Today's Tech News: Notable or Not?

https://news.uchicago.edu/story/uchicago-scientists-create-material-can-both-move-and-block-heat "rotated each successive layer slightly as they stacked them... creating a material with atoms that are aligned in one direction but not in the other... microscopic wall made of this material was extremely good at preventing heat from moving between compartments... could improve the reliability of electronics and other devices"

https://new.abb.com/news/detail/82941/abb-launches-the-worlds-fastest-electric-car-charger "Only charger designed explicitly to charge up to four vehicles at once... have a small footprint... Available in Europe from the end of 2021, and in the USA, Latin America and Asia Pacific regions in 2022" See also: Introducing the World’s Fastest Electric Vehicle Charger to Date https://www.azocleantech.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=1330

https://www.tue.nl/en/news-and-events/news-overview/30-09-2021-towards-a-power-grid-that-is-resilient-to-short-circuits/ "forming an islanded microgrid after a short circuit, so-called fault-initiated islanding... The researcher concludes that when you deploy such a microgrid during a power outage, the damage is limited because there is no mass outage. You avoid a major blackout, because the grid is divided into small islands"

https://www.cam.ac.uk/research/news/researchers-identify-and-clear-efficiency-hurdle-for-organic-solar-cells "identified a loss pathway...In addition, they identified a way to suppress this pathway by manipulating molecules inside the solar cell to prevent the loss of electrical current through an undesirable state, known as a triplet exciton... ilicon-based solar cell can reach efficiencies as high as 20 to 25%, while organic solar cells... real-world efficiencies of about 10 to 12%... clear strategy to achieve organic solar cells with efficiencies of 20% or more"

https://www.osa.org/en-us/about/newsroom/news_releases/2021/researchers_integrate_optical_devices_made_of_mult/ "new method uses a soft polymer stamp mounted on a robotic motion control stage... could one day allow high-volume manufacturing of chip-based optical systems that would enable more compact optical communications devices and advanced imagers... not limited to optical devices... hope that electronics specialists will also see possibilities for how it could be applied"

https://phys.org/news/2021-09-technique-sub-nm-graphene-nanoribbons-carbon.html "produced.. using a combined high-pressure and thermal treatment... a sizable bandgap and high charge carrier mobility... with atomically smooth closed edges... could have important implications for the development of new electronic and optoelectronic devices" Related: Scientists calculate how carbon nanotubes and their fibers experience fatigue https://techxplore.com/news/2021-12-semiconductors-quantum-world.html Researchers use electron microscope to turn nanotube into tiny transistor https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/12/211223141924.htm Nanotube fibers stand strong -- but for how long? https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/12/211222153152.htm Development of cost-effective and strong composite carbon fiber using carbon nanotubes https://phys.org/news/2023-02-cost-effective-strong-composite-carbon-fiber.html

https://www.newswise.com/doescience/breakthrough-research-makes-battery-recycling-more-economical/?article_id=758110&ta=home "Scientists at the ReCell Center... developed an innovative process for separating the valuable materials that make up the cathode... a recycler must take a mixture of lithium metal oxides — lithium cobalt oxide, lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide... etc. — and separate out each in order for those materials to be reused... negligible impact on the electrochemical performance of the materials... high purity levels (95 percent or above)" Related: Ultrasound can enable faster, more sustainable battery recycling https://techxplore.com/news/2021-10-ultrasound-enable-faster-sustainable-battery.html Sustainable electrochemical process could revolutionize lithium-ion battery recycling https://techxplore.com/news/2021-11-sustainable-electrochemical-revolutionize-lithium-ion-battery.html Used batteries from electric vehicles are put to good use by a new en

https://www.pv-magazine-australia.com/2021/09/21/queensland-uni-seeks-to-verify-tech-claiming-to-improve-hydrogen-fuel-cell-efficiency-by-60/ "patent pending technology will 'effectively double' vehicles’ driving ranges... a novel nano-structured membrane is at the heart of the fuel cell... that is not limited by losses caused by the high overpotentials... interim results from the QUT testing process are expected by the end of the year... undertaking a pre-IPO raise ahead of its goal of launching an IPO and becoming a publicly listed company in 2022"

