Add BrightSurf on Google Email

University of Vienna


Graphene on its way to conquer Silicon Valley

Scientists from the University of Vienna have successfully integrated graphene into metal silicide technology, preserving its unique properties. The new structure shows promising results for applications in semiconductor devices, spintronics, photovoltaics, and thermoelectrics.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalScientific Reports·DateJul 9, 2013

Making chaos visible

Biophysicist Christian Herbst develops a new method to visualize chaotic phenomena, creating a single graph that can intuitively interpret symptoms of systems 'on the way to chaos'. The phasegram technique reveals complex behavior in simple systems, such as weather and cardiac rhythm.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalJournal of The Royal Society Interface·DateMay 22, 2013

Biodiversity crisis: The impacts of socio-economic pressures on natural floras and faunas

A new study reveals that proportions of threatened species are more closely related to socio-economic pressures from the early 20th century. This 'extinction debt' implies that current conservation efforts may underestimate true extinction risks, as many species may already be destined for extinction due to temporal delays.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 16, 2013

Photons run out of loopholes

Researchers from the University of Vienna have closed a loophole for photons, providing definitive experimental proof that quantum particles can exhibit non-classical behavior. The study uses entangled photon pairs and advanced detection technology to rule out possible explanations for previous results.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalNature·DateApr 15, 2013

Doing business with a parrot

A new study at the University of Vienna found that Goffin cockatoos wait up to 80 seconds for higher-quality food rewards, showing impressive self-control. The birds traded their initial items more often for their most preferred food and adjusted to differences in trade value, mirroring human economic decision-making.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalBiology Letters·DateMar 13, 2013

On the trail of mucus-eaters in the gut

Researchers successfully directly observed microorganisms feeding on intestinal mucosa using NanoSIMS technology, identifying Akkermansia muciniphilia and Bacteroides acidifaciens as key players. The study provides new insights into the gut microbiota's role in inflammatory bowel disease.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMar 5, 2013

The brainless origin of our head

Researchers discovered that ancient sea anemones use the same genes to form their heads as humans and other animals, providing insight into brain evolution. The study found that these 'head genes' control development of sensory centers in both sea anemones and higher animals.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalPLOS Biology·DateFeb 20, 2013

Nano-machines for 'bionic proteins'

Physicists at the University of Vienna created nano-machines that replicate protein functions, enabling innovative pharmaceutical research. These 'bionic proteins' could be used as stable drug delivery vehicles and enzyme-like catalysts, revolutionizing various biological processes.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateFeb 15, 2013

Invisible tool enables new quantum experiments

Researchers at the University of Vienna have developed a novel way to manipulate massive particles using nanosecond long flashes of laser light, enabling precise measurements of small forces and fields. This breakthrough allows for the investigation of quantum wave nature in both single molecules and clusters of molecules.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalNature Physics·DateFeb 11, 2013

Soft Lego built in the computer

A team of researchers has developed novel self-assembling materials, known as 'Soft Lego', which can form complex crystal structures with specific properties. These materials have potential applications in photonics and light guides, offering a new approach to the construction of materials at the macroscopic scale.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateJan 17, 2013

Quantum causal relations: A causes B causes A

Researchers from the University of Vienna and Université Libre de Bruxelles have shown that in quantum mechanics, a single event can be both a cause and an effect of another one. This challenges our understanding of causality and has far-reaching implications for foundations of quantum mechanics, quantum gravity, and quantum computing.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalNature Communications·DateOct 2, 2012

Alpine glaciers contribute to carbon cycling

Researchers have discovered that Alpine glaciers contain diverse biogeochemical complexes of dissolved organic matter, which is surprisingly bioavailable. This finding highlights the importance of glaciers as 'freezers' that preserve organic matter for microbial heterotrophs.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalNature Geoscience·DateSep 17, 2012

Quantum physics at a distance

Physicists at the University of Vienna successfully transmitted quantum states between two islands in the Canary Islands, overcoming previous distances of just 97 km. The experiment uses active feed-forward protocol to enable reliable quantum teleportation over long distances.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalNature·DateSep 5, 2012

Mystery of elephant infrasounds revealed

Researchers discovered that elephants produce infrasounds by vibrating their large larynxes, similar to the human voice. This finding reveals the physical production mechanism behind these subaudible sounds, which play a crucial role in elephant communication and social life.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalScience·DateAug 3, 2012

Searching for the origin of muscles

Researchers have discovered that ancient sea creatures like sponges and jellyfish possess the building blocks of striated muscles found in higher animals. Gene duplication is believed to be responsible for the emergence of muscle myosin, a crucial protein structure, which evolved independently in these organisms.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalNature·DateJun 28, 2012

Quantum physics mimics spooky action into the past

Physicists have demonstrated that quantum particles can be in an entangled state even after measurement, which was previously thought to be an objective fact. The team realized a 'delayed-choice entanglement swapping' experiment, where Victor's choice affected Alice's and Bob's photons after they had been measured.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalNature Physics·DateApr 23, 2012

Single molecules in a quantum movie

Researchers have successfully captured a quantum interference pattern from single dye molecules using live imaging. The experiment visualizes the dualities of particle and wave, randomness and determinism, locality and delocalization in a tangible way. This study has significant implications for understanding quantum physics and develo...

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalNature Nanotechnology·DateMar 25, 2012

Looking at quantum gravity in a mirror

Researchers propose a new quantum experiment using Planck-mass mirrors to test predictions of quantum gravity. The team's findings suggest that certain modifications predicted by quantum gravity proposals could be verified in the laboratory, potentially shedding light on the unification of quantum mechanics and general relativity.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalNature Physics·DateMar 18, 2012

The evolution of division of labor

Modules differ in form and function, allowing for division of labor among specialized modules. The study identifies necessary conditions for division of labor to evolve, including positional effects and synergistic effects between differentiated modules.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJan 24, 2012

1 clock with 2 times

Researchers at the University of Vienna aim to measure general relativistic time on a quantum scale by exploiting quantum interference and complementarity. They consider a single clock in a superposition of two locations, one closer and one further away from Earth, where gravity's effects are different.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalNature Communications·DateOct 19, 2011

A new scheme for photonic quantum computing

A new scheme, 'coherent photon conversion', offers a method for coherent conversion between different photon states using a strong laser field. This approach promises to solve open challenges in optical quantum computation and lead to the development of a nonlinear optical quantum computer.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalNature·DateOct 13, 2011

Quantum behavior with a flash

Researchers develop a method using flashes of light to observe quantum features of large objects with unprecedented resolution. By analyzing the dynamics of such behavior, pulsed quantum optomechanics provides a path for investigating whether macroscopic mechanical objects can be used in future quantum technologies.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateSep 16, 2011

The turbulent lives of stars

Researchers have detected stellar oscillations in a hotter star, revealing insights into its internal structure and composition. The discovery was made possible by the Kepler space telescope and provides new information on the processes that govern stellar behavior.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalNature·DateSep 15, 2011

Flowing structures in soft crystals

Tiny particles in liquids form cluster crystals that exhibit regular structures and flow like strings under mechanical strain, altering viscosity. The behavior is the same for all types of cluster crystals, with critical strains predicted using a simple theoretical model.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateAug 8, 2011