Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Vienna University of Technology


How to swim without a brain

A team of scientists simulated the movement of microorganisms in liquids without a central control system. They found that simple rules and decentralized control can lead to efficient swimming behavior, potentially enabling nanobots to transport drugs or perform other complex tasks.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalCommunications Physics·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMay 19, 2025

A Snapshot of Relativistic Motion: Special relativity made visible

Researchers from Vienna University of Technology successfully reproduced the Terrell-Penrose effect using laser pulses and precision cameras, demonstrating the relativistic length contraction and its impact on perceived rotation. The experiment uses a novel technique inspired by art to recreate the effect in the laboratory.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalCommunications Physics·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 5, 2025

New hybrid materials as efficient thermoelectrics

Researchers developed new hybrid materials with reduced lattice vibrations and increased mobility of charge carriers, achieving more than a 100% increase in efficiency. This breakthrough decouples heat and charge transport, enabling stable and cheaper thermoelectric materials that can compete with existing compounds.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 17, 2025

How to get rid of carbon dioxide for good

Computer simulations show that captured CO2 can be permanently stored underground by mixing with groundwater, creating a denser liquid that sinks and remains there. Suitable geological conditions, such as impermeable rock layers and porous aquifers, are necessary for effective CO2 storage.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalGeophysical Research Letters·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateApr 9, 2025

Light from artificial atoms

Researchers at TU Wien and ISTA have developed artificial atoms made of superconducting circuits that can be tuned to specific energy values. These 'artificial atoms' enable the storage and retrieval of light, opening up new possibilities for quantum experiments.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 17, 2025

The metal that does not expand

Researchers at Vienna University of Technology have developed a new alloy, pyrochlore magnet, that exhibits nearly zero thermal expansion over an extremely large temperature range. This breakthrough is due to the material's heterogeneous composition, which balances out the usual thermal expansion effect.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalNational Science Review·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 3, 2025

A new state between metal and insulator

Researchers at TU Wien discovered a new energy band that remains connected by an 'umbilical cord' when one allowed energy range splits into two separate bands. This phenomenon is bound to occur in materials with large electron interaction, opening up a new perspective on technologically highly interesting classes of materials.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalNature Communications·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJan 20, 2025

Two hundred times better catalysts thanks to carbon

Scientists have discovered that adding carbon to metal nanoparticles makes them 200 times more active, which could lead to significant cost savings and improved efficiency in industrial processes. The discovery was made possible by precise measurements and simulations of the interaction between metal nanoparticles and a carbon substrate.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalACS Catalysis·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 11, 2024

Robot learns how to clean a washbasin

A TU Wien-developed robot can learn to clean a sink by watching humans perform the task, adapting its knowledge to different shapes and applying the right amount of force. The technology combines machine learning and robotics, enabling robots to share their parameters through federated learning.

SourceVienna University of Technology·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 7, 2024

How fast is quantum entanglement?

Researchers at TU Wien have developed computer simulations to investigate the temporal development of quantum entanglement. They found that the 'birth time' of an electron flying away from an atom is related to the state of the remaining electron, demonstrating a quantum-physical superposition.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateOct 22, 2024

The insulator unraveled

The researchers used noncontact atomic force microscopy to analyze the surface structure and found that the surface rearranges to allow aluminum atoms to penetrate into the material. This rearrangement reduces energy and stabilizes the structure without changing its composition.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 12, 2024

The world's first nuclear clock

Scientists at TU Wien and JILA/NIST have successfully created the world's first nuclear clock, leveraging thorium atomic nuclei to achieve ultra-high precision measurements. The breakthrough combines a high-precision optical atomic clock with a high-energy laser system, setting the stage for future improvements in precision.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 4, 2024

A time crystal made of giant atoms

Scientists at Tsinghua University and TU Wien have created a time crystal made of giant Rydberg atoms, exhibiting spontaneous symmetry breaking and oscillating light absorption. This breakthrough deepens our understanding of the time crystal phenomenon, offering potential applications in sensors.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalNature Physics·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 9, 2024

Customised thermal radiation

A team of researchers from TU Wien and the University of Manchester demonstrated the control of thermal radiation by manipulating its topological properties. They created a coating with varying metal layer thickness along the coastline of the British Isles, allowing for localized heat emission at specific points.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 13, 2024

What waves know about their surroundings

Researchers at TU Wien have developed a theory to extract information from waves, allowing for precise measurements of objects in space. The theory reveals that the information content of a wave depends on its interaction with the object's properties, enabling customised waves to be generated for optimal information transfer.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalNature Physics·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 12, 2024

New method unravels the mystery of slow electrons

Researchers have developed a new method to study slow electrons in solids, allowing for the deciphering of previously inaccessible information. By combining data from fast and slow electrons, scientists can now investigate how electrons release energy in their interaction with materials, crucial for applications such as cancer therapy ...