https://www.mcgill.ca/newsroom/channels/news/unbreakable-glass-inspired-seashells-333730 "Strongest and toughest glass known... times stronger than the normal glass, but also more than five times more fracture resistant... architecture of nacre and replicated it with layers of glass flakes and acrylic... inspired by the inner layer of mollusk shells. Instead of shattering upon impact, the new material has the resiliency of plastic and could be used to improve cell phone screens... among other applications... composite optically transparent... By tuning the refractive index of the acrylic" Related: Molecular mixing creates super stable glass https://phys.org/news/2021-10-molecular-super-stable-glass.html Researchers develop self-healing polymers for cracked cellphone screens https://phys.org/news/2021-10-self-healing-polymers-cellphone-screens.html Researchers create paracrystallized aluminosilicate glass with supreme toughness https://phys.org/news/2023-08-paracrystallized-al

https://news.mit.edu/2021/ferrimagnet-control-magnets-0920 "new way to control magnets. Reversible system can flip the magnetic orientation of particles with a small voltage; could lead to faster data storage and smaller sensors... hydrogen atoms — or more precisely their nuclei, which are single protons — can penetrate deeply into the material, and this alters the balance of the magnetic orientations... If the needed voltage can be reduced and the speed improved... this new method may potentially revolutionize the field"

https://www.skoltech.ru/en/2021/09/new-optical-transistor-to-speed-up-computation-up-to-1-000-times-at-lowest-switching-energy-possible/ "extremely energy-efficient optical switch that could replace electronic transistors in a new generation of computers manipulating photons rather than electrons... requires no cooling... 1 trillion operations per second... at room temperature! That said, there is a long way to go before such proof-of-principle demonstration is utilized in an all-optical co-processor"

https://www.utoronto.ca/news/u-t-researchers-say-unusual-metamaterial-could-double-capacity-wireless-networks "full-duplex nonreciprocity... No magnets or ferrites. Everything is done using printed circuit boards and silicon electronic components such as transistors... incredible potential to address some of the most pressing and major challenges in the wireless communication industry... Within the next three to five years this technology will be adopted... proof of concept was recently transferred to the Montreal-based startup   LATYS Intelligence Inc "

https://ece.engin.umich.edu/stories/solar-cells-with-30-year-lifetimes-for-power-generating-windows "team has already increased the transparency of the module to 40%. They believe they can approach 60% transparency... They’re also working on bumping up the efficiency from the 10% achieved in the reported semitransparent modules, closer to the 15% believed to be possible at high transparency. Because the materials can be prepared as liquids, the manufacturing costs are expected to be relatively low" Related: Scientists create a nearly invisible solar cell with up to 79% transparency https://interestingengineering.com/scientists-create-a-nearly-invisible-solar-cell-with-up-to-79-transparency Toward manufacturing semitransparent solar cells the size of windows https://techxplore.com/news/2022-07-semitransparent-solar-cells-size-windows.html Researchers fabricate highly transparent solar cell with 2D atomic sheet https://techxplore.com/news/2022-07-fabricate-highly-transparent-so

https://www.uni-wuerzburg.de/en/news-and-events/news/detail/news/erster-topologischer-laser-aus-vertikalen-resonatoren/ "Cell phones, car sensors or data transmission in fiber optic networks are all using so called Vertical-Cavity Surface-Emitting Lasers (VCSELs)... device has miniscule size of only a few microns, which sets a stringent limit on the output power it can generate... current breakthrough... employs a unique geometrical arrangement of VCSELs on the chip that forces the flight to flow in a specific path – a photonic topological insulator platform."

https://news.fit.edu/academics-research/from-septic-to-sustainable-a-potential-new-source-of-fertilizer/ "converting human waste from home septic systems into phosphorus-rich fertilizer... could reduce the cost of pumping out septage by as much as 25 percent... high temperature, high-pressure process called hydrothermal carbonization (HTC)... a thermochemical conversion technique that can transform wet biomass into energy and chemicals without pre-drying... a mobile unit that can pick up the waste, convert it to fertilizer and then move on to the next house" Related: CSU researchers launch $1.9 million project for water treatment and reuse using biochar https://agsci.source.colostate.edu/csu-researchers-launch-1-9-million-project-for-water-treatment-and-reuse-using-biochar/ How plants are inspiring new ways to extract value from wastewater https://phys.org/news/2023-01-ways-wastewater.html SHARC extracts heat from wastewater https://www.waste360.com/wastewater/sharc-unleashes

