Articles tagged with Ions
The new Georgia Tech satellite engine uses solar power and fine-tuned exhaust velocity to reduce fuel consumption by up to 40 percent. This allows for more payload in orbit and potentially lower launch costs.
Researchers at the University of Illinois developed a simple electrochemical process for direct patterning of metallic interconnects and nanostructures. The S4 process uses a patterned superionic material as a stamp, etching a metallic film in a single step.
Scientists conducted precision comparisons among NIST's cesium fountain and mercury ion clocks, narrowing the range for a possible change in the fine-structure constant. These experiments aim to develop a more complete understanding of the history of the universe and test recent theories.
Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed a simple, disposable sensor for detecting hazardous uranium ions using DNA. The sensor provides fast, on-site testing for assessing uranium contamination and remediation strategies, with detection sensitivity rivalling sophisticated laboratory instruments.
Researchers modeled Martian radiation environment to determine if life can survive; three-dimensional models improve predictions for glacial isostatic adjustments. A new method using seismic noise images volcanoes in three dimensions, offering improved volcanic hazard assessment.
Scientists have made significant discoveries about the energy-generating mechanisms of bacteria, specifically Vibrio cholerae. The study reveals that this pathogen uses a unique system involving the enzyme NQR to generate a sodium gradient, which powers essential cell functions like movement and flagellar rotation.
Applied scientists developed a method for creating wrinkled hard skins on polymer surfaces using a focused ion beam. The technique has potential use in biological sensors and microfluidic devices, as well as custom-made cell templates for tissue engineering.
Researchers successfully produce a molecular Solomon knot, consisting of two doubly intertwined rings, through careful selection of metal ions and solvents. The study showcases the potential for self-organization in systems with individual molecular components not chemically bound to each other.
A team of researchers found a significant link between ozone levels in Mexico City and US cities like Houston, highlighting the global impact of air pollution. The study used ozonesondes to measure ozone and other atmospheric variables, revealing that pollution from Asia can also affect the Pacific Northwest.
Researchers in Taiwan create a new method to accurately analyze the masses of individual, intact viruses using a miniaturized ion trap. They achieve a margin of error of ±1% by employing a gentle ionization technique and a specially designed cylindrical ion trap.
Research highlights the impact of manmade aerosols on oceanic heat content in the Southern Hemisphere, which may exacerbate climate change. Atmospheric models also improve representation of lower-tropospheric turbulence anisotropy.
Johnson and Qian found that NR1/2D receptors respond to weak inputs, strengthening synapses and facilitating learning and memory. Their discovery sheds light on the mechanisms behind diseases such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer's.
The new biochip enables researchers to obtain 60 times more data in one reading than current technology, accelerating scientific research and drug development for muscle and nerve disorders. It also allows for the screening and identification of different crop lines, reducing time and cost.
Researchers at NIST have successfully purified entangled atom pairs using a nondestructive method, which could improve the quality of particles for practical applications in quantum computing and communications. The purification rate is significantly higher than previous experiments with photons.
Researchers found a connection between Antarctic ice sheet mass balance and weather systems worldwide, suggesting that storms in the Pacific Ocean may influence calving and iceberg breakup. This discovery provides new insights into past climate shifts and potential mechanisms linking global climate and weather patterns.
Purdue researchers use new mass spectrometry technique to create high-resolution images of biological samples, enabling precise cancer detection and tissue removal. The technology has far-reaching applications in medicine, including the detection of diseases like cancer.
Researchers at University of Illinois and University of Arizona use computer simulations and experiments to understand the molecular mechanism behind gating in aquaporins. They discover that a single protein can be used as both a water channel and an ion channel depending on the signaling pathway activated.
A team of researchers from Arizona State University and Motorola Labs developed sensors based on single-walled carbon nanotubes that can detect heavy metal ions in water at parts per trillion levels. The devices use peptides to recognize specific compounds, allowing for selective detection of toxic chemicals.
Researchers at Rice University have decoded the three-dimensional structure of a tornado-like magnetic vortex no larger than a red blood cell. The discovery could lead to breakthroughs in ultra-high-density hard drive storage and non-volatile memory.
The Radiation Belt Storm Probes – Energetic Particle, Composition, and Thermal Plasma (RBSP-ECT) project will measure the behavior of charged particles causing space radiation. The study aims to achieve a better understanding of the physical processes controlling the shape and intensity of Earth's radiation belts.
