New form of carbon discovered that is harder than diamond but flexible as rubber

Scientists have found a way to make carbon both very hard and very stretchy by heating it under high pressure. This 'compressed glassy carbon' is also lightweight and could potentially be made in very large quantities.

Nanostructured microfluidics platform detects infectious pathogens

Researchers report a new zinc oxide nanorods integrated microchip that captures avian influenza virus on immunologically functionalized ZnO nanorod surface and detect viruses by multiplexed sandwich immunoassay.

Bacterial organizational complexities revealed

For the first time, scientists have visualized the fine details of bacterial microcompartment shells - the organisms' submicroscopic nanoreactors, which are comprised completely of protein.

Switchable DNA mini-machines store information

They look like security gates, but change shape in a cascade.

New design improves performance of flexible wearable electronics

In a proof-of-concept study, engineers have designed a flexible thermoelectric energy harvester that has the potential to rival the effectiveness of existing power wearable electronic devices using body heat as the only source of energy.

Quantum thermometer or optical refrigerator?

Versatile optomechanical beams have potential applications in biology, chemistry, electronics.

Exosomes - biological nanoparticles offer significant potential in detecting and treating disease

Exosomes - biological nanoparticles which transfer information between cells - offer significant potential in detecting and treating disease, the most comprehensive overview so far of research in the field has concluded.