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University of Vienna


When the pigeon and the letter do not travel together

Researchers at the University of Vienna successfully implemented a counterfactual communication protocol, where information travels from Bob to Alice while photons travel in the opposite direction. This innovation resolves two major drawbacks of previous implementations and contradicts a crucial premise of communication theory.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·Journalnpj Quantum Information·DateJul 23, 2019

Tungsten as interstellar radiation shielding?

Researchers discovered a nanoscale tungsten-microbial interface that enables the growth of heat-loving microorganisms. This finding has implications for the survivability of microorganisms in outer space and the potential use of tungsten as interstellar radiation shielding.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalFrontiers in Microbiology·DateJul 9, 2019

Playfully discover atom manipulation

The University of Vienna team uses a state-of-the-art electron microscope to demonstrate atom manipulation in graphene, revealing the locations of silicon impurities. A new online simulation game, Atom Tractor Beam, allows users to control the movement of these impurities using an electron beam.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalAdvanced Functional Materials·DateJul 8, 2019

The ancestor of the great white shark

A team of researchers found a peculiar tooth composition in great white sharks and their relatives, which is similar to that of the fossil shark Palaeocarcharias stromeri. The shared tooth histology indicates that this small shark gave rise to one of the most iconic shark lineages.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalScientific Reports·DateJul 8, 2019

Symbionts as lifesavers

A recent study has found that endosymbionts in amoebae significantly influence the proliferation and spread of Legionella pneumophila. The researchers discovered that these bacteria weaken the infectivity of Legionella by competing for nutrients, ultimately leading to slower multiplication and reduced virulence.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalmBio·DateMay 14, 2019

Quantum optical cooling of nanoparticles

Physicians at the University of Vienna have developed a novel method to cool nanoparticles using quantum optics, enabling unprecedented control over particle motion in ultra-high vacuum. The approach, inspired by atomic physics, harnesses scattered light from an optical tweezer to effectively cool particles' kinetic energy.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateMar 29, 2019

When changing one atom makes molecules better

Researchers have found a way to replace hydrogen atoms with fluorine in organic molecules, increasing their metabolic stability and potentially leading to more effective pharmaceuticals. This breakthrough could lead to the development of new treatments for various diseases.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalNature Chemistry·DateMar 5, 2019

To tool or not to tool?

Researchers studied tool-related decision-making in orangutans and found they carefully considered factors like tool functionality and food quality. The apes chose the tool when it worked with the apparatus, but prioritized immediate food rewards if the tool was non-functional.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalPLOS ONE·DateFeb 14, 2019

Small but versatile

New research reveals that marine ammonia oxidizing archaea can use cyanate and urea as alternative energy sources, enhancing their metabolic capabilities. This discovery sheds light on the remarkable adaptability of these microorganisms, which play a key role in the marine nitrogen cycle.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalNature Microbiology·DateDec 10, 2018

Re-inventing the hook

Researchers found orangutans spontaneously manufactured hook tools out of straight wire, solving a complex problem that eludes young human children. The apes' innovation abilities were tested using a hook-bending task, where they successfully bent and unbent wires to retrieve rewards.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalScientific Reports·DateNov 8, 2018

RNA microchips

Researchers at the University of Vienna and McGill University have created a new approach to synthesizing RNA, making it up to a million times more efficient than previous methods. The breakthrough uses photolithographic fabrication technology and a new protecting group to produce RNA chips with high yields.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalAngewandte Chemie International Edition·DateNov 6, 2018

One step closer to complex quantum teleportation

Researchers successfully generate three-photon entanglement in three dimensions, increasing information capacity and paving the way for future technologies such as quantum computers and encryption. This breakthrough could enable teleportation of complex quantum systems and has significant implications for quantum communication networks.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalNature Photonics·DateNov 2, 2018

The threat of Centaurs for the Earth

Astrophysicists estimate that Centaurs will have close encounters and impacts with terrestrial planets, potentially producing catastrophic events. The researchers found that half of the Centaurs can enter the terrestrial planet region, and about 7% can interact with them.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalMonthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society·DateOct 8, 2018

Remote islands harbor higher numbers of non-native species

Research by an international team from the University of Vienna reveals that remote islands have higher numbers of non-native species, which can lead to extinction events and threaten unique island species. The study found that isolation from the mainland increases the number of non-native species, while native species decline.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateAug 28, 2018

When sulfur disappears without trace

Researchers have developed a new synthetic route to 1,4-dicarbonyls, a class of molecules found in natural products, drug targets, and pharmaceuticals. By using sulfoxides, a type of oxidized sulfur compound, they can create multiple isomers selectively.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalScience·DateAug 16, 2018

Manipulating single atoms with an electron beam

Scientists at the University of Vienna have successfully manipulated individual silicon impurity atoms in graphene with atomic precision, recording nearly 300 controlled jumps. This achievement enables potential high-density data storage and demonstrates the control of single atoms in two-dimensional materials.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalNano Letters·DateJul 9, 2018

Is the sky the limit?