Researchers created a nanoscale probe that can capture both biochemical makeup and topography of complex biological objects in their natural environment. The Scanning Mass Spectrometry (SMS) probe helps understand cellular interactions at the most fundamental level, including cell signaling and protein expression.
Researchers at University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have found a new way to open ion channels in cell membranes by using an enzyme found in brown recluse spider venom. This discovery introduces a new paradigm for understanding the gating of ion channels and lays the groundwork for designing new drugs to control ion-channel act...
Physicists at NIST have developed a portable atomic clock based on a single mercury ion, outperforming the national standard clock by at least five times. The improved version of the mercury clock maintains accuracy for over 400 million years, opening up new possibilities for ultra-precise timekeeping and frequency standards.
Physicists at NIST have developed a novel electromagnetic trap for ions that could be mass produced to build large-scale quantum computers. The new trap, described in Physical Review Letters, uses a 'chip-like' geometry to confine ions and has shown promise in trapping multiple ions without generating excessive heat.
Researchers at Georgia Tech have developed new high-throughput ionization techniques to quantify the composition of counterfeit anti-malarials. These techniques, DESI and DART, allow for rapid screening and improved sensitivity, with potential applications in drug quality control and malaria control.
Chemists have synthesized a new species of iron, designated as iron VI, which has two valence electrons and is highly reactive. This discovery adds to our understanding of fundamental iron chemistry and its catalytic properties, potentially leading to novel compounds for industry and biomedicine.
The eRHIC facility will enable physicists to probe the matter contained within ions with high precision. Analyzing collisions between RHIC ions and eRHIC electrons can help answer fundamental questions in physics about quark-gluon interactions and nuclear spin.
Researchers identify a single mechanism linking ciliary, serotonergic and ion flow mechanisms to control embryonic laterality. The study challenges previous hypotheses on the role of cilia in left/right asymmetry, providing insight into human development and birth defects related to left/right asymmetry.
Yale researchers found that environmental toxins like TBT can alter the balance of chloride ions in outer hair cells, causing profound changes in sound amplification in the inner ear. This study confirms that whales and other marine mammals exposed to TBT have altered hearing and may contribute to beaching incidents.
Researchers at Delft University of Technology have observed flowing nano ripples using an electron microscope, challenging existing theories on their formation. The observations reveal that the waves flow in the same direction as the incoming ions, contradicting previous assumptions about the movement of nano ripples.
Scientists studied magma chamber pressure changes following a massive lava-dome collapse on Montserrat, finding an unprecedented increase in pressure. Another study revealed a simplified model of rock fracture dissolution, which predicts a power-law distribution of channel lengths. Additionally, researchers explored aerosol transport a...
When plant tissue is eaten by insects, it causes a decrease in electric voltage, leading to a decrease in the cell's ability to react. The study found that calcium ion concentration in attacked leaves was smaller than in mechanically wounded leaves, potentially reducing the plant's defense.
Scientists study stardust in labs to understand element formation and stellar evolution. The analysis of isotopic compositions provides clues about nuclear and chemical processes in stars.
A colossal gamma-ray flare from magnetar SGR 1806-20 has profoundly disturbed the Earth's daytime ionosphere. Scientists detected this massive effect using VLF radio waves, which enable them to monitor ionospheric responses to lightning discharges and cosmic events.
A study of 851 patients found that metabolic acidosis was associated with a higher mortality rate compared to non-acidosis patients. Lactic acidosis and SIG acidosis were identified as independent predictors of hospital mortality in critically ill patients.
Researchers at the University of Nevada and Los Alamos National Laboratory have developed a breakthrough in concentrating carbon ion beams, a crucial step towards improving cancer tumor treatment. The innovation also opens up opportunities for advances in nuclear fusion applications.
A new mass spectrometer design will enable scientists to analyze intact protein complexes in seconds, avoiding sample loss and improving research efficiency. This breakthrough technology could revolutionize fields like proteomics, virology, and nanotechnology.
Brookhaven scientists used sliced ion imaging to analyze energy flow during ketene fragmentation, a small molecule stand-in for complicated fuels. They found agreement with variational transition state theory predictions, refuting earlier work on the theory.
Scientists use patch-clamp technique and protein engineering to measure proton-transfer events at single-proton, single-amino-acid level, revealing new insights into membrane proteins' behavior.
