Add BrightSurf on Google Email

Lehigh scientists extend the reach of single crystals

Researchers at Lehigh University have made a breakthrough in creating single crystals from glasses, which could enable the use of disordered materials in high-tech applications like lasers and LEDs. The new method uses a novel heating strategy to convert glass into a single crystal without unwanted crystals forming.

SourceLehigh University·JournalScientific Reports·DateMar 21, 2016

Google glass meets organs-on-chips

Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital developed a wearable device to monitor and control organs-on-chips, a platform for testing drug compounds. The system uses Google Glass for hands-free control and monitoring, enabling high-accuracy predictions of physiological responses.

SourceBrigham and Women's Hospital·JournalScientific Reports·DateMar 18, 2016

Experimentation and largest-ever quantum simulation of a disordered system explain quantum many-particle problem

Physicists have successfully simulated a disordered quantum system on the largest supercomputers, providing new insights into the many-particle problem. The researchers used controlled experiments and computer simulations to study the behavior of materials such as high-temperature superconductors.

Solar cells as light as a soap bubble

Researchers at MIT have developed a new approach to making solar cells, resulting in the thinnest and lightest complete solar cells ever made. The new process enables the creation of ultra-thin, flexible solar cells that can be integrated into various materials or surfaces, opening up new possibilities for portable electronic devices.

SourceMassachusetts Institute of Technology·JournalOrganic Electronics·DateFeb 26, 2016

Baby physics

Infants as young as a few months can understand the physical properties of liquids, including loose cohesiveness and changes in shape with movement. This 'naïve physics' knowledge is evident even when faced with unexpected behaviors, such as liquids getting trapped on grids or solids passing through them.

SourceInternational School of Advanced Studies (SISSA)·JournalPsychological Science·DateFeb 10, 2016

Nanoscale one-way-street for light

Researchers at TU Wien developed a nanoscale device that allows light to propagate in only one direction, breaking the symmetry of traditional optics. By coupling alkali atoms to ultrathin glass fibers, they achieved high transmission rates for light traveling in one direction while blocking it in the other.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalPhysical Review X·DateDec 14, 2015

Forming glass shapes: Lowering the 'softening temperature' via electric field

Researchers at Lehigh University and the University of Colorado Boulder discovered that an electric field can lower the softening temperature of glass, allowing for significant energy savings in traditional forming approaches. This phenomenon has potential applications in micro- and nano-forming operations and high-precision nanostamping.

SourceAmerican Institute of Physics·JournalApplied Physics Letters·DateNov 3, 2015

Microscopic animals inspire innovative glass research

Researchers at the University of Chicago have discovered a new type of glass by studying the properties of microscopic animals, including tardigrades. The team found that these creatures can create glassy molecules under extreme conditions, leading to potential breakthroughs in electronic devices and material science.

SourceUniversity of Chicago·JournalThe Journal of Chemical Physics·DateSep 3, 2015

Liquids on fibers -- slipping or flowing?

Researchers at Saarland University have found that liquid films on fibers can slip faster than flow along the fiber, leading to faster droplet formation. The team's study has important implications for designing novel fiber coatings for water harvesting applications.

SourceSaarland University·JournalNature Communications·DateJul 1, 2015

Improving insulation materials, down to wetting crossed fibers

Researchers study the behavior of liquids trapped between two parallel fibers, discovering that spreading is controlled by three key parameters: liquid amount, fiber orientation, and distance between them. This insight could lead to cheaper materials with better insulation properties.

SourceSpringer·JournalThe European Physical Journal E·DateJul 1, 2015

Physicists shatter stubborn mystery of how glass forms

Scientists have described the molecular-level process of glass formation, combining two decades-old theories to predict bulk behavior, surface flow, and the elusive glass transition. The new theory has implications for developing nanomaterials with conductive properties and calculating pharmaceutical uptake.

SourceUniversity of Waterloo·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJun 29, 2015

Crossing a critical threshold in optical communications

Scientists from Lehigh University, Japan and Canada demonstrate the 'world's first fully functioning single crystal waveguide in glass' for all-optical data transmission. The breakthrough enables compact and multifunctional photonic integrated circuits with high density of components and opportunities for new technologies.

SourceLehigh University·JournalScientific Reports·DateJun 8, 2015

Martian glass -- window into possible past life

Researchers from Brown University have detected deposits of glass within impact craters on Mars, suggesting that it could preserve signs of life. The study found large glass deposits in several ancient yet well-preserved craters, including Hargraves near Nili Fossae trough.

SourceBrown University·JournalGeology·DateJun 8, 2015

Sea sponge anchors are natural models of strength

A team of Brown University engineers found that the unique internal structure of sea sponge spicules contributes to their remarkable anchoring ability. The pattern of decreasing layer thickness from center to edge enhances the spicule's strength and stability, potentially inspiring new engineering designs.

SourceBrown University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 6, 2015

Discovery could yield more efficient portable electronics, solar cells

A team of chemists from the University of Wisconsin-Madison has developed a method to precisely order molecules in organic glasses, leading to more efficient and durable portable electronic devices and potentially new generations of solar cells. This breakthrough could result in displays that produce more light using less energy.

SourceUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateMar 23, 2015

An explosive quartet

Astronomers spot four images of a distant supernova in a massive galaxy cluster, bending light due to gravitational lensing. The discovery provides insights into dark matter's distribution and helps refine estimates of its amount.

SourceESA/Hubble Information Centre·JournalScience·DateMar 5, 2015

Untangling DNA with a droplet of water, a pipet and a polymer

Researchers at KU Leuven developed a simple and effective way to untangle DNA using a 'rolling droplet' technique. The method involves injecting genetic material into a droplet of water and dragging it over a glass plate covered with a sticky polymer, resulting in longer and straighter DNA strands that can be studied under a microscope.

SourceKU Leuven·JournalACS Nano·DateFeb 27, 2015

Is glass a true solid?

Researchers used computer simulations and information theory to study glass's behavior. They discovered that atoms in the glass organize into icosahedral configurations, which increase in size over time, suggesting that glass can become a true solid.

SourceUniversity of Bristol·JournalNature Communications·DateJan 22, 2015

Glass for battery electrodes

Researchers at ETH Zurich have discovered a new glass material that can store more energy than traditional lithium-ion batteries. The vanadate-borate glass exhibits improved charging capacity and stability, paving the way for more efficient electric vehicles and longer-lasting portable electronics.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalScientific Reports·DateJan 13, 2015

Particles, waves and ants

Researchers found that the time spent by a drunken sailor on a square with streetlamps is constant regardless of the lamp density. This effect also applies to light waves in disordered media, rubber balls rolling across a plank, and even ant paths, revealing a universal phenomenon.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateNov 26, 2014