Researchers at Rice University and Moscow State University found that graphene oxide can bind to natural and human-made radionuclides, removing them from liquids. This discovery could be used to clean up contaminated sites like Fukushima nuclear plants, reduce costs of fracking, and revive rare earth metal mining.
Rice University researchers have found a way to selectively heat diverse nanoparticles using short laser pulses. They demonstrated the effect in common gold nanoparticles, nanoparticle clusters, and mixed nanorods and nanoshells, showing narrow photothermal spectra and spectral selectivity.
Researchers have published the first genomic report on limpet, leech and worm species, shedding light on lophotrochozoans' evolutionary history and functional gene groups. The study's findings suggest that these ancient animals played crucial roles in marine ecosystems.
Researchers at Rice University have developed a new process to convert soybean byproducts into succinic acid, a valuable chemical used in various industries. The process uses genetically modified E. coli bacteria to metabolize soluble carbohydrates from soybeans, achieving a high yield and a 1:1 ratio of feedstock to product.
Researchers at Rice University have discovered a new way to monitor protein aggregation in living cells, which could lead to the development of drugs that break up fibrils. The metallic probe, made of ruthenium, binds with misfolded alpha-synuclein proteins and can be tracked using photoluminescence spectroscopy.
A new study published in Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes found that experts are more effective when making intuitive decisions, especially in tasks with less structure. In two studies, researchers compared expert and non-expert participants on basketball shot difficulty and designer handbag authenticity tasks. Resu...
Theoretical physicists at Rice University have predicted the formation of conductive sub-nanometer 'wires' in two-dimensional materials, which could lead to advanced electronics. The discovery was made by investigating atomic-scale properties and topological defects in semiconductors.
Researchers at Rice University have created a method to trigger biochemical reactions remotely on demand by exposing plasmonic gold nanoparticles to near-infrared light, enabling chemical processes to occur at lower temperatures. This technology has great potential for industrial applications, including energy savings and more sustaina...
Researchers have developed a biocompatible patch that can support the growth of healthy new tissue and potentially replace current patches used to repair congenital heart defects. The patch, seeded with living cardiac cells, is designed to degrade over time, leaving a repaired heart.
Researchers at Rice University have discovered that the madder plant's purpurin can be used as a natural cathode for lithium-ion batteries, offering an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional batteries. The team has built a half-battery cell with a capacity of 90 milliamp hours per gram after 50 charge/discharge cycles.
Researchers at Rice University have developed a way to selectively kill some diseased cells while treating others in the same sample using tunable plasmonic nanobubbles. The process activates with a pulse of laser light and leaves neighboring healthy cells untouched.
Researchers successfully grew forests of carbon nanotubes on a sheet of graphene, creating a seamless three-dimensional structure with a massive surface area. This hybrid material offers great potential for electronic components like fast supercapacitors.
A new study from Rice University explores the effects of firm actions and industry spillovers on media coverage following wrongdoing. The research found that companies directly responsible for wrongdoing face more damaging media backlash than those not directly involved but affected by industry-wide scandals.
A Rice University-led study has uncovered an elaborate mechanism allowing bacteria to begin preparing for survival even as it delays the decision to form a spore. The research found that nested 'feedforward' loops enable cells to process information while executing the program, making an accurate decision without delay.
Rice University scientists have developed a super-efficient solar-energy technology that converts sunlight into steam directly, with an overall energy efficiency of 24 percent. The 'solar steam' method uses nanoparticles to heat water instantly vaporizing it and creating steam from nearly frozen water.
Researchers at Rice University have created a new type of nanoparticle called lava dots, which are hollow and coated versions of quantum dots. The particles were discovered using a 'molten-droplet synthesis' technique and can be used as catalysts for hydrogen production, chemical sensors, and solar cells.
The Rice team's device can modulate a signal at more than 10 gigabits per second, making it suitable for real-time video processing and high-speed data throughput. This breakthrough has the potential to scale up the capability of optical information processing systems by several magnitudes.
Researchers at Rice University aim to inject scaffolds infused with living cells to repair damage inside tissues naturally. They plan to start trials of their dental hydrogel within two years, which could also be used for spinal cord regeneration and eye conditions.
A new study by Rice University sociologists reveals that children living in poorer neighborhoods are nearly 30% more likely to be obese than those in more affluent areas. The research found that neighborhood poverty and lower education levels are associated with increased child obesity risk, while a higher proportion of foreign-born re...
Rice University chemist Zachary Ball and collaborators aim to create a drug that's effective against an 'undruggable' protein by using metal-based pins. They're attempting to answer whether new technologies can inhibit traditionally undruggable target molecules, including transcription factors required for cancer.
A new study explains the connection between Kilauea and Mauna Loa by proposing an upper-mantle link that can account for their competition over a deep magma supply. The research suggests that increased pressure in the upper mantle is transmitted through a partially molten region, causing simultaneous inflation at both volcanoes.
A study from Rice University found that both male and female scientists view gender discrimination as a factor in women's decision to pursue careers in biology over physics. Female scientists believe present-day discrimination is occurring, while men attribute it to early educational experiences.
Researchers found that referring cancer patients to higher-volume hospitals did not lead to lower mortality rates, but some hospitals still performed better. Mechanisms should be created to refer patients to these hospitals to achieve better outcomes.
The partnership will focus on measurement and characterization of nanomaterials for enhanced optical, electrical and mechanical properties. The research aims to kickstart advances in energy, healthcare, materials science and national security.
A study from Rice University found that women are twice as likely as men to use emoticons in text messages. The study also revealed that while women may use emoticons more frequently, men used a larger variety of emoticons to express themselves.
