A European research team has developed an Intrusion–Extrusion Triboelectric Nanogenerator that produces measurable electrical power from the cyclic intrusion and extrusion of water in nanoscale pores. The achieved energy conversion efficiency of up to 9% ranks among the highest ever reported for solid–liquid nanogenerators.
Scientists have identified a new phase of warm ice, called ice XXI, which forms when water is rapidly compressed to supercompressed water at room temperature. The discovery offers insights into how high-pressure ice forms and may lead to new findings about the composition of icy moons.
Researchers at DESY have created a new filter material using a ball mill process that can effectively capture PFAS contaminants. The material, made of covalent organic frameworks, was manufactured using a unique mechanochemical technique without the need for heavy metals.
A DESY team significantly improved the properties of a laser-plasma accelerated electron beam by using a two-stage correction system, reducing energy spread and fluctuation. This brings the technology closer to concrete applications in fundamental research, industry, and health.
Beate Heinemann will succeed Helmut Dosch as Chairperson of DESY's Board of Directors in April 2025. She brings significant experience in particle physics and international collaborations, aiming to further expand the centre's scientific performance.
Researchers at European XFEL and DESY develop self-chirping method to produce high-power attosecond hard X-ray pulses without reducing electron bunch charge. This enables non-destructive measurements at the atomic level and opens new avenues for studying matter at the atomic scale.
Researchers using H.E.S.S. observatory in Namibia have detected the highest energy gamma rays ever from a dead star called a pulsar, with energies reaching up to 20 tera-electronvolts. This observation challenges our previous knowledge of pulsars and requires a rethinking of how these natural accelerators work.
Researchers at DESY have developed a method to deflect laser beams in air without contact, preserving the beam's quality. The technique uses acoustic density waves to create an invisible grating that changes the direction of the laser light.
Researchers at DESY and European XFEL developed a new generation of atomic clocks using scandium, enabling unprecedented precision. The team detected an extremely narrow resonance line in the element's nucleus, which enables accuracy of one second in 300 billion years.
Researchers at DESY reveal the rapid proton transaction process between urea molecules, which could have led to RNA molecule formation billions of years ago. The experiment demonstrates the importance of studying molecular processes in aqueous environments for understanding biological phenomena.
A team of scientists at DESY has developed a new technique using X-rays to image biological specimens without damaging them. The method, which generates high-resolution images at nanometre resolution, could be used for applications such as imaging whole unsectioned cells or tracking nanoparticles within a cell.
A team of scientists has provided an intricate blueprint of the RuvB AAA+ motor, which converts chemical energy into mechanical work to perform branch migration in DNA recombination. The research reveals that the motor uses a basic lever mechanism to generate force and moves the DNA substrate through a cyclical manner.
Researchers have identified three natural compounds that bind to a key enzyme in the coronavirus, potentially blocking its replication. Hydroxyethylphenol, hydroxybenzaldehyde, and methyldihydroxybenzoate showed reduced activity against the papain-like protease enzyme, with effects ranging from 50-70%.
Scientists have developed a novel 'green' fertilizer that uses an advanced milling technique to produce slow-release soil nutrient crystals. The method reduces nitrogen pollution and energy consumption compared to traditional fertilizers.
Research reveals a cosmic particle acceleration process in a stellar nova, accelerating particles to extreme energies. The observation suggests that the acceleration process could be efficient in supernovae, providing new insights into astrophysics.
Researchers have measured deformation of mineral davemaoite under conditions inside the Earth's mantle, finding it to be surprisingly soft. This discovery challenges previous ideas about subducting slabs in the lower mantle, suggesting a detachment of crust from the underlying plate can occur.
Researchers demonstrated plasma acceleration at megahertz repetition rates, opening doors to boosting particle energy with plasma accelerator modules as booster stages. The recovery time of the plasma wave was found to be approximately 70 nanoseconds.
Researchers have created nanoparticles that can store hydrogen, reducing the need for pressurized tanks and cooling. The discovery could enable climate-friendly fuels and production methods for airplanes, ships, and steel.
A team of researchers used the X-ray laser European XFEL to study the detailed dynamics of how water molecules break apart when exposed to high-energy radiation. The study reveals that the disintegration process is more complicated than expected, with the oxygen atom not being flung away hard when the molecule breaks up.
A new analytical technique combines quantum physics and molecular biology to track biomolecule changes in less than a trillionth of a second. By analyzing the collective movement of atoms, researchers were able to reduce 6000 dimensions to four and characterize conical intersections of quantum states in complex molecules.
Researchers use high-intensity X-rays to study a single catalyst nanoparticle's surface changes during chemical reactions. The study reveals how the surface composition affects activity, shedding light on industrial catalytic materials.
Researchers at DESY create a table-top electron camera that captures the inner, ultrafast dynamics of matter by shooting short bunches of electrons at a sample. The system uses Terahertz radiation for pulse compression and is validated with the investigation of a silicon sample.
Researchers have observed the self-organisation of lead sulphide nanoparticles in real time, revealing a surprising diversity of structures. The team used X-ray scattering to study how the particles assembled into ordered superlattices, finding that the final structure depends on factors such as solvent type and ligand density.
Scientists have recorded the most energetic radiation and longest gamma-ray afterglow of a gamma-ray burst, revealing similar spectral characteristics between X-ray and very-high energy gamma-rays. This challenge to established theory highlights the need for further studies of very-high energy GRB afterglow emission.
Researchers at DESY have achieved two critical milestones in developing innovative plasma accelerators. By combining nitrogen and artificial intelligence, they significantly reduced the energy distribution of accelerated electron bunches, a crucial property for various applications. The team also successfully used AI to optimize the ac...