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/lyten-introduces-next-generation-lithium-sulfur-battery-for-electric-vehicles-301383071.html "exits from stealth mode today, has worked closely with the U.S. Government for several years to test and improve LytCell™ capabilities in select defense-related applications and is now ready to introduce its battery technology platform to the electric vehicle market... gravimetric energy density of 900 Wh/kg... greater than 1,400 cycles... Below internal combustion engine (ICE) cost parity" See also:  Lithium Sulfur, Lithium Carbon — Batteries Have Come A Long Way, Baby https://cleantechnica.com/2021/09/23/lithium-sulfur-lithium-carbon-batteries-have-come-a-long-way-baby/

https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2021/09/25/2003764975 "expression of protein disulfide isomerase family A member 4 (PDIA4) is linked to diabetes...  published in this month’s issue of EMBO Molecular Medicine, an open-source, peer-reviewed scientific journal... could be the key in the search for a cure for diabetes... potential to become the first-ever therapeutic treatment for diabetes, should it pass clinical trials" See also: Taiwan scientists find inhibitor that reversed diabetes in mice https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3g1UqYN6shY Related: Non-invasive blood glucose monitor uses laser beam https://www.diamontech.de/home Gene editing can turn storage fat cells into energy-burning fat cells https://medicalxpress.com/news/2021-10-gene-storage-fat-cells-energy-burning.html Penn State researchers develop first-of-its-kind wearable, noninvasive glucose monitoring device prototype https://news.psu.edu/story/672231/2021/10/14/research/monitoring-glucose-levels-n

https://www.isglobal.org/en/-/el-impacto-ambiental-del-agua-embotellada-es-hasta-3-500-veces-mayor-que-el-del-agua-del-grifo • Environmental impact of bottled water 1400–3500 higher than tap water • Local health burden of tap water consumption equivalent to 2 h of life lost • Filtered water considerably reduced health and environmental impacts

https://www.mtu.edu/news/2021/09/3d-nanoinks-push-industry-boundaries.html "research seeks to loosen the bottleneck by exploring the relationship between 3D-printing process parameters and nanomaterial morphology in nanocomposite printing inks... uses carbon nanotubes (CNTs)—known for their high tensile strength and lightness. This revolutionary ink could replace epoxies... junction of material type and morphology—size, shape, structure—in polymer nanocomposite inks is the ultimate in form meeting function... 

https://techxplore.com/news/2021-09-dendritic-network-implementable-artificial-neurofiber-transistors.html "an original technology that can be used to create large-scale... and highly reliable artificial neural networks similar to that of the brain. Our artificial neurofiber device is flexible and may be used in AI-enabled wearable electronics made of semiconductor materials or in robotics"

https://dailyalts.com/breakthrough-energy-ventures-leads-53m-round-in-robotic-agtech-iron-ox/ "applying technology to minimize the amount of land, water, and energy needed to nourish a growing population... Use 90% less water than field farms... Use 75% less energy than vertical farms... Travel 10X less distance than non-local farms... Use 30X less land than field farms" Related: New LED strategies could make vertical farming more productive, less costly https://phys.org/news/2023-02-strategies-vertical-farming-productive.html Team develops a system of robots that use teamwork to pick fruit and transport it autonomously https://techxplore.com/news/2023-03-team-robots-teamwork-fruit-autonomously.html A sowing, pruning, and harvesting robot for Synecoculture farming https://phys.org/news/2023-03-pruning-harvesting-robot-synecoculture-farming.html Harnessing sensors, smart devices, and AI could transform agriculture https://phys.org/news/2024-01-harnessing-sensors-smart-devices-

https://www.mahle-powertrain.com/en/news-and-press/press-releases/mahle-powertrain-and-allotrope-energy-unveil-breakthrough-battery-technology-85632 "lithium-carbon pack... recharged at 20 kW in just 90 seconds... challenge came in designing electrical architecture capable of absorbing such high rates of charge... uses its own built-in capacitor-based energy store to deliver ultra-fast charging up to 20 kW by augmenting the power from a typical 7 kW single phase connection, reducing cost and complexity while eliminating the need for expensive power grid connection upgrades" See also: Lithium Sulfur, Lithium Carbon — Batteries Have Come A Long Way, Baby https://cleantechnica.com/2021/09/23/lithium-sulfur-lithium-carbon-batteries-have-come-a-long-way-baby/ Related: On-surface synthesis of carbyne: An sp-hybridized linear carbon allotrope https://phys.org/news/2024-04-surface-synthesis-carbyne-sp-hybridized.html

https://interestingengineering.com/a-123000-mph-nuclear-rocket-could-reach-mars-in-only-one-month Plasma is superheated. Strong magnetic fields then channel the hot gas out of the back of the engine... 197,950 km/h. top speed. Conventional rockets expend their entire fuel supply in a single controlled explosion during launch. By contrast, this sustains propulsion throughout journey. Accelerates gradually until reaches max speed of 54 km/s by twenty-third day, 4X faster than existing chemical rockets. Delicate course changes are easy since plasma engine can activate whenever.