A novel theory explains how species adapt across their ranges, identifying a critical threshold that determines the success of expansion. The theory shows that dispersal can be beneficial for adaptation but also carries costs, such as reducing genetic diversity.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalPLOS Biology·DateJun 19, 2018

To share or not to share?

Research suggests that children's tendency to share is linked to their social status in the classroom, with those having few interaction partners tending to be more generous. Higher levels of prenatal testosterone are associated with a 'masculinisation effect' leading to less sharing.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalScientific Reports·DateJun 15, 2018

A system of check and balances in the blood

Researchers at the University of Vienna discovered a mechanism that regulates HSCs' delicate balance between activation and dormancy, ensuring proper blood cell production. The study found that a feedback loop involving two intracellular signalling pathways maintains this balance, preventing exhaustion and potential death.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalCell Stem Cell·DateMay 24, 2018

Embryonic gene regulation through mechanical forces

Researchers found that mechanical cues contribute to the regulation of gene expression during early development. External pressure can activate or restore the expression of a crucial developmental regulator gene, brachyury. This mechanism is conserved across species, including zebrafish and fruitflies.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMay 22, 2018

Sexual objectification influences visual perception

Researchers found that symmetrical stimuli are less likely to trigger an inversion effect when targets are sexualized, suggesting a cognitive mechanism behind human sexual objectification. Visual exploration strategies may play a role in this phenomenon, with lower fixations on the face region of sexualized targets.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalPLOS ONE·DateApr 12, 2018

Fingerprints of quantum entanglement

Researchers developed a novel verification method to prove large-scale entanglement with only a single measurement run, significantly reducing time and resources required. This breakthrough enables the reliable benchmarking of future quantum devices with unprecedented efficiency.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·Journalnpj Quantum Information·DateFeb 15, 2018

Nano-watch has steady hands

Scientists at the University of Vienna have developed an incredibly stable nanoscale clock that can maintain its accuracy for extremely long periods. The clock, which consists of a levitated silicon cylinder, has a precision of one millionth of a second over four days.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalNature Communications·DateNov 21, 2017

The key to a nut

Researchers found that cockatoos excel at fitting shapes into specific frames without requiring training or visual alignment like humans. They require fewer attempts to insert simple shapes compared to non-human primates, highlighting an allocentric frame of reference similar to toddlers.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalPLOS ONE·DateNov 8, 2017

Household with mother (-in-law) means fewer kids

Researchers analyzed records of over 2.5 million women from 14 countries, finding that living with a mother-in-law actually results in lower family sizes. Women who live with either their own or husband's mother have fewer children compared to those who only live with their spouse.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalRoyal Society Open Science·DateOct 25, 2017

Jumping nanoparticles

The study confirms Einstein's theoretical analysis of Brownian motion by observing the Kramers turnover in levitated nanoparticles. The researchers found that the transition rate between states depends on friction and grows with decreasing friction before decreasing again at low friction levels.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalNature Nanotechnology·DateOct 24, 2017

Microbes leave 'fingerprints' on Martian rocks

Researchers have discovered that a specific microbe can oxidize and metabolize metals from synthetic Martian regolith simulants, leaving behind unique signatures. This finding could enable the extraction of metals from asteroids and other celestial bodies using biological methods.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalFrontiers in Microbiology·DateOct 17, 2017

Risk of cesarean section is heritable

A recent study by Philipp Mitteroecker and colleagues used the cliff edge model to predict that women born by Caesarean are more likely to develop FPD in their own childbirth, with a 2.8 times higher risk compared to women born vaginally.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 16, 2017

A cereal survives heat and drought

Researchers sequenced Pearl millet genome, revealing molecular properties hinting at drought resistance mechanisms. The findings provide a resource for marker-selected breeding studies to improve agronomic traits in arid environments.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalNature Biotechnology·DateSep 18, 2017

The evolutionary origin of the gut

Researchers from the University of Vienna have challenged a 150-year-old hypothesis on the evolutionary origin of the gut by studying sea anemones. Contrary to previous beliefs, digestive enzyme- and insulin-producing gland cells do not develop from endoderm but from the ectodermal part of the mouth in sea anemones.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalNature Ecology & Evolution·DateSep 11, 2017

Quantum ruler for biomolecules

Researchers at the University of Vienna developed a quantum ruler for biomolecules using a novel arrangement of nanogratings and laser beams. The technique allows for precise measurement of molecular electronic properties, such as those of vitamins A, E, and K1, with high accuracy.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalAngewandte Chemie·DateAug 22, 2017

When fish swim in the holodeck

Scientists have developed a system called FreemoVR, which immerses freely-moving animals in a reactive, three-dimensional world controlled by a computer. This allows researchers to study complex interactions of neurons in different brain regions while maintaining natural sensory input and feedback.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalNature Methods·DateAug 21, 2017

Massive particles test standard quantum theory

Scientists at the University of Vienna and Tel Aviv have conducted the first experiment testing standard quantum theory with massive molecules, placing upper bounds on higher-order interference. The researchers used a nanofabricated mask to create a diffraction pattern that followed expectations of standard quantum mechanics.

SourceUniversity of Vienna·JournalScience Advances·DateAug 11, 2017