Jan 10, 2026 A new review highlights major advances in a promising class of diagnostic tools known as aptamer-based biosensors, which could help deliver faster, cheaper, and more portable virus testing in clinics, communities, and the field. (Nanowerk News) Rapid and reliable virus detection is one of the most critical...
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Dark stars could help solve three pressing puzzles of the high-redshift universe
Jan 10, 2026 Dark stars may solve three cosmic dawn puzzles: JWST's 'blue monster' galaxies, early overmassive black holes, and mysterious 'little red dots'. (Nanowerk News) A recent study (Universe, "Supermassive Dark Stars and Their Remnants as a Possible Solution to Three Recent Cosmic Dawn Puzzles") led by Colgate Assistant...
Self-healing pain sensor made from gelatin could give robots human-like reflexes
Jan 10, 2026 A gelatin memristor with 16 stable conductance states mimics biological pain perception, rating intensity, sensitizing after injury, and self-healing while directly controlling mouse muscle response. (Nanowerk Spotlight) A sharp pinprick, a burn from a hot stove, the ache of a stubbed toe. Each sensation triggers an immediate,...
Astronomers spot largest known stream of super-heated gas in the universe
Jan 10, 2026 Astronomers describe the discovery of the largest-known stream of super-heated gas in the universe ejecting from a nearby galaxy called VV 340a. (Nanowerk News) The super-heated gas, detected by the researchers in data provided by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, is erupting from either side of the...
Manganese gets its moment as a potential fuel cell catalyst
Jan 10, 2026 Researchers found manganese-based catalysts can efficiently convert CO2 into formate, a hydrogen source for fuel cells, offering a cheaper, sustainable alternative to precious metals. (Nanowerk News) According to a new study by researchers at Yale and the University of Missouri, chemical catalysts containing manganese — an abundant,...
How to block nanoplastics release from landfill leachate
Jan 10, 2026 Researchers have created a new two-layer membrane filtration system that can significantly reduce the amount of micro and nanoplastics that leak from landfills into local water basins. (Nanowerk News) Dr. Sumi Siddiqua, Professor at UBCO’s School of Engineering, and doctoral student Mahmoud Babalar, have published a study...
The electrifying science behind Martian dust
Jan 09, 2026 Research shows Mars dust storms create electric discharges that drive chemical reactions, reshaping the planet's surface and atmosphere through electrochemistry. (Nanowerk News) Mars, often depicted as a barren red planet, is far from lifeless. With its thin atmosphere and dusty surface, it is an energetic and electrically...
Tesla turbine design harvests electricity from compressed air using static charges
Jan 09, 2026 A bladeless turbine design converts the static electricity naturally generated by dust particles in compressed air into usable power while neutralizing the hazardous charges. (Nanowerk Spotlight) Most factories, auto shops, and assembly plants run on compressed air. This invisible utility powers pneumatic tools, actuates robotic arms, and...