https://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/pressrelease/meng_science_2021 "demonstrated a laboratory scale full cell that delivers 500 charge and discharge cycles with 80% capacity retention at room temperature... silicon anode... allowing much faster charge rates... while maintaining high energy densities... eliminated the carbon and the binders that went with all-silicon anodes... used micro-silicon, which is less processed and less expensive than nano-silicon... sulfide-based solid electrolyte... is extremely stable in batteries with all-silicon anodes" Related: Silicon Anodes Muscle in on Battery Technology https://www.pnnl.gov/news-media/silicon-anodes-muscle-battery-technology  "It swells so much that the anode flakes and cracks, causing the battery to lose its ability to hold a charge and ultimately to fail... scientists have witnessed the process for the first time... empty spaces in the silicon anode merge to form voids or gaps. These gaps translate to battery failure... This wo

https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210922005978/en/Lilac-Solutions-Announces-150-Million-Series-B-to-Scale-Lithium-Supply-for-the-Electric-Vehicle-Era "patented ion exchange technology that facilitates production of lithium from brine resources with high efficiency, minimal cost, and ultra-low environmental footprint... product is 10,000x faster than the competition... means much more affordable electric cars... allows brine to be returned back underground following lithium recovery... recently completed its first field pilot" Related: 99.9% Purity of Battery-Grade Lithium Hydroxide From Wastewater https://www.saltworkstech.com/news/99-battery-grade-lithium-hydroxide/ Drilling for ‘white gold’ is happening right now at the Salton Sea https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2021-11-15/drilling-for-white-gold-is-happening-right-now-at-the-salton-sea U.S. Looks to Extract Lithium for Batteries from Geothermal Waste https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/u-s-looks-to-ext

https://news.osu.edu/a-new-way-to-solve-the-hardest-of-the-hard-computer-problems/ "Artificial neural networks - the heart of reservoir computing - have been greatly simplified... In one relatively simple simulation done on a desktop computer, the new system was 33 to 163 times faster than the current model... But when the aim was for great accuracy in the forecast... was about 1 million times faster... achieved the same accuracy with the equivalent of just 28 neurons, compared to the 4,000 needed by the current-generation model"

https://www.pnnl.gov/news-media/avoiding-energy-cold-crunch-more-efficient-cooling "In 2019, 8.5% of U.S. electricity consumption was from air conditioners... High-performance air conditioners could cut the energy demand for cooling in half... study... was selected as a HOT article and in the top 10% of publications in Angewandte Chemie... Some of the world’s big discoveries were made by accident, such as nylon, the invention of microwaves, or even shatterproof glass... More efficient cooling… by accident" Related: Greener Air-Conditioning for a Warmer World https://www.pnnl.gov/news-media/greener-air-conditioning-warmer-world Cool Story: Israelis Invent Electricity-Free Air Conditioner https://unitedwithisrael.org/cool-story-israelis-invent-electricity-free-air-conditioner/ Propane — a solution for more sustainable air conditioning https://iiasa.ac.at/news/aug-2022/propane-solution-for-more-sustainable-air-conditioning See also: Could Propane Be the Secret to Greener Air Con

http://www.fleet.org.au/blog/electrons-on-the-edge-the-story-of-an-intrinsic-magnetic-topological-insulator/ "intrinsic magnetic topological insulator MNBI2TE4 has been discovered with a large band gap, making it a promising material platform for fabricating ultra-low-energy electronics and observing exotic topological phenomena... potential in a number of classical computing applications, such as in lossless transport and ultra-low energy devices... could be coupled with a superconductor to give rise to chiral Majorana edge states, which are important for topological quantum computing"

https://resou.osaka-u.ac.jp/en/research/2021/20210916_3 "We generated ultrasonic waves in the megahertz range to uncover small defects that are frequently difficult to image... can even detect defects that are only 500 micrometers... By further optimizing the defect detection system, one could detect damage to a 3D-printed part as fabrication proceeds, and thus repair it in real time with the same ease as is done in machining. In so doing, the Osaka University researchers are enhancing the practicality of 3D printing for building intricate devices on a commercial scale"