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 13, 2024

A new type of cooling for quantum simulators

A new technique has been developed to cool quantum simulators, allowing for more stable experiments and better insights into quantum effects. By splitting a Bose-Einstein condensate in a specific way, researchers can reduce temperature fluctuations and enhance the performance of quantum simulators.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalPhysical Review X·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 27, 2024

A self-cleaning wall paint

Researchers developed a self-cleaning wall paint using waste-valorized titanium oxide nanoparticles, which can bind and break down pollutants, and then degrade them when exposed to sunlight. The paint combines several advantages, including air pollutant removal, longer durability, and reduced production costs.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalACS Catalysis·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 25, 2024

Holographic message encoded in simple plastic

Researchers at TU Wien have demonstrated the possibility of encoding valuable data, such as Bitcoin wallet addresses, in ordinary plastic using 3D printing and terahertz radiation. By adjusting the thickness of the plastic plate to alter the terahertz wave, a holographic image is created that stores the desired code.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalScientific Reports·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 18, 2024

Two atoms playing ping-pong

Researchers at TU Wien have developed a 'quantum ping-pong' where two atoms bounce a single photon back and forth. The team used a Maxwell fish-eye lens to achieve pinpoint accuracy, allowing the photons to be transferred from one atom to another with high efficiency.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalPhysical Review Letters·DateJan 16, 2024

The rock that creates clouds

Researchers at TU Wien discovered that feldspar's unique surface geometry provides the perfect anchoring point for water molecules, enabling efficient cloud formation. The hydroxyl layer formed on the feldspar surface allows water molecules to stick and freeze, forming clouds.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalThe Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters·DateJan 9, 2024

Two conductors of a chemical reaction

Researchers have successfully observed the operating principle of promoters in a catalytic reaction in real-time. Using high-tech microscopy methods, they visualized individual La atoms' role in hydrogen oxidation. The study revealed that two surface areas of the catalyst act as pacemakers, controlled by promoter lanthanum.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 20, 2023

How mega-floods can be predicted

A new research project uses data from over 8,000 gauging stations across Europe to predict mega-floods, reducing the surprise factor of their occurrence. By considering hydrologically similar areas, flood disasters can be anticipated and mitigated, saving lives.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalNature Geoscience·TypeMeta-analysis·DateNov 10, 2023

Extreme sports: How body and mind interact

A study published by Vienna University of Technology analyzed the effects of extreme physical and mental stress on a rowing athlete's body. The research found that the variability in heart rate, sleep quality, and regeneration during sleep phases were closely related to the athlete's psychological condition.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalFrontiers in Physiology·TypeCase study·DateOct 10, 2023

Golden future for thermoelectrics

Researchers at Vienna University of Technology have discovered a new metallic alloy of nickel and gold that exhibits exceptional thermoelectric properties, enabling high electrical power generation. The alloy outperforms conventional semiconductors in terms of power density and thermoelectric efficiency.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 18, 2023

The wild boar paradox - finally solved

Researchers from Vienna University of Technology and Leibniz University of Hannover have found the solution to the wild boar paradox. The radioactivity in wild boar meat remains high due to the accumulation of cesium-137 from nuclear weapons tests, which is also present in deer truffles that are particularly favored by wild boars.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalEnvironmental Science & Technology·TypeExperimental study·DateAug 30, 2023

Graphene: Perfection is futile

Researchers at TU Wien developed a comprehensive computer model of realistic graphene structures, showing that the material's desired effects are stable even with defects. This means graphene can be used in quantum information technology and sensing without needing to be perfect.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalCarbon·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateAug 29, 2023

New catalysts for solar hydrogen production

Researchers have developed novel photocatalysts using layered metal-organic frameworks that exhibit improved charge separation properties. These materials are able to efficiently extract charges without structural defects, enabling record values in photocatalytic hydrogen production under visible light.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalAdvanced Energy Materials·DateJul 19, 2023