Researchers at Rice University have made a breakthrough in doping graphene with light, allowing for the creation of simple, graphene-based diodes and transistors on demand. The discovery uses plasmonics to manipulate light and inject electrons into the material, enabling novel security and cryptography devices.
Researchers at Rice University and MIT developed a thin-film polymer metamaterial that changes color in response to ions, enabling the creation of inexpensive sensors for food spoilage detection, security, and high-contrast displays. The sensors can be tuned to react in specific ways by adjusting the solvent used.
Rice University biochemist James McNew is probing the key protein atlastin in the genetic disorder HSP. The study aims to build up a better understanding of how atlastin works and why its defects cause HSP.
A study by Rice University researchers found that states without Certificate of Need regulations for open-heart surgery experienced a 4% decrease in average patient care costs. The deregulation led to increased competition among hospitals, driving up the quality of care and resulting in cost savings.
Researchers at Rice University have designed transparent, two-terminal, three-dimensional computer memories using silicon oxide and graphene. The devices show promise for electronics and sophisticated heads-up displays, with a working yield of about 80 percent.
Scientists at Rice University and UTHealth discovered a simple formula that enables Myxococcus xanthus bacteria to create waves to spread and devour other bacteria. The formula involves side-to-side contact between cells, a reversal time interval, and physical interactions, allowing the waves to move outward in unison.
Rice scientists created a computer program that predicts the most stable structures of nanometer-sized collagen, a crucial step toward synthesizing custom collagen. This breakthrough has significant implications for treating diseases and designing drugs, as collagen plays a vital role in holding cells together.
Rice University researchers create new process to manufacture stronger glass through chemical vapor deposition, enabling materials with twice the strength of current glass.
Researchers at Rice University and three other US institutions are embarking on a five-year study to uncover the causes of hemoglobin toxicity in blood plasma. The study aims to develop strategies to prevent, reduce or reverse acellular hemoglobin toxicity.
A study led by Rice University found that the Pacific island of Guam has a staggering 40 times more spiders than neighboring islands due to the loss of forest birds caused by the invasive brown treesnake. The loss of birds, which consume spiders and compete with them for insects, has led to an increase in spider populations.
Researchers at Rice University developed a methodology to optimize the sensitivity of photoluminescent probes using time-resolved spectroscopy. Their technique gave results nearly twice as good as standard fluorescence spectroscopy when probed for specific DNA sequences, improving signal-to-background noise ratio.
Rice University researchers have developed a nanoreactor theory to predict graphene formation, which can advance the material's quality and electronic properties. The team found that the shape of the graphene edge pattern is dictated by the most efficient use of energy, with skewed edges growing fastest.
Researchers have developed a method to make flexible lithium-ion battery components from discarded silicon, which can prolong their usefulness. The new material is made by creating nanowires from high-value but hard-to-recycle silicon and then encasing them in an electrically conducting copper and ion-conducting polymer electrolyte.
Researchers suggest a 'cyber war' on cancer by breaking the code of cancer cells' social behavior, similar to bacterial colonies. This approach could help prevent dormancy and reawaken cells for targeted chemotherapy attacks.
Researchers at Rice University and MD Anderson Cancer Center offer a possible explanation for the existence of operons, jointly controlled clusters of genes found in bacterial chromosomes. The study suggests that operons help bacteria deal with noisy biochemical signals by suppressing noise in gene regulatory networks.
Researchers at Rice University have discovered a nanoparticle that can restore balance to the brain's vascular system after an injury. The PEG-HCC nanoparticles immediately quench superoxide activity and allow the autoregulatory system to regain its balance, potentially treating mild brain trauma by preventing further damage.
Researchers from Rice University unveiled a new multi-antenna technology dubbed Argos, which aims to dramatically increase network capacity by allowing cell towers to simultaneously beam signals to more than a dozen customers on the same frequency. The technology could result in a six-fold increase in network capacity and energy savings.
A new robotic exoskeleton and EEG-based neural interface are being developed to help stroke patients regain upper-limb function. The system will interpret brain waves to control the exoskeleton, allowing patients to willingly operate it with their thoughts.
OpenStax College's free physics and sociology textbooks have been adopted by 55 colleges, saving students at least $1 million this fall. The publisher expects to reach its five-year goal of saving 1 million college students $95 million.
A Rice University researcher has received a National Institutes of Health grant to study the effects of delay in gene transcription on cellular processes. The goal is to create techniques for generating and analyzing models of gene networks that incorporate delay, which can help predict how genetic networks function and fail.
A team of researchers aims to grow whole salivary glands using patient's own cells to replace those destroyed by cancer radiation therapy, benefiting thousands of cancer patients with dry mouth. The regenerative method could also help those with Sjögren's syndrome, a chronic disease that affects moisture-producing glands.
Researchers at Rice University will study how bacterial decision-making occurs at the molecular level, aiming to improve medical applications and environmental remediation. The project combines computational and experimental techniques to bridge the gap in understanding biological systems.
Researchers at Rice University and Lockheed Martin have developed a process to create multiple high-performance anodes from a single silicon wafer for lithium-ion batteries. The new method uses electrochemical etching to extract the sponge-like structure, which can store more than four times its weight in lithium.
Researchers at Rice University have discovered that plasmonic chains exhibit properties similar to polymers, with the arrangement of nanoparticles influencing their optical behavior. The study found that the addition of nanoparticles along the chain can alter the energy of super-radiant modes and affect the interaction between particles.
Researchers found that silver nanoparticles are less toxic to bacteria than their released ions. The team's study suggests that controlling the rate of ion release can enhance antibacterial properties and mitigate environmental impacts. They also discovered hormesis, where low doses of silver ions stimulate bacterial growth.