https://www.chalmers.se/en/departments/mc2/news/Pages/Compact-amplifier-could-revolutionise-optic-communication.aspx "world's first optical amplifier that significantly enhances the range, sensitivity and performance of optical communication, that does not generate any excess noise—and is also compact enough to be of practical use... level of performance high enough that they can be placed more sparingly, making them a more cost-effective option... not only in communication, but in areas including quantum computers, various sensor systems and in metrology" Related: Trial of high-speed broadband delivered through water pipes https://techxplore.com/news/2022-04-trial-high-speed-broadband-pipes.html

https://www.colorado.edu/today/2021/09/20/cool-it-nano-scale-discovery-could-help-prevent-overheating-electronics "when they placed the heat sources close together, the vibrations of energy they produced began to bounce off each other, scattering heat away and cooling the bars down" Related: New system designs nanomaterials that conduct heat in specific ways https://phys.org/news/2022-10-nanomaterials-specific-ways.html 3D nanocomposites boost heat dissipation in electronics https://phys.org/news/2022-10-3d-nanocomposites-boost-dissipation-electronics.html CoolIT: Direct liquid cooling https://www.coolitsystems.com/technology/ NTT leads the way for green technologies in data centers with first deployment of Liquid Immersion Cooling (LIC) and Direct Contact Liquid Cooling (DCLC) technologies in India https://services.global.ntt/en-gb/newsroom/ntt-leads-the-way-for-green-technologies-in-data-centers Scientists develop solid-state electrochemical thermal transistor https://techx

https://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/releases/2021/Q3/purdue-technology-for-downscaling-transistors-could-advance-semiconductor-design.html "CasFET, or cascade field effect transistor, technology. It introduces a new switching method to transistors, one that is like the effects observed in quantum cascade lasers... transistors that are smaller, use less power and switch from on to off at smaller applied voltages... CasFET does not require band-to-band tunneling"

https://discovery.kaust.edu.sa/en/article/1174/strong-sunlight-powers-passive-cooling-device "powerful cooling effect that occurs when certain salts are dissolved in water. After each cooling cycle, the system uses solar energy to evaporate the water and regenerate the salt, ready for reuse... After comparing a range of salts, ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) proved to be the standout performer... NH4NO3's solubility reached 208 grams per 100 grams of water... it is very cheap... The system... has no electrical components" Related: Passive cooling system could benefit off-grid locations https://techxplore.com/news/2022-09-passive-cooling-benefit-off-grid.html Self-cooling tent runs using just water and sunshine https://techxplore.com/news/2023-01-self-cooling-tent-sunshine.html MIT fusion of two existing passive cooling technologies augmented with thermal insulation enhances cooling efficiency https://www.spikeswipe.com/post/a-leap-towards-sustainable-cooling-mit-s-trailblazing-

https://theconversation.com/nuclear-power-why-molten-salt-reactors-are-problematic-and-canada-investing-in-them-is-a-waste-167019? "unlikely to be successfully deployed anytime soon... Because of the different kinds of fuel used, these MSR designs need special facilities — not present in Canada currently — to fabricate their fuel...  Both processes are intimately linked to the potential to make fissile materials used in nuclear weapons... the 1954 Aircraft Reactor Experiment... ran for just 100 hours... Molten Salt Reactor Experiment... reactor had to be shut down at least once every four out of five weeks" Related: Terrestrial Energy launches 390-MW molten salt nuclear reactor design https://www.powermag.com/terrestrial-energy-launches-390-mw-molten-salt-nuclear-reactor-design/#.YVY4WFC_HRg.twitter Major breakthrough in molten salt reactor tech for maritime use https://www.offshore-energy.biz/major-breakthrough-in-molten-salt-reactor-tech-for-maritime-use/  see also: Unlocki

https://www.ucf.edu/news/ucf-researchers-develop-new-nanomaterial-to-derive-fuel-from-the-sea/ "thin-film material with nanostructures on the surface made of nickel selenide with added, or “doped,” iron and phosphor... researchers achieved high efficiency and long-term stability for more than 200 hours. The seawater electrolysis performance achieved by the dual-doped film far surpasses those of the most recently reported, state-of-the-art electrolysis catalysts and meets the demanding requirements needed for practical application in the industries"

https://www.exeger.com/news/swedish-solar-technology-innovators-henrik-lindstrom-and-giovanni-fili-receive-european-inventor-award-2021-in-the-smes-category/   "thin, flexible dye-sensitised solar cell that harvests electricity extremely efficiently and can be custom-printed in almost any texture, shape or colour... electrode is located directly behind the light absorbing layer. This means that more light reaches the cell, and more electrical current is generated... screen printing was chosen as the ideal manufacturing method... European Patent Office (EPO) honours Swedish inventors" Related: Re-awakening the world's first solar cells for indoor photovoltaics applications https://techxplore.com/news/2022-12-re-awakening-world-solar-cells-indoor.html Developing 'indoor solar' to power the Internet of Things https://techxplore.com/news/2023-11-indoor-solar-power-internet.html

