A CalTech research team has developed a noninvasive device that uses sound waves and ultrasound to measure true blood pressure continuously, providing full waveform data without the need for invasive procedures. The device holds promise for improved vital-sign monitoring at home, in hospitals, and in remote locations.
Researchers have developed a new method to measure soil moisture in the vadose zone using seismic technology that detects vibrations from traffic noise. The technique, called distributed acoustic sensing, can provide real-time information on soil water content, crucial for managing water use and conservation efforts.
Researchers have developed a metasurface that can reflect light at multiple frequencies, enabling faster wireless communication channels. The device operates in reflection mode at optical frequencies, offering thousands of times more bandwidth than current Wi-Fi.
Astronomers have observed the decoupling of dark and normal matter velocities in a massive galaxy cluster collision. The dark matter accelerated ahead of normal matter due to gravity and electromagnetism interactions, offering a unique vantage point for studying this phenomenon.
Astronomers have uncovered 21 neutron stars in wide orbits around stars like our Sun, revealing the first dark neutron star population. The discovery was made possible by the European Space Agency's Gaia mission, which scanned the sky and measured wobbles of over a billion stars.
Researchers at Caltech have developed a new microscopy technique called APIC that can produce clear, high-resolution images covering large fields of view without the need for iterative trial-and-error methods. This breakthrough eliminates guesswork and allows for faster, more accurate image acquisition.
A team led by Caltech scientists used AI and telescope data to recover the first 3D video showing what flares could look like around Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*), a supermassive black hole. The 3D flare structure features two bright, compact features located about 75 million kilometers from the center of the black hole.
Researchers at Caltech have demonstrated quantum Barkhausen noise, which is the collection of little magnets flipping in groups. This effect is caused by quantum tunneling and co-tunneling, leading to macroscopic changes in magnetization, even without classical effects.
Researchers analyzed over 3,000 CSO candidates and found that these galaxies host supermassive black holes with compact jets that extend up to 1,500 light-years. The team concludes that CSOs have relatively short lifetimes of 5,000 years or less, fueled by tidal disruption events (TDEs) triggered by massive star consumption.
Researchers have developed a new method to verify the accuracy of complex quantum systems using classical computers. The method allows for estimating error rates and is mathematically sound, providing a benchmark for analyzing errors in quantum computing systems. This breakthrough enables improvements to be measured effectively.
Scientists at Caltech have developed a new type of robotic jellyfish that can swim faster and carry payloads, making them ideal for collecting oceanic climate data. The biohybrid creatures use electronics to enhance their swimming abilities and can reach speeds of up to 4.5 times those of natural jellyfish.
Researchers develop enzyme that can break silicon–carbon bonds in siloxanes, a first step towards rendering chemicals biodegradable. The discovery opens possibilities for natural organisms to degrade siloxane contaminants in wastewater and treat them in the environment.
Researchers found that iron meteorites from the inner and outer solar systems had similar amounts of missing iron metal, suggesting that water was present in planetesimals right from the start. This challenges current models, which predict cooler temperatures for the inner solar system or formation further out.
Researchers have developed a new optical device that overcomes dispersion limitations in ultra-low-loss silicon nitride by creating conjoined microcombs. This breakthrough enables the production of short-pulse microcombs with low power consumption, paving the way for integration into handheld devices and photonic circuit arrays.
A new method developed by Caltech's Alireza Marandi enables the creation of ultrafast mode-locked lasers on photonic chips, opening up opportunities for compact and affordable ultrafast photonic technologies. The breakthrough could lead to significant advancements in fields like frequency metrology and precision sensing.
Researchers propose that ancient planet Theia collided with Earth billions of years ago, forming two continent-sized blobs of unusual material and the Moon. The blobs, known as large low-velocity provinces (LLVPs), are rich in iron and likely composed of different proportions of elements than the mantle surrounding them.
Researchers have created high-resolution underground images of the Long Valley Caldera, revealing a 'hardened lid' of crystallized rock covering the magma chamber. The findings suggest that the area is not gearing up for another supervolcanic eruption but may experience earthquakes and small eruptions due to cooling and gas release.
A team of researchers has made the first demonstrations of identifying and removing 'erasure' errors in quantum computing systems. By pinpointing and correcting for these mistakes, they can improve the overall rate of entanglement, or fidelity, in Rydberg neutral atom arrays.
Researchers at Caltech have detected magnetically bound excitons in an antiferromagnetic Mott insulator, a first in real-time experiments. This finding has implications for the development of new exciton-related technologies that harness both magnetic and optical properties.
Researchers at Caltech developed a wearable sensor that detects estradiol levels in sweat, allowing for real-time monitoring of female hormones. The sensor can track changing estradiol levels throughout the reproductive cycle, providing valuable insights for fertility and hormone replacement therapy.
A new drug delivery platform uses ultrasound to target cancer cells, reducing side effects and increasing precision. The system employs gas vesicles and mechanophores to control the release of drugs in response to ultrasound waves.
A team of scientists at Caltech used a section of fiber optic cable to measure the intricate details of a magnitude 6 earthquake, pinpointing four individual asperities that led to the rupture. The study demonstrates the potential of distributed acoustic sensing technology to improve our understanding of earthquake physics.
Astronomers have discovered a white dwarf star with drastically different faces, composed of hydrogen on one side and helium on the other. The team believes magnetic fields may be responsible for the asymmetric sides, allowing a 'hydrogen ocean' to form where the fields are strongest.
A study by Caltech scientists reveals that Earth primarily consisted of dry, rocky materials during its early stages, with a major addition of life-essential volatiles occurring only in the last 15% of its formation. This finding provides crucial insights into the planet's formation process and has important implications for theories o...
