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KAIST uses surface ‘defects’ to enhance droplet formation and removal, achieving up to 5.5 times the heat transfer performance of conventional surfaces

Researchers created a technology that controls the thickness and structure of a polymer coating, allowing more water droplets to form and detach quickly. This enhances heat transfer performance during condensation, improving energy efficiency in power plants and industrial applications.

Droplet forming power is key for cells to attach properly

Researchers at Kobe University discovered that the molecule afadin plays a crucial role in cell adhesion by facilitating droplet formation. This process is essential for organs to form properly and tissues to develop, with significant implications for cancer metastasis and tissue engineering.

SourceKobe University·JournalCell Reports·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 26, 2025

Researchers create a one-dimensional gas out of light

Physicists at the University of Bonn and Kaiserslautern-Landau created a one-dimensional gas out of light, allowing for the first time to test theoretical predictions about its transition into an exotic state of matter. The method used in the experiment could be used to examine quantum effects.

SourceUniversity of Bonn·JournalNature Physics·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 6, 2024

Antarctica’s ocean brightens clouds

A study published in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics found that phytoplankton productivity in the Southern Ocean contributes to dense clouds that reflect sunlight. The high density of water droplets in these clouds helps regulate global temperatures and precipitation patterns.

SourceUniversity of Utah·JournalAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics·TypeObservational study·DateFeb 7, 2023

Superaerophobic polyethyleneimine hydrogels for improving electrochemical hydrogen production by promoting bubble detachment

Researchers at UNIST developed superaerophobic polyethyleneimine hydrogels to improve electrochemical hydrogen production by promoting bubble detachment. These hydrogels can be easily coated on electrodes, allowing for controlled pore size and porosity, leading to enhanced performance.

SourceUlsan National Institute of Science and Technology(UNIST)·JournalAdvanced Energy Materials·DateOct 25, 2022

Researchers’ flow platform advances water harvesting technology

Researchers have advanced a novel platform to accelerate the harvesting process, solving a key problem in water collection by removing thermal barriers. The design features mushroom-like channels that direct water droplets into collectible containers, allowing for continuous water harvesting anywhere.

SourceUniversity of Texas at Dallas·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateOct 4, 2022

Revealing how different parts of mixed convective-stratiform clouds distinctly respond to cloud seeding

Researchers analyzed data from Ka-band radar and satellite observations to study the effects of cloud seeding on mixed convective-stratiform clouds. The study found that the convective region responds with larger precipitation particles, while the stratiform region experiences icing seeding tracks due to faster ice crystal formation.

SourceInstitute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences·JournalAdvances in Atmospheric Sciences·DateJul 25, 2022

Even the smallest pollution particles change the rainfall regime in the Amazon

Researchers found nanoparticles from human activities rapidly grow in atmosphere and influence cloud formation, affecting raindrop formation and changing rainfall regime. The study provides new insights into the impact of small aerosols on precipitation and improves climate change studies based on mathematical models.

Condensing by turning toward the crowd

A new mechanism of condensation has been discovered in self-propelled particles, where they turn and move toward dense regions to accumulate. This finding challenges the traditional understanding of condensation, which relies on attractive forces between molecules.

SourcePrinceton University·JournalNature Physics·DateMay 20, 2021

Scientists propose new formation mechanism for solar coronal rain

Scientists have discovered a new type of coronal rain forming along open magnetic structures on the Sun, which is facilitated by interchange magnetic reconnection between open and closed magnetic structures. This mechanism triggers thermal instability, leading to cooling and condensation of hot coronal plasma, resulting in coronal rain.

SourceChinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters·JournalThe Astrophysical Journal·DateApr 22, 2021

Drop the stress

Researchers discovered that stress triggers the formation of molecular droplets in the transcription regulator NELF, leading to a rapid downregulation of gene activity. This mechanism is essential for cell survival upon stress, as cells lacking proper NELF condensation experience higher death rates during stress.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalCell Biology·DateFeb 10, 2021

Science of sandcastles is clarified, finally

Researchers at the University of Manchester have clarified the science behind sandcastle building by resolving a century-old mystery. They created artificial capillaries where water vapor can condense under ambient conditions, showing that the 150-year-old Kelvin equation remains surprisingly accurate even at an atomic scale.

SourceUniversity of Manchester·JournalNature·DateDec 9, 2020

New understanding of condensation could lead to better power plant condenser, de-icing materials

New research shows that the slipperiness between droplets and solid surfaces is more critical for clearing condensation than previously thought. The findings could lead to cost-effective alternatives to water-repellent materials, such as ceramic or metal surfaces, which could last longer and be more durable.

'Sneezing' plants contribute to disease proliferation

Researchers discovered that wheat plants' sneezing off condensation can spread spore-borne diseases like wheat leaf rust, causing crop yield losses up to 20%. Condensation droplets can carry spores and jump high distances, potentially spreading disease across entire crops.

SourceVirginia Tech·JournalJournal of The Royal Society Interface·DateJun 21, 2019

Doing more with less

Researchers at University of Freiburg discover that reducing cell number in MSC clusters activates intrinsic differentiation program, prompting cartilage cell formation. Cell membrane proteins Caveolin-1 and N-Cadherin play key role in chondrogenic differentiation.

SourceUniversity of Freiburg·JournalStem Cell Research & Therapy·DateJan 14, 2019

DNA dominos on a chip

Researchers at TU Munich and Weizmann Institute successfully recreated DNA condensation on a biochip, replicating the tightly packed structure found in cell nuclei and viruses. This breakthrough enables better understanding of biological processes and potential applications in artificial cells.

SourceTechnical University of Munich (TUM)·JournalNature Nanotechnology·DateAug 9, 2016