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Aalto University


Researchers create entangled quantum magnets with protected quantum excitations

Scientists at Aalto University and Institute of Physics CAS built an artificial quantum material with topological quantum magnetism, featuring a new state of matter. The researchers demonstrated the highest-order topological quantum magnet, which could provide substantial protection against decoherence in quantum technology.

SourceAalto University·JournalNature Nanotechnology·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 29, 2024

Finding love: Study reveals where love lives in the brain

Researchers used fMRI to measure brain activity while subjects imagined six types of love. Love for children and romantic partners activated deep brain reward systems, while nature and pets activated visual areas. The study found consistent brain activation for all interpersonal loves, with differences in intensity.

SourceAalto University·JournalCerebral Cortex·DateAug 26, 2024

Finnish happiness expert seeks to shift governments’ focus from GDP to well-being

Aalto University Professor Frank Martela advocates for a more precise definition of well-being to improve policy decisions. His theory combines life satisfaction and positive feelings, arguing that economic growth can be counterproductive to humanity's future. By targeting cuts in areas with the least well-being, governments can promot...

SourceAalto University·JournalPersonality and Social Psychology Review·DateJul 29, 2024

Getting bacteria into line

Physicists at Aalto University have developed a method to align bacterial cells using magnetic fields. By mixing bacteria into a liquid with millions of magnetic nanoparticles, the researchers can control the alignment of the rod-shaped bacteria in response to magnetic field strength. The findings offer insights into active matter phys...

SourceAalto University·JournalCommunications Physics·DateJul 4, 2024

Scientists harness the wind as a tool to move objects

Researchers at Aalto University have created a method to manipulate objects with wind, allowing for controlled movement in different directions. The technique uses an airflow field to move objects along desired trajectories, with potential applications in robotics and complex processing tasks.

SourceAalto University·JournalAdvanced Intelligent Systems·DateApr 29, 2024

Physicists explain—and eliminate—unknown force dragging against water droplets on superhydrophobic surfaces

Researchers from Aalto University have identified the previously unidentified physics at play when water droplets move on superhydrophobic surfaces. By adapting a novel force measurement technique, they eliminated the drag-like force and proposed a solution to improve the performance of hydrophobic surfaces.

SourceAalto University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 16, 2024

New method of measuring qubits promises ease of scalability in a microscopic package

The Aalto University research group Quantum Computing and Devices has developed a new method of measuring qubits using ultrasensitive thermal detectors. This approach promises to evade the Heisenberg uncertainty principle, allowing for more accurate measurements and potentially enabling higher qubit counts in near-term quantum computers.

SourceAalto University·JournalNature Electronics·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 10, 2024

When a team is less than the sum of its parts: tensions between individual and team wellbeing

A study of 69 people across 12 teams found that prioritizing individual needs over team wellbeing can lead to burnout, while prioritizing team needs at the expense of individual wellbeing increases risk of burnout. Effective communication and reflection are key to striking a balance between individual and team wellbeing.

SourceAalto University·JournalJournal of Organizational Behavior·DateMar 12, 2024

Disinformation can reinforce polarization in society

New research from Aalto University reveals how disinformation and conspiracy theories persist despite external threats, bridging partisan divides only when shared democratic norms are condemned. The study found that social bubbles built on disinformation can be difficult to break, even in the face of dramatic events.

SourceAalto University·JournalEPJ Data Science·TypeContent analysis·DateJan 24, 2024

Making sense of bacterial Babel

The study analyzed 170 known bacterial languages, grouping them into clusters based on molecular structure. Bacteria can understand related languages, but not those with vastly different languages. This understanding will aid in refining treatment approaches and developing biotechnology applications.

SourceAalto University·JournalAngewandte Chemie·DateNov 23, 2023

How could global food production break down?

A new analysis by Aalto University reveals that industrial agriculture is highly sensitive to shocks in agricultural inputs such as synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. The study models the impacts of these shocks on crop yields and food availability globally, identifying high-risk areas for the greatest yield losses.

