Actualités

Biosensors integrated into smartphones, smart watches, and other gadgets are about to become a reality. In a paper featured on the cover of the January issue of Sensors (« Vertically Coupled Plasmonic Racetrack Ring Resonator for Biosensor Applications »), researchers from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology describe a way to increase the sensitivity of biological detectors to the point where they can be used in mobile and wearable devices. The study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation.

Today, nanoparticles are not only in cosmetic products, but everywhere, in the air, in water, in the soil and in food. Because they are so tiny, they easily enter into the cells in our body. This is also of interest for medical applications: Nanoparticles coated with active ingredients could be specifically introduced into cells, for example to destroy cancer cells.

Researchers at the Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) and the University of Duisburg-Essen have developed a new method of depositing catalyst particles to tiny electrodes. It is inexpensive, simple and quick to perform.

Copper has been essential to human technology since its early days–it was even used to make tools and weapons in ancient times. It is widely used even today, especially in electronic devices that require wiring.

Drs. Chaun Jang, Jun Woo Choi, and Hyejin Ryu of the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST, President Lee Byung Gwon) have announced that their team at KIST’s Center for Spintronics successfully controlled the magnetic properties of FGT (Fe3GeTe2).

Scientists have taken a major step toward a circular carbon economy by developing a long-lasting, economical catalyst that recycles greenhouse gases into ingredients that can be used in fuel, hydrogen gas, and other chemicals. The results could be revolutionary in the effort to reverse global warming, according to the researchers.

A new bendable supercapacitor made from graphene, which charges quickly and safely stores a record-high level of energy for use over a long period, has been developed and demonstrated by UCL and Chinese Academy of Sciences researchers.

Finding new semi-conductor materials that emit light is essential for developing a wide range of electronic devices. But making artificial structures that emit light tailored to our specific needs is an even more attractive proposition. However, light emission in a semi-conductor only occurs when certain conditions are met.

In 1900, German physician Paul Ehrlich came up with the notion of a “magic bullet.” The basic idea is to inject a patient with smart particles capable of finding, recognizing, and treating a disease. Medicine has pursued the magic bullet ever since.