https://www.intelligentliving.co/amp/future-fusion-radiationless-hydrogen-boron/ A large empty metal sphere with a hydrogen-boron pellet at the center. Laser 1 sends a pulse to turn the pellet into a plasma. This pulse also creates a magnetic containment field for the plasma. Laser 2 then sends a pulse to trigger an “avalanche” fusion chain reaction. Almost no neutrons emitted and temperatures far lower than other approaches (no steam turbines). High speed alpha particles emerge in a tight beam and pass through coils of wire, moving electrons and producing electricity. Update:  HB11 Energy raised $A 4.6M in an over-subscribed pre-seed financing round https://hb11.energy/2021/02/19/fusion-energy-start-up-hb11-energy-launched-to-accelerate-german-australian-physicist-heinrich-horas-vision-of-clean-safe-and-abundant-fusion-energy/ Related: LPPFusion https://lppfusion.com/ HB11: the Australian start-up pursuing a new form of fusion https://www.power-technology.com/features/hb11-the-austral

https://interestingengineering.com/gene-silencing-injection-approved-for-use-in-humans "cutting cholesterol with nothing but shots... injected twice yearly, primarily for patients suffering from a genetic condition linked to high cholesterol, people who've had a stroke or heart attack, or those who have negative or underwhelming reactions to cholesterol-reducing drugs, like statins"

https://www.digitaljournal.com/tech-science/dramatically-more-powerful-worlds-first-battery-electric-freight-train-unveiled/article A mining company ordered the 7 Mw model, a fully electric locomotive that will contribute 11% of the energy to a hybrid diesel-electric arrangement of rail cars. Specs: 18,000 lithium-ion cells, 2.4 Mw battery pack, 3200+ Kw engine, computer driven regenerative braking to optimize trip efficiency (perhaps the diesel locomotive car in the hybrid arrangement also has regenerative braking and contributes electricity to the electric locomotive car's battery).

https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/230093/unlimited-digital-sensing-unleashed-imaging-audio/ "Method allows the ADC sensor to process a much wider range of info than previously possible. Captures signals whose amplitudes far exceed the sensors voltage limits. By taking a modulo of the signal, we keep the voltage within the limit and reconstruct the full signal, even without knowing how many times the voltage has exceeded the limit. This can unlock a high dynamic range for any sensor which could, for example, allow cameras to see what humans cannot." (see 15 second video)

https://news.ucr.edu/articles/2021/09/17/chemical-discovery-gets-reluctant-seeds-sprout "Plants have the ability to perceive drought. When they do, they emit a hormone that helps them hold on to water. This same hormone, ABA, sends a message to seeds that it isn't a good time to germinate. This leads to lower crop yields and less food in places where it's hot. If you block ABA, you mess with the chemical pathway that plants use to prevent seed germination, Our new chemical, Antabactin, does exactly this. If we apply it, we have shown that dormant seeds will sprout." Related:  Rice breeding breakthrough could feed billions https://phys.org/news/2023-01-rice-breakthrough-billions.html Novel strategy for engineering root nodule symbiosis into important crops for more sustainable agri-food systems https://phys.org/news/2023-01-strategy-root-nodule-symbiosis-important.html Scientists discover plant hormone that boosts growth by 30% https://phys.org/news/2023-12-scientists-

https://www6.slac.stanford.edu/news/2021-09-15-simple-way-get-complex-semiconductors-assemble-themselves.aspx "barbell-shaped molecules that direct the action. Each end of a barbell carries a template for growing one type of layer. As the layers crystallize – a process similar to making rock candy -- the barbells automatically link them together in the proper order... 2D perovskites precisely layered with other 2D materials to produce crystals with a wide range of electronic properties"

https://www.osa.org/us/about_osa/newsroom/news_releases/2021/new_technology_makes_it_possible_to_see_clearly_th/ "combined a traditional polarized imaging setup with a new algorithm that automatically finds the optimal parameters to suppress the scattering light... can be used without any prior knowledge of the imaging area and for images with or without background regions... useful for searching for drowning victims, documenting submerged archaeological artifacts and monitoring underwater farms... might be extendable to imaging through... fog, haze and smoke"