SourceAalto University·JournalNature Food·DateNov 15, 2023

Online games use dark designs to collect player data

A study by Aalto University reveals that online games employ deceptive data collection practices, often hiding information behind complex legal jargon. Players are often unaware of the risks and may feel compelled to conceal their identities or personal data to maintain privacy.

SourceAalto University·JournalProceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction·DateOct 27, 2023

Transparent wood-based coating doesn’t fog up

A team of scientists at Aalto University has created a bio-based transparent film from lignin nanoparticles, offering an alternative to toxic synthetic materials. The coating can be used on glasses, windshields, and other surfaces, and also displays coloured films with structural colours.

SourceAalto University·JournalChemical Engineering Journal·DateSep 26, 2023

Where do we feel love?

Researchers at Aalto University mapped the physical sensations of different types of love, finding a continuum from weaker to stronger loves. The strongest forms of love were felt most widely throughout the body, while others were more localized.

SourceAalto University·JournalPhilosophical Psychology·DateSep 19, 2023

Going the distance for better wireless charging

A better way to wirelessly charge over long distances has been developed, utilizing the phenomenon of radiation suppression. The research shows high transfer efficiency, over 80 percent, can be achieved at distances approximately five times the size of the antenna.

SourceAalto University·JournalPhysical Review Applied·DateJul 21, 2023

Quantum scientists accurately measure power levels one trillion times lower than usual

Researchers at Aalto University create a new bolometer that can accurately measure microwave power down to the femtowatt level at ultra-low temperatures. This breakthrough device has the potential to significantly advance quantum computing and technology, enabling more precise control over qubits and improving overall performance.

SourceAalto University·JournalReview of Scientific Instruments·DateMay 25, 2023

Can a city store as much carbon as a forest?

A new metric, called the carbon storage (CS) factor, enables urban planners to evaluate how a new development will affect the city's carbon balance. By using the right kind of wooden construction technologies, up to 70% of future construction can preserve lost forest carbon storage capacity.

SourceAalto University·JournalEnvironmental Research Letters·DateMay 9, 2023

It’s not as difficult as you think to shout upwind

A new study reveals that our perception of difficulty in shouting upwind is incorrect. It's not the wind itself that makes it hard, but rather our inability to hear ourselves due to the convective attenuation effect. The study found that sound carries better within the first 100 meters upwind, making it easier for others to hear us.

SourceAalto University·JournalScientific Reports·DateApr 24, 2023

A new treatment for multidrug-resistant bacteria

Researchers at Aalto University developed a drug that undercuts antibiotic resistance by blocking key toxins involved in the infection process. The treatment sequesters toxins and disrupts biofilms, making bacteria more vulnerable to antibiotics. Initial results show promising protection against bacterial infections.

SourceAalto University·JournalNature Communications·DateApr 18, 2023

A new type of photonic time crystal gives light a boost

A new type of photonic time crystal has been developed, showing that these artificial materials can amplify electromagnetic waves. This could lead to more efficient wireless communications and improved lasers., The creation of two-dimensional photonic time crystals makes them easier to fabricate and experiment with.

SourceAalto University·JournalScience Advances·DateApr 5, 2023

Researchers take a step towards turning interactions that normally ruin quantum information into a way of protecting it

Researchers developed a technique to predict how quantum systems behave when connected to their environment, turning a problem into a solution. The approach combines techniques from quantum many-body physics and non-Hermitian quantum physics, providing a crucial tool for real-world applications of quantum technology.

SourceAalto University·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateMar 8, 2023

Shrinking from the heat

Researchers at Aalto University have developed new textiles that change shape when heated, providing adjustable aesthetics and potential applications in health monitoring and thermal insulation. The innovative fabrics use liquid crystalline elastomers, which can respond to heat, light, or other stimuli.

SourceAalto University·JournalAdvanced Materials·DateFeb 21, 2023

Next generation material that adapts to its history

Researchers at Aalto University developed a new material that changes its electrical behavior based on previous experience, effectively giving it adaptive memory. The material responds differently to varying magnetic field strengths, which affects its conductivity and allows for bistability and rudimentary learning-like properties.

SourceAalto University·JournalScience Advances·DateNov 15, 2022