Dec 15, 2025 Microscale swimming bots take in sensory information, process it and carry out tasks, opening new possibilities in manufacturing and medicine. (Nanowerk News) The world’s smallest fully programmable, autonomous robots have debuted at the University of Pennsylvania, sporting a brain developed at the University of Michigan. These microscopic...
Scientists create stable, switchable vortex knots inside liquid crystals
Dec 15, 2025 Researchers formed stable vortex knots in chiral nematic liquid crystals and used electric pulses to reversibly fuse and split them into different knotted forms. (Nanowerk News) The knots in your shoelaces are familiar, but can you imagine knots made from light, water, or from the structured fluids...
Molecules as switches for sustainable light-driven technologies
Dec 15, 2025 A team of nanophysicists identifies new mechanisms of plasmonic damping. (Nanowerk News) Metal nanostructures can concentrate light so strongly that they can trigger chemical reactions. The key players in this process are plasmons—collective oscillations of free electrons in the metal that confine energy to extremely small volumes....
How microscopic particles surf forces to move with minimal energy
Dec 15, 2025 Physicists show how microscopic particles can harness fluctuations and external forces to minimize transport energy and even extract usable work. (Nanowerk News) Conditions can get rough in the micro- and nanoworld. To ensure that e.g. nutrients can still be optimally transported within cells, the minuscule transporters involved...
Glowing carbon nanodots that remember injuries could transform aircraft safety inspections
Dec 15, 2025 A new phosphorescent material remembers mechanical stress and resets with ultrasound, enabling reusable optical sensors to track hidden structural damage in aircraft components. (Nanowerk Spotlight) When structural engineers examine aircraft components for signs of fatigue or hidden damage, they typically rely on instruments like ultrasonic scanners, X-ray...
Visible light makes safe plastic electrodes on skin, textiles and glass
Dec 15, 2025 Researchers show visible light can polymerize conductive plastics into electrodes without toxic chemicals, enabling sensors on skin, textiles and scalable electronics. (Nanowerk News) Visible light can be used to create electrodes from conductive plastics completely without hazardous chemicals. This is shown in a new study carried out...
Optimized MOF membranes boost carbon dioxide separation
Dec 15, 2025 Researchers developed a highly selective membrane that efficiently separates carbon dioxide from other gases, supporting cleaner energy and industrial processes. (Nanowerk News) Reducing carbon dioxide emissions remains a key challenge in addressing climate change, particularly for energy-intensive industries. Sectors such as power generation and natural gas processing...
Acid-treated carbon nanotubes boost efficiency and stability of flexible perovskite solar modules
Dec 15, 2025 Study shows acid treated carbon nanotube electrodes enable scalable flexible perovskite solar modules over 20% efficient and resilient to stress. (Nanowerk News) Flexible perovskite solar modules (f-PSMs) are a key innovation in current renewable energy technology, offering a pathway toward sustainable and efficient energy solutions. However, ensuring...