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Electrons used to control ultrashort laser pulses

Researchers at Lund University developed a method to control extreme UV light using strong laser pulses, allowing for precise manipulation of electron dynamics and light properties. This technique has the potential to revolutionize our understanding of light/electron interactions.

SourceLund University·JournalNature Photonics·DateMar 21, 2017

Breakthrough in live coral imaging

Scientists used OCT to observe tissue organization and behavior of living corals, identifying changes in tissue layers and fluorescent pigments under light exposure. The study reveals that corals expand their surface area at night and produce more mucus upon stress, challenging current assumptions about coral metabolic rates.

SourceUniversity of Copenhagen - Faculty of Science·JournalJournal of The Royal Society Interface·DateMar 6, 2017

Light-driven reaction converts carbon dioxide into fuel

Researchers at Duke University developed tiny rhodium nanoparticles that convert carbon dioxide into methane using ultraviolet light, potentially reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. The discovery offers a promising alternative energy source and could be scaled up for industrial applications.

SourceDuke University·JournalNature Communications·DateFeb 23, 2017

Hard shell -- healthy kernel

Researchers from the University of Jena investigate the effects of five types of nuts on colon cancer cells, finding that they activate the body's defences to detoxify reactive oxygen species. Nuts stimulate the activity of protective enzymes catalase and superoxide dismutase, inducing programmed cell death in cancer cells.

SourceFriedrich-Schiller-Universitaet Jena·JournalMolecular Carcinogenesis·DateFeb 6, 2017

Nature-based sunscreens

Scientists have introduced a new family of UVA and UVB filters inspired by natural sunscreen substances found in algae and cyanobacteria. These molecules are highly stable, enhance commercial sunscreen effectiveness, and offer improved sun protection factor.

SourceWiley·JournalAngewandte Chemie International Edition·DateJan 30, 2017

Manipulating gene expression precisely using light

Researchers at Hokkaido University have created a new technology that can precisely control gene expression by light illumination, overcoming existing limitations. The method uses ultraviolet and blue light to start and stop protein production in embryos, enabling precise timing and duration of gene expression.

SourceHokkaido University·JournalACS Chemical Biology·DateJan 23, 2017

How plants manage excess solar energy

Scientists have found that the UVR8 receptor in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii activates a safety valve to dissipate excess energy as heat. The study reveals a second protective role of these receptors, producing an anti-UV 'sunscreen'.

SourceUniversité de Genève·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateDec 5, 2016

New tool uses UV light to control inflammation

Researchers at Cornell University developed a chemical tool that controls inflammation using UV light, allowing for targeted therapy with minimal side effects. The method has potential applications in treating inflammatory diseases such as asthma and rheumatoid arthritis.

SourceCornell University·JournalChemical Science·DateDec 2, 2016

Light drives single-molecule nanoroadsters

Researchers at Rice University and the University of Graz successfully drove single-molecule nanoroadsters using light, demonstrating a new method for propulsion. The vehicles, made of 112 atoms, reached a top speed of 23 nanometers per hour and showed wavelength sensitivity.

SourceRice University·JournalACS Nano·DateNov 4, 2016

Star's intense radiation beams whip neighboring red dwarf

Researchers at the University of Warwick have discovered a new type of exotic binary star that produces powerful beams of particles and radiation, affecting its nearby companion star. The star, AR Scorpii, has a white dwarf with intense magnetic fields that accelerate electrons in the atmosphere of the red dwarf to close to the speed o...

SourceUniversity of Warwick·JournalNature·DateJul 27, 2016

'Jumping film' harnesses the power of humidity

Scientists create a film that curls up and straightens autonomously when exposed to tiny changes in humidity, using it to transform environmental fluctuations into mechanical energy. The film can jump high and repeatedly bend and straighten without deterioration.

SourceRIKEN·JournalNature Materials·DateJul 18, 2016

Researchers uncover new light harvesting potentials

A quantum-confined bandgap narrowing mechanism has been found to extend UV absorption into the visible light range, enabling design of high-efficiency paintable solar cells and water purification using sunlight. The researchers mixed TiO2 particles with graphene quantum dots, resulting in a composite that absorbs visible light.

SourceGriffith University·JournalChemical Communications·DateJul 13, 2016

ALMA observes most distant oxygen ever

The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) has observed oxygen in a galaxy 700 million years after the Big Bang, providing evidence for cosmic reionisation. The findings suggest that many brilliant stars have formed in the galaxy, emitting intense ultraviolet light to ionise gas.

SourceESO·JournalScience·DateJun 16, 2016