Entering the strange world of ultra-cold chemistry

A new grant funds the study of the unusual chemical and physical properties of atoms and molecules at ultra-cold temperatures approaching absolute zero.

Artificial material mimics photosynthesis

Researchers have discovered an artificial material that mimics photosynthesis and potentially creates a sustainable energy source.

Nanotweezer is new tool to create advanced plasmonic technologies

A new type of 'nanotweezer' capable of positioning tiny objects quickly and accurately and freezing them in place could enable improved nanoscale sensing methods and aid research to manufacture advanced technologies such as quantum computers and ultra-high-resolution displays.

Researchers show how new hydrogel can facilitate microsurgery

Skillful surgeons can do amazing things in extremely small places, but finding better ways to suture tiny blood vessels has been an ongoing challenge for even the best. In new work, researchers show how a new peptide-based hydrogel could one day make that reconnection process easier to perform and less likely to fail.

Soft matter exhibiting angle-independent structural colors

A pinch of carbon black transforms porous hydrogels to materials exhibiting angle-independent bright structural colors.

Sugar-coated nanoworms for better cancer detection

Nanoparticles could aid diagnosis and treatment of diseases including cancer... if the immune system would leave them alone. A new study shows that inducing crosslinks on nanoparticle surface sugars lets them escape mouse immune system and identifies remaining culprit for human immune recognition of nanoparticles.

Carbon nanotube catalysts for converting CO2 to CO

Converting solar or wind into carbon-based fossil fuels might seem anything but green, but when you start with carbon dioxide - which can be dragged out of the air - it's as green as it gets. The technology that makes it economically feasible isn't available yet, but a recently published paper presents nice step forward in the effort to not just sequester CO2, but turn it into a useful fuel that is part of a carbon-neutral future.