https://techxplore.com/news/2021-09-energy-efficient-2d-semiconductor-devices.html "a recently discovered family of 2D semiconductors, namely MoSi2N4 and WSi2N4, form Ohmic contacts with the metals titanium, scandium and nickel, which are widely used in the semiconductor device industry... helps put 2D semiconductors in the running as replacements for silicon-based technology, with major players like TSMC and Samsung already expressing interest in 2D semiconductor electronics"

https://www.inu.ac.kr/user/boardList.do?command=view&page=1&boardId=555310&boardSeq=646048&id=inueng_050700000000 "What makes the designed chip extraordinary is a motor-operated valve system that can be operated using a PC or smartphone. The chip and software set-up together form a microfluidic processing unit (MPU). Thanks to the valve system, the MPU could perform a series of reactions to execute a combination of logic operations in a rapid and convenient manner"

https://interestingengineering.com/finding-liquid-light-at-room-temperature "superfluidity can also occur at room temperature, under ambient conditions, using light-matter particles called polaritons... the photons interact with electron-hole pairs, called excitons, in a semiconductor. These excitons impose a dipole moment, which is combined with the dipole of the EM field, and couples strongly the excitons and the photons. The final result is a polariton, considered a quasiparticle, composed of half-light and half matter. It behaves as a Bose-Einstein condensate [BEC]" Related: New method to measure spin waves brings us one step closer to spin superfluidity https://www.seas.harvard.edu/news/2021/12/surfing-spin-wave From supersolid to microemulsion: Exploring spin-orbit coupled Bose-Einstein condensates https://phys.org/news/2023-11-supersolid-microemulsion-exploring-spin-orbit-coupled.html

https://www.empa.ch/web/s604/eq72-cellulose "The phosphine oxide networks, thus formed, does not wash out: After 50 launderings, 95 percent of the flame retardant network is still present in the fabric... the researchers also incorporated in situ generated silver nanoparticles inside the fabric... provide the fiber with antimicrobial properties and survive 50 laundry cycles, too"

https://news.asu.edu/20210914-study-explores-unique-material-tunable-properties "chromium oxide... its electrical properties can morph between high-conductance metallic behavior and low-conductance insulating behavior, depending on its electron configuration... which allow their conductance to be fine-tuned... we can make new devices out of very small amounts of material... In addition... chromium oxide-based spintronics may help pave the way for quantum computing"

https://engineering.cmu.edu/news-events/news/2021/09/01-powering-sea-to-space.html "strain annealing soft magnetic amorphous ribbons under tension and then reannealing can lead to as much as a 50% magnetic loss reduction in their newly patented Iron-Nickel-based MANCs [metal amorphous nanocomposite]... will be able to process their alloys on a commercial scale at their Pittsburgh-based startup, CorePower Magnetics to bring their high-performance power electronic components to market"

https://news.uga.edu/scientists-find-eco-friendly-way-to-dye-blue-jeans/ "mixes indigo particles with the nanofibers and then deposits them on the surface of the textile, essentially “gluing” the color in place... reduces water usage and eliminates the toxic chemicals... streamlines the process and secures more color than traditional methods... keeping around the same levels of thickness, weight gain and flexibility in the fabric... saves workers time and energy by eliminating the need for multiple dips and oxidation time between each dip" Related: New dyeing method could help jeans shrink toxic problem https://phys.org/news/2024-02-dyeing-method-jeans-toxic-problem.html

https://www.monash.edu/discovery-institute/news-and-events/news/2021-articles/monash-university-researchers-unlock-the-key-that-could-lead-to-the-development-of-non-opioid-painkillers-to-treat-chronic-pain "can provide much more selective targeting of the A1 receptor by binding to a different region of the protein than traditional, previously investigated, activators... minimal unwanted effects... increase their level of effectiveness as the pain signals in the spinal cord get stronger" Related: Long-lasting pain relief without opioids: UB researchers develop a novel, local treatment for chronic pain http://www.buffalo.edu/news/releases/2021/10/001.html  "Even under conditions that promote hyperactivity in pain neurons, the researchers found they could significantly reduce this hyperactivity — and therefore pain perception — when they prevented endocytosis with their novel peptide molecule. By inhibiting endocytosis, we are able to prevent pain-sensing neurons from relay

https://www.csail.mit.edu/news/who-can-bend-light-cheaper-internet "Using large-scale simulations and a testbed, ARROW could carry 2x-2.4x more traffic without having to deploy new fibers, while maintaining the network highly reliable... the team has been collaborating with Facebook and hopes to work with other large-scale content service providers"

