How close are we to a real Star Trek-style medical tricorder? (w/video)

Two teams were recently awarded the Qualcomm Tricorder X Prize for developing handheld devices that can diagnose a range of diseases and check a patient's vital signs without invasive tests - inspired by Star Trek's medical 'tricorder' device.

Researchers send DNA on sequential, and consequential, building mission

A team of scientists has developed a method to create structures whose building blocks are a millionth of a meter in size by encoding DNA with assembly instructions.

Bacteria free themselves with nano-spearguns

Many bacteria are armed with nano-spearguns, which they use to combat unwelcome competitors or knockout host cells.

Piezoelectric nanogenerators for self-powered flexible sensors

Researchers have demonstrated a high performance flexible piezoelectric nanogenerator based on a piezoelectrically enhanced nanocomposite micropillar array of BaTiO3 nanoparticles embedded into a highly crystalline polymer for efficient energy harvesting and highly sensitive self-powered sensing.

A skyrmion square dance

Applying a magnetic field can switch a grid of magnetic vortices between triangular and square arrangements.

Nanostructures explain why jewel scarab beetles look like pure gold

The secrets of why central-American jewel scarab beetles look like they are made from pure gold, has been uncovered by physicists.