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Using micro-sized cut metal wires, Japanese team forges path to new uses for terahertz waves

Researchers successfully tested a reflectionless, highly refractive index metasurface made of micro-sized cut metal wires for use in terahertz waveband applications. The metasurface has a high refractive index and low reflection at 3.0 THz, enabling potential uses in 6G wireless communications and other commercial applications.

Normally harmless cell molecule triggers neuron death

Researchers discovered that farnesyl pyrophosphate, an intermediate in normal cell metabolism, causes rapid and extensive cell death when present at high concentrations outside cells. Inhibition of TRPM2 channels or targeting its metabolic pathway may offer new avenues for reducing stroke damage.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·DateApr 26, 2021

Mimes help us 'see' objects that don't exist

Researchers discovered that mimes can rapidly and automatically build representations of invisible objects in the mind. Participants responded significantly faster when implied surfaces aligned with the mimed action, indicating active mental representation. This finding has implications for artificial intelligence related to vision, su...

SourceJohns Hopkins University·JournalPsychological Science·DateApr 1, 2021

Video gamers skills enhanced by training 10 minutes a day

Researchers at Lero found that novice gamers benefit most from tDCS before training sessions, improving performance on complex sensory-motor actions. The study suggests that neurostimulation can accelerate motor performance improvements in novice esports participants.

SourceLero·JournalComputers in Human Behavior·DateMar 26, 2021

Where am I going? Just ask your subiculum

A team at Osaka City University has found that the subiculum sorts and routes spatial information from the hippocampus to specific regions of the brain, enabling smooth navigation. This discovery could shed light on disorders such as dementia and improve our understanding of brain function.

SourceOsaka City University·JournalScience Advances·DateMar 10, 2021

Cheap, potent pathway to pandemic therapeutics

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have developed a new technique to discover tiny antibody fragments that can target different parts of a pathogen, making them effective against variants. This approach has the potential to quickly identify multiple potent nanobodies that can neutralize pathogens.

SourceUniversity of Pittsburgh·JournalCell Systems·DateFeb 15, 2021

Scrambled supersolids

Scientists discovered a way to create supersolids using ultracold quantum gases, a state that exhibits both crystalline order and particle flow. The researchers found that by draining the superfluid bath, the droplets lose communication and behave like independent systems, but can be revived by replenishing the bath.

SourceUniversity of Innsbruck·JournalNature Physics·DateJan 4, 2021

Undocumented immigrants far less likely to commit crimes in U.S. than citizens

A new study from the University of Wisconsin-Madison analyzed Texas arrest data and found that undocumented immigrants were significantly less likely to be arrested for various felony offenses compared to U.S. citizens. The researchers believe that first-generation immigrants, including undocumented immigrants, tend to have lower crime...

SourceUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateDec 7, 2020

Oil droplet predators chase oil droplet prey

A team of researchers from Penn State describes a system where oil droplets exhibit 'non-reciprocal' interactions, chasing down other droplets that flee like prey. The system is controlled by chemical signaling and can be tuned to understand interactions in many-body systems.

SourcePenn State·JournalNature Chemistry·DateNov 17, 2020

Farms, tables and vast impacts between and beyond

A new study by Michigan State University reveals the far-reaching effects of irrigated agriculture on the environment, including water scarcity and greenhouse gas emissions. The research highlights the importance of considering the complex connections between food production, energy use, and environmental sustainability.

SourceMichigan State University·JournalNature Communications·DateNov 17, 2020

Rice's Haotian Wang wins Packard fellowship

Haotian Wang, a researcher at Rice University, has received a $875,000 five-year grant from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation to pursue his work on converting carbon dioxide into fuels. The award supports his technology that uses renewable electricity to convert greenhouse gases into valuable chemical fuels.