filming the film: Scientists observe photographic exposure live at the nanoscale

Advanced method opens up new opportunities for investigation of dynamic processes.

Improving energy storage with a cue from nature

Melting materials along a tree-shaped pattern of lines could improve the efficiency of phase change energy storage systems.

Closing in on the phenomenon of superconductivity with a two-dimensional atomic gas

Scientists are using this special gas as a model system to more easily study the largely unknown mechanism of the superfluid phase transition in 2D structures. The researchers hope to gain new insight into the so-called room-temperature superconductor, a hypothetical material that does not require cooling to achieve lossless conduction of electricity.

Ultrasensitive magnetoplasmonic sensors with nano-antennas

Systems allowing label-free molecular-level detection are expected to have enormous impact on biochemical sciences. Research focuses on materials and technologies based on exploiting the coupling of light with electronic charge oscillations, the so-called localized surface plasmon resonances, in metallic nanostructured antennas.

Engineers develop a computer that operates on water droplets (w/video)

Engineers built a synchronous computer that operates using the unique physics of moving water droplets.The work combines expertise in manipulating droplet fluid dynamics with a fundamental element of computer science - an operating clock.

A step towards a Type 1 Diabetes vaccine by using nanotherapy

For the first time liposomes that imitate cells in the process of natural death have been used to treat diabetes.

3D nano-images reveal 'bicycle spoke' structure of heart cells that may hold key heart attack clues

Research provides new information as to why some cells don't work properly following a heart attack.