Max Planck researchers have expanded the tool kit of colloid particles to produce new, shimmering colours that change with temperature. By metallising crystals with gold, they created patterns of varying symmetries and sizes at nanoscale, opening up possibilities for optical data processing.
Researchers at NIST successfully entangle six ions to exhibit superposition of spin states, extending the domain of Schrödinger cat states. The achievement has implications for quantum computing, encryption, and precision instruments.
A $6.5 million nanomedicine center at Yale University aims to design, model, synthesize, and fabricate nanomedical devices based on natural and synthetic ion transporters. The center will focus on developing biobatteries for implantable devices, including an artificial retina.
Researchers have developed a new PNA molecule that can be used to construct nanodevices, thanks to its ability to form stable metal-containing duplexes even with non-complementary strands. This breakthrough could lead to the creation of novel electronic devices and materials.
A team of researchers at Ames Laboratory is using $1.02 million in DOE funding to study the chemical processes within plant cells. By understanding metabolism, they aim to control the production of sugars, fibers, and waxes. The project involves developing new analytical instruments capable of identifying molecules in small quantities.
NIST demonstrates improved quantum memory capabilities, enabling qubits to maintain superpositions over 1 million times longer. This advance significantly reduces the computing resources needed to correct memory errors in fault-tolerant quantum computers.
Physicists at NIST have used the natural oscillations of two different types of charged atoms to produce the 'ticks' that may power a future atomic clock. By transferring information between two ions, they were able to determine the aluminum's resonant frequency extremely accurately.
Nanofluidic transistors, the basis of future chemical processors, have been successfully created by researchers. These devices can control fluid flow without moving parts, enabling applications such as cancer diagnosis and biomolecular sensing.
Researchers detect enols in flames for the first time, revealing a new class of chemistry. The discovery uses a novel technique to distinguish between molecules and has potential applications in reducing pollutants and improving fuel cells.
Physicists at NIST demonstrated a crucial step in using quantum computers to break today's most commonly used encryption codes. The team used three ions as qubits to represent 1s or 0s and identified repeating patterns in quantum information. This work paves the way for building large-scale quantum computers.
Researchers propose new method for studying ion channel kinetics using independent open-to-closed transitions. The new approach allows molecular biologists to simplify models uniquely, distinguishing between different states and enabling better understanding of biological processes.
A team of researchers at the University of Nevada, Reno has developed a proton beam with 100 times higher quality than conventional particle accelerators, fitting on a tabletop. This breakthrough technology could enable precise treatment for cancers previously untreatable, such as those in the head region.
Researchers have discovered a new process called sumoylation that regulates key ion channels, including the background potassium channel. This process allows cells to control the flow of ions, which is essential for various cellular activities such as nerve impulses and muscle contractions.
Biologists find that garter snake nerve cell proteins undergo rapid evolutionary changes to detoxify the newt's potent toxin TTX, enabling the snakes to survive. This molecular arms race allows the garter snakes to evade their toxic prey.
Virginia Tech researchers have made a breakthrough in using supercritical fluid chromatography to separate polar and ionic compounds, paving the way for green-chemistry techniques in drug development. The discovery uses carbon dioxide-based fluids with added polar solvents containing ionic components.
A new device can detect traces of explosives in air, making it possible to screen 100% of passengers at airports and border crossings. The device is 1,000 times more sensitive than current technology, allowing for accurate detection with minimal environmental interference.
Deep-sea tubeworms have adapted to thrive near hydrothermal vents by binding hydrogen sulfide molecules with zinc ions in their hemoglobin. This discovery could lead to the development of new oxygen carriers and medical applications.
Physicists at NIST recreate key process for nuclear energy production in dense stars using ultracold crystals. The experiments may help study nuclear fusion as an energy source and demonstrate a new method for modeling dense stellar objects.
RHIC scientists observe intriguing data in gold-gold collisions, indicating the presence of a new form of matter. The copper experiments will provide control data to help understand how this phenomenon is produced and controlled.
Physicists at NIST have developed a method for automatically correcting data-handling errors in quantum computers, enabling potentially massive computational power. The approach exploits entanglement of atoms to create redundant data sets and correct errors, making it more practical than previous methods.
Research papers in Geophysical Research Letters highlight advancements in measuring ocean conveyor belt circulation, tracing large-scale pollution from space, analyzing the energy of strong thunderstorms, and improving space weather predictions using recent satellite data.