The NANOGrav team has detected a collective hum of gravitational waves from merging supermassive black holes, providing evidence for a background undulation in spacetime. The signal is thought to be generated by huge black holes at galaxy centers, producing low-frequency gravitational waves that oscillate slowly over years and decades.
Researchers at Caltech have developed a technique that uses quantum entanglement to create biphotons, which can be used to image cells with a resolution twice that of traditional microscopes. By harnessing the properties of quantum entanglement, scientists can now visualize tiny structures within living cells with unprecedented precision.
The Indian government has granted final approvals for LIGO-India, a gravitational-wave detector that will improve the localization of sources. The facility will join a global network, increasing precision and filling blind spots, enabling scientists to study black holes and the universe's expansion.
A new machine learning study found that habit formation varies in time for different behaviors, such as gym-going and hand-washing. The study analyzed data from over 30,000 gymgoers and 3,000 hospital workers, revealing factors like past behavior and time since last visit played significant roles.
Researchers developed smart bandages that can monitor wound conditions and deliver medication to treat inflammation and infection. The bandages have shown promising results in animal models, offering real-time updates and speed healing of chronic infected wounds.
Engineers at Caltech develop new material made from interconnected microscale knots, which absorb more energy and deform more while maintaining their original shape. These knotted materials exhibit a tensile toughness that far surpasses unknotted materials, with 92% more energy absorption and twice the strain required to snap.
Scientists at Caltech have developed a method to move and arrange cells using ultrasound waves, which could enable tissue engineering and cell-based therapy. By harnessing the properties of gas vesicles derived from bacteria, researchers can apply force to cells in a selective manner.
Researchers have developed a new model of black hole collisions that reveals nonlinear effects in gravitational waves, allowing for more accurate modeling of the behavior. This breakthrough has significant implications for understanding black hole collisions observed by LIGO and testing Einstein's general theory of relativity.
Da Vinci's understanding of gravity was ahead of its time, with experiments showing that gravity is a form of acceleration. His notebook reveals an experiment where a water pitcher moves parallel to the ground, dumping out water or sand, demonstrating acceleration due to gravity.
Researchers have developed a novel way to measure a quantum device's accuracy by analyzing universal statistical patterns in the noise. This approach takes advantage of the way information is scrambled in quantum systems, allowing for more efficient error detection and verification.
A new theory proposes that rocky planets form in a narrow band of the protoplanetary disk, where silicate vapors condense to form solid pebbles. This process creates a ring of material that constitutes the building blocks for planet formation, resulting in uniform systems of rocky super-Earths.
Scientists at Caltech used machine-learning algorithm to chart sills, mapping them with precision and linking them to active volcanoes Mauna Loa and Kīlauea. The study provides new insights into magma storage and transport deep beneath Hawai‘i.
Astronomers have made the first-ever discovery of a rare cosmic 'lunch' involving a black hole devouring a nearby star and releasing relativistic jets further out into the universe. The event, AT2022cmc, was detected using a novel data-crunching method that quickly identified it in ZTF survey data.
Researchers have developed a quantum experiment that allows them to probe connections between theoretical wormholes and quantum physics. The study demonstrates the equivalence of wormholes with quantum teleportation, a process experimentally demonstrated over long distances.
A team from California Institute of Technology has developed a brain-machine interface device that can predict internal speech in patients with tetraplegia. The device, trained on single neurons in the supramarginal gyrus, achieved accuracy up to 91% in predicting eight words.
Researchers use classical computers to make predictions about quantum systems, helping to solve physics and chemistry problems. Machine learning tools provide a bridge between the human world and quantum reality.
Researchers have developed a mouse embryo model using only embryonic stem cells, achieving a high level of developmental stages including beating hearts and brain formation. This advancement opens up new avenues for understanding human pregnancy loss and developing organs in culture.
Scientists at Caltech have developed a framework for designing new materials inspired by the fundamental rules of termite nests. The 'virtual growth program' simulates natural growth patterns and generates disordered geometries with unique mechanical properties.
Researchers have developed a model mouse embryo that has beating hearts, foundations for a brain, and all the organs in a mouse body. This breakthrough could help understand why some embryos fail and provide insights into repairing synthetic human organs.
A new model suggests Antarctica's ice shelves are melting at an accelerated rate due to the Antarctic Coastal Current. Freshwater from melting ice can trap warm ocean water beneath the shelves, causing them to melt further. This mechanism could increase sea level rise predictions by up to 40%.
Engineers developed an algorithm to optimize individual turbine angles, reducing wake impact and increasing overall farm efficiency. This could lead to a significant improvement in existing wind farms' energy output and enable more turbines to be installed in tighter spaces.
A new Caltech project, COMAP, will peer beneath the 'tip of the iceberg' of galaxies to unveil a hidden era of star formation. The project aims to answer questions about what caused the universe's rapid increase in star production.
A new nanoparticle vaccine has shown promising results in protecting against a spectrum of COVID-19-causing variants and related viruses. The vaccine induces the production of cross-reactive antibodies that recognize virtually every SARS-like betacoronavirus strain, providing broad-spectrum protection against future pandemics.
Researchers developed a smartphone app that harnesses weather forecasting data to provide individuals with a granular understanding of their COVID-19 risk. The app would blend various types of data, including surveillance testing and wearable sensor data, to forecast the spread of disease across a network of human contacts.
The nuclear pore complex is a vital gatekeeper for cell operations, controlling DNA entry and exit. A recent study has made significant breakthroughs in understanding its structure and function, shedding light on the complex's role in various diseases.
Researchers simulated earthquakes in a lab and found that fine-grained gravel formed at fault boundaries can trigger powerful ruptures, contrary to previous beliefs about stable faults. The study used high-pressure and shear simulations to show that rock gouge weakens friction between plates, leading to intermittent slip.