Mar 07, 2026 An autonomous platform uses machine learning and patterned light to detect and terminate cardiac arrhythmias in real time without electrical shocks. (Nanowerk Spotlight) A sudden cardiac arrhythmia, a disruption of the heart's normal electrical rhythm, can rapidly become life-threatening. The electrical waves that normally sweep across the...
Trapping light on thermal photodetectors shatters speed records
Mar 06, 2026 Metasurfaces featuring tailored silver nanocubes could allow thermal photodetectors to approach speeds akin to traditional digital cameras. (Nanowerk News) Electrical engineers at Duke University have demonstrated the fastest pyroelectric photodetector to date that works by absorbing heat generated by incoming light. Capable of capturing light from the...
Metal alloy that shrinks when heated could advance precision nanotechnology
Mar 07, 2026 A hydrogen-treated metal alloy shrinks instead of expanding when heated, driven by magnetism, offering customizable materials for nanotechnology. (Nanowerk News) Researchers at Tokyo Metropolitan University have uncovered a previously unknown mechanism driving negative thermal expansion in hydrogenated cobalt zirconide, a finding that could open new routes to...
Smart ceramics reveal a new way to control heat transfer, boosting thermal conductivity nearly threefold
Mar 07, 2026 Scientists used electric fields to extend heat-carrying vibrations in ceramics, revealing a promising path toward solid-state devices that actively manage thermal energy flow. (Nanowerk News) New research from the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, in collaboration with The Ohio State University and Amphenol Corporation, challenges...
Tubular solid oxide fuel cells advance green energy with new designs
Mar 06, 2026 New geometric designs and fabrication methods are pushing tubular solid oxide fuel cells closer to commercialization for green energy systems. (Nanowerk News) A comprehensive review published in Energy & Environment Nexus ("Geometric design and application exploration of tubular solid oxide fuel cells") surveys the latest progress in...
A molecule with half-Moebius topology
Mar 06, 2026 Twisted electronic states in a molecule realized experimentally and modeled on quantum hardware. (Nanowerk News) Researchers at IBM Research, the University of Manchester, Oxford University, ETH Zürich, EPFL Lausanne and the University of Regensburg (Cluster of Excellence CCE) collaborated to realize an unprecedented molecular topology: the so-called...
Accelerating catalyst materials discovery with large artificial intelligence models
Mar 06, 2026 AI models are transforming catalyst discovery by combining databases with machine learning and language models, enabling faster design of materials for clean energy. (Nanowerk News) Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the way scientists discover and design new materials. In a specially invited review published in Angewandte Chemie...
Scientists control ‘free-flowing’ electric currents with light
Mar 06, 2026 Team uses light to control magnetic fields in quantum materials, steering resistance-free electric currents for energy-efficient quantum computing. (Nanowerk News) By controlling magnetic fields using light, a team of researchers led by NTU scientists has solved a long-standing challenge to precisely direct electric currents produced by quantum...
MXene smart textiles could track vitals, kill bacteria, and harvest solar energy
Mar 06, 2026 MXene materials can be coated onto fabrics to create smart textiles that track heart rate, blood pressure, and temperature while fighting bacteria and storing solar energy. (Nanowerk News) You’re probably used to the sight of smartwatches on people’s wrists. But what about smart clothes? Researchers at the...
Photonic crystal light sails could propel spacecraft without fuel
Mar 06, 2026 Researchers design scalable nanostructures that selectively reflect propulsion laser light while reducing heat and mass for fuel free interplanetary travel. (Nanowerk News) Most space missions rely on chemical rockets for propulsion. Rockets must carry fuel, which increases spacecraft mass and limits their speed and travel distance. For...