https://www.wired.com/story/energy-vault-gravity-storage/ "A fully-sized version of the tower might contain 7,000 bricks and provide enough electricity to power several thousand homes for eight hours... Every facility will require the construction of a new building, brick press that can churn out a new block every 15 minutes... It’s waste product. We can build these brick machines in four months, we can build 25 to 50 of them,” says Piconi" Related: Korea Zinc backs storage developer Energy Vault in green push https://www.reuters.com/article/korea-zinc-renewables-energy-vault/korea-zinc-backs-storage-developer-energy-vault-in-green-push-idUSL4N2TK0SY?utm_source=reddit.com 'Ocean battery' targets renewable energy dilemma https://techxplore.com/news/2022-01-ocean-battery-renewable-energy-dilemma.html The world’s first "Infinity Train" can recharge itself. With gravity? https://interestingengineering.com/infinity-train-recharge-gravity Turning abandoned mines i

https://phys.org/news/2021-09-extremely-strong-nano-twinned-pure-nickel.html "The material recorded an unprecedented strength of 4.0 GPa at extremely fine twin thickness, 12 times stronger than that of conventional coarse-grained Nickel"

https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/A-150-Year-Old-Idea-Could-Lead-To-A-Breakthrough-In-Space-Travel.html See also: What Is the Mach Effect Gravity Assist or Mega Drive? https://owlcation.com/stem/What-is-the-Mass-Effect-Gravity-Assist-or-MEGA-Drive "Woodward and Fearn have sent their design to 4 different labs which have tested the drive and confirm that there is something happening here. NASA has even contributed 2 grants to further study the drive. Results show that the mass is changing in conjunction with the piezoelectric activity, and so the thrust generated, while small, is present. Very, very promising" Related: Dynamic soaring as a means to exceed the solar wind speed https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frspt.2022.1017442/full

https://news.mit.edu/2021/grand-decoding-data-0909 "New chip eliminates the need for specific decoding hardware, could boost efficiency of gaming systems, 5G networks, the internet of things, and more"

https://www.pv-magazine-australia.com/2021/09/10/australian-start-up-sets-25-54-efficiency-record-for-silicon-cell/ "Copper doesn’t have the same highly conductive properties as silver and does not adhere well to the surface of the solar cell but Sydney-based solar technology start-up SunDrive... has found a solution... aim is to produce the cells locally, optimistic that they can compete with large solar manufacturers in Asia" Related: Perovskite solar cells with atomically coherent interlayers on SnO₂ electrodes https://techxplore.com/news/2021-10-perovskite-solar-cells-atomically-coherent.html "new efficiency record for a perovskite solar cell (PSC) at 25.8%" “Huge moment:” Australia’s Sundrive claims new solar cell efficiency milestone https://reneweconomy.com.au/huge-moment-australias-sundrive-claims-new-solar-cell-efficiency-milestone/ Out with the silver, in with the copper: A new boost for solar cell production https://techxplore.com/news/2022-09-silver-copp

https://www6.slac.stanford.edu/news/2021-09-09-after-20-years-trying-scientists-succeed-doping-1d-chain-cuprates.aspx "The inability to controllably dope one-dimensional cuprate systems has been a significant barrier to understanding these materials for more than two decades... Now that we’ve done it... our experiments show that our current model misses a very important phenomenon that’s present in the real material... an ultrastrong attraction between electrons that may help cuprate superconductors carry electrical current with no loss at relatively high temperatures" Related: Magnetism helps electrons vanish in high-temp superconductors https://phys.org/news/2022-03-magnetism-electrons-high-temp-superconductors.html

https://techxplore.com/news/2022-07-strategy-stabilize-water-splitting-photoelectrodes-solar-to-hydrogen.html "Initial tests carried out by the researchers yielded very promising results, suggesting that their protective hydrogen could prevent the degradation and corrosion of Sb2Se3-based photodetectors for water-splitting applications. Tan and his colleagues also showed that their hydrogel protector is compatible with electrolytes that have a broad range of pH values, while always using a SnS photocathode and a BiVO4 photoanode with a lifetime of ~500 hours" Related: Game-changer for clean hydrogen production, Curtin research finds https://news.curtin.edu.au/media-releases/gamechanger-for-clean-hydrogen-production-curtin-research-finds New catalyst improves waste water conversion to clean energy https://www.adelaide.edu.au/newsroom/news/list/2021/09/20/new-catalyst-improves-waste-water-conversion-to-clean-energy Hydrogen-Breakthrough Company Rite Angle Partners With Ron Harb