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NYU Abu Dhabi researchers discover new findings on the evolution of galaxies

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Emirati national Aisha Al Yazeedi, a research scientist at the NYU Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) Center for Astro, Particle, and Planetary Physics, has published her first research paper, featuring some key findings on the evolution of galaxies.

Galaxies eventually undergo a phase in which they lose most of their gas, which results in a change into their properties over the course of their evolution. Current models for galaxy evolution suggest this should eventually happen to all galaxies, including our own Milky Way; Al Yazeedi and her team are delving into this process.

Commenting on the findings, Al Yazeedi said: “The evolution of galaxies is directly linked to the activity of their central supermassive blackhole (SMBH). However, the connection between the activity of SMBHs and the ejection of gas from the entire galaxy is poorly understood.

“Observational studies, including our research, are essential to clarify how the central SMBH can influence the evolution of its entire host galaxy and prove key theoretical concepts in the field of astrophysics.” [Read more…] about NYU Abu Dhabi researchers discover new findings on the evolution of galaxies

New technique reduces nicotine levels, harmful compounds simultaneously in tobacco

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North Carolina State University researchers have developed a new technique that can alter plant metabolism. Tested in tobacco plants, the technique showed that it could reduce harmful chemical compounds, including some that are carcinogenic. The findings could be used to improve the health benefits of crops.

“A number of techniques can be used to successfully reduce specific chemical compounds, or alkaloids, in plants such as tobacco, but research has shown that some of these techniques can increase other harmful chemical compounds while reducing the target compound,” said De-Yu Xie, professor of plant and microbial biology at NC State and the corresponding author of a paper describing the research.

“Our technology reduced a number of harmful compounds – including the addictive nicotine, the carcinogenic N-nitrosonornicotine (NNN), and other tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) – simultaneously without detrimental effects to the plant.” [Read more…] about New technique reduces nicotine levels, harmful compounds simultaneously in tobacco

New electronic paper displays brilliant colours

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Imagine sitting out in the sun, reading a digital screen as thin as paper, but seeing the same image quality as if you were indoors. Thanks to research from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, it could soon be a reality.

A new type of reflective screen – sometimes described as ‘electronic paper’ – offers optimal colour display, while using ambient light to keep energy consumption to a minimum.

Traditional digital screens use a backlight to illuminate the text or images displayed upon them. This is fine indoors, but we’ve all experienced the difficulties of viewing such screens in bright sunshine. Reflective screens, however, attempt to use the ambient light, mimicking the way our eyes respond to natural paper. [Read more…] about New electronic paper displays brilliant colours

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    New material to treat wounds can protect against resistant bacteriaResearchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, have developed a new material that prevents infections in wounds – a specially designed hydrogel, that works against all types of bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant ones. The new material offers great hope for combating a growing global problem. The World Health Organization describes antibiotic-resistant…
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  • Smart technology is not making us dumber
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    Smart technology is not making us dumberThere are plenty of negatives associated with smart technology – tech neck, texting and driving, blue light rays – but there is also a positive: the digital age is not making us stupid, says University of Cincinnati social/behavioral expert Anthony Chemero. "Despite the headlines, there is no scientific evidence that…
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Smart technology is not making us dumber

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There are plenty of negatives associated with smart technology – tech neck, texting and driving, blue light rays – but there is also a positive: the digital age is not making us stupid, says University of Cincinnati social/behavioral expert Anthony Chemero.

“Despite the headlines, there is no scientific evidence that shows that smartphones and digital technology harm our biological cognitive abilities,” says the UC professor of philosophy and psychology who recently co-authored a paper stating such in Nature Human Behaviour.

In the paper, Chemero and colleagues at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management expound on the evolution of the digital age, explaining how smart technology supplements thinking, thus helping us to excel. [Read more…] about Smart technology is not making us dumber

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    Your paper notebook could become your next tabletInnovators from Purdue University hope their new technology can help transform paper sheets from a notebook into a music player interface and make food packaging interactive. Purdue engineers developed a simple printing process that renders any paper or cardboard packaging into a keyboard, keypad or other easy-to-use human-machine interfaces. This…
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  • The Earth is flat. Everything else is just fake news. Or is it?
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    The Earth is flat. Everything else is just fake news. Or is it?‘Is Western culture balancing on a tightrope between science and humanities?’ asks Carlos Elias, author of new book Science on the Ropes, which explains why science has been dethroned from its prestigious position in Western culture and replaced by pseudoscientific conjecture and fake news Pseudoscience is on the rise and…
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  • Estonian company Auve Tech launches ‘world’s first’ autonomous hydrogen vehicle
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    Estonian company Auve Tech launches ‘world’s first’ autonomous hydrogen vehicleWhat has been described as “the world’s first autonomous hydrogen vehicle” has now been officially launched. Created by the Estonian enterprise Auve Tech in cooperation with University of Tartu researchers, the vehicle was presented to the public for the first time in Tartu, a city in eastern Estonia. The first…
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  • New electronic paper displays brilliant colours
    32
    New electronic paper displays brilliant coloursImagine sitting out in the sun, reading a digital screen as thin as paper, but seeing the same image quality as if you were indoors. Thanks to research from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, it could soon be a reality. A new type of reflective screen – sometimes described as…
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UMass Amherst food scientists aim to make plant-based protein tastier and healthier

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As meat-eating continues to increase around the world, food scientists are focusing on ways to create healthier, better-tasting and more sustainable plant-based protein products that mimic meat, fish, milk, cheese and eggs.

It’s no simple task, says renowned food scientist David Julian McClements, University of Massachusetts Amherst Distinguished Professor and lead author of a paper in the new Nature journal, Science of Food, that explores the topic.

“With Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods and other products coming on the market, there’s a huge interest in plant-based foods for improved sustainability, health and ethical reasons,” says McClements, a leading expert in food design and nanotechnology, and author of Future Foods: How Modern Science Is Transforming the Way We Eat. [Read more…] about UMass Amherst food scientists aim to make plant-based protein tastier and healthier

Printing a better microgrid

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The future of electronic displays will be thin, flexible and durable. One barrier to this, however, is that one of the most widely used transparent conductors for electronic displays – indium tin oxide (ITO) – doesn’t perform as well on larger areas and can crack and break down with wear.

Indium is also a rare earth mineral, which is relatively scarce, and the process to create ITO requires high energy consumption and expensive equipment.

One emerging alternative is metal “microgrid” conductors. These microgrids can be customized to their application by varying the microgrid width, pitch and thickness, and they can be made with a variety of metals. [Read more…] about Printing a better microgrid

World’s first fiber-optic ultrasonic imaging probe for future nanoscale disease diagnostics

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Scientists at the University of Nottingham have developed an ultrasonic imaging system, which can be deployed on the tip of a hair-thin optical fibre, and will be insertable into the human body to visualise cell abnormalities in 3D.

The new technology produces microscopic and nanoscopic resolution images that will one day help clinicians to examine cells inhabiting hard-to-reach parts of the body, such as the gastrointestinal tract, and offer more effective diagnoses for diseases ranging from gastric cancer to bacterial meningitis.

The high level of performance the technology delivers is currently only possible in state-of-the-art research labs with large, scientific instruments – whereas this compact system has the potential to bring it into clinical settings to improve patient care. [Read more…] about World’s first fiber-optic ultrasonic imaging probe for future nanoscale disease diagnostics

Researchers identify a psychedelic-like drug without the hallucinogenic side effects

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Psychedelic drugs have shown promise for treating neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

However, due to their hallucinatory side effects, some researchers are trying to identify drugs that could offer the benefits of psychedelics without causing hallucinations.

In the journal Cell on April 28, researchers report they have identified one such drug through the development of a genetically encoded fluorescent sensor – called psychLight – that can screen for hallucinogenic potential by indicating when a compound activates the serotonin 2A receptor. [Read more…] about Researchers identify a psychedelic-like drug without the hallucinogenic side effects

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    AI-designed serotonin sensor may help scientists study sleep and mental healthSerotonin is a neurochemical that plays a critical role in the way the brain controls our thoughts and feelings. For example, many antidepressants are designed to alter serotonin signals sent between neurons. In an article in Cell, National Institutes of Health-funded researchers described how they used advanced genetic engineering techniques to…
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Skoltech researchers propose a new data-driven tool to better understand startups

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Skoltech researchers used Google Trends’ Big Data ensuing from human interactions with the Internet to develop a new methodology – a tool and a data source – for analyzing and researching the growth of startups. A paper reporting these important findings was published in technology management journal, Technological Forecasting and Social Change.

Startups and high-growth technology-based ventures they transform into are regarded as the key drivers of economic development, innovation, and job creation on the national and global level.

However, despite their crucial importance for the economy and high interest from researchers and policy-makers, startups display growth patterns that are difficult to analyze. [Read more…] about Skoltech researchers propose a new data-driven tool to better understand startups