A team of researchers identified 37 substances that bind to the main protease of SARS-CoV-2, a promising starting point for COVID-19 drugs. Seven substances inhibit the protein's activity, with two showing high antivirality and good cell compatibility.
A team of scientists has developed a new time-resolved method to analyze the structural changes in egg whites when heated. The study reveals how proteins unfold and cross-link to form a solid structure, with implications for food industry applications.
Scientists have uncovered a gigantic cosmic particle accelerator after tracing a ghostly neutrino back to a shredded star. The detection provides evidence that tidal disruption events can be powerful natural particle accelerators.
A study by DESY's X-ray source PETRA III reveals that dry heating can form characteristic DNA base pairs without water or solvents. The team observed the formation of adenine-thymine and guanine-cytosine pairs at temperatures between 100-200 degrees Celsius, suggesting a possible alternative route to molecular recognition patterns in DNA.
Scientists use European XFEL to observe anomalous dynamics in superheated water, revealing uneven heating and unexpected behavior. The study's results are crucial for planning experiments with heat-sensitive samples.
A team of researchers at DESY has achieved a record-breaking run time of 30 hours for a plasma accelerator, accelerating over 100,000 electron bunches per second. The milestone brings scientists closer to developing practical applications of this innovative technology, which holds promise for powerful and compact particle accelerators.
Scientists have detected a mysterious gamma-ray heartbeat from a cosmic gas cloud in the constellation Aquila, powered by a neighbouring precessing black hole. The research team analysed over ten years of data from NASA's Fermi gamma-ray space telescope, revealing a consistent period between the cloud's emission and the black hole's jets.
Researchers discovered new variants of feldspar stable under extreme pressure conditions, potentially altering seismologic signatures and plate dynamics. The high-pressure polymorphs were formed through severe geometrical distortions in the tetrahedral framework.
A miniature double particle accelerator has been built by DESY scientists, recycling some of the laser energy to boost the electrons' energy a second time. The device uses terahertz radiation and achieved an increase in electron energy from 55 to 56.5 kilo electron volts.
Researchers have used X-ray analysis to study lignin, a byproduct of paper production, and its potential as a sustainable raw material for manufacturing bioplastics. The study reveals that different lignin fractions can be engineered to have varying properties, such as hardness or softness, making them suitable for specific applications.
Scientists at DESY used an advanced X-ray combination technique to trace nanocarriers for tuberculosis drugs within cells with high precision. The method also revealed the calcium content in human bone, benefiting osteoporosis research.
A research team has discovered a possible target for new sleeping sickness drugs using an X-ray laser. The scientists decoded the structure of a key enzyme in the parasite Trypanosoma brucei, which could lead to a specific drug that kills the parasite.
Scientists have detected gamma-rays from two gamma-ray bursts with ground-based telescopes, producing energies up to 100 billion times that of visible light. The observations provide insights into the gigantic explosions and their physical mechanisms.
Researchers observed how football molecules made of carbon atoms burst in X-ray laser beam. The study reveals the temporal course of bursting process and contributes to a more detailed protein analysis with X-ray free-electron lasers.
Researchers at DESY used precisely tuned laser light to capture the ultrafast rotation of carbonyl sulphide molecules, revealing the intricate dance of quantum mechanics. The resulting 'molecular movie' provides new insights into molecular dynamics and has potential applications for studying other molecules and processes.
Scientists at DESY achieved a new world record for an experimental type of miniature particle accelerator using terahertz-powered technology. The setup significantly improved electron beam quality, reducing energy spread and increasing emittance sixfold.
Researchers at DESY and the University of Hamburg achieved an important milestone in compact particle accelerator development. They produced high-energy terahertz pulses using ultra-powerful laser pulses, paving the way for new applications in fields like particle physics and nanomaterials research.
Researchers at the University of Hamburg and DESY have developed a 3D printing process for transparent and mechanically flexible electronic circuits using silver nanowires. The technology enables the production of printable light-emitting diodes, solar cells, and tools with integrated circuits.
Astronomers used asteroid occultations to measure the smallest apparent size of a star on the night sky, revealing the diameter of a giant star and a sun-like star. The new method provides ten times better resolution than standard lunar occultation methods.
Scientists have created a 3D printable sensor that can detect tiny amounts of water, changing color from purple to blue in wet conditions. The sensor is made of a cheap, flexible, and non-toxic copper-based compound that can be printed into various shapes.
Researchers at DESY achieved a world record in plasma acceleration using a laser drill, accelerating electrons to an energy of 7.8 billion electron volts. The technique uses a laser pulse to drill through a plasma, confining the beam and enabling the acceleration of particles hundreds of times stronger than conventional accelerators.
Researchers used X-ray diffraction to track dynamic processes in feldspar minerals during simulated meteorite impacts. The results show that structural changes occur at varying pressures depending on the compression rate, highlighting a need for further investigation to understand impact conditions.
Researchers at DESY NanoLab discovered that platinum oxidizes more readily than expected when exposed to high pressures of oxygen, forming nano-bubbles. This phenomenon has significant implications for applications such as catalytic converters in cars and electrochemical sensors.
Scientists have proposed an innovative method to create custom-made mirror molecules for analysis by inducing rotationally-induced chirality in symmetric-top molecules. This technique could enhance insight into the workings of nature and pave the way for new materials and methods.
The European XFEL has successfully obtained the first scientific results from its X-ray laser, revealing a previously unknown structure of an enzyme responsible for antibiotics resistance. The team achieved this at an unprecedented speed of 220 nanoseconds, outpacing previous X-ray lasers by more than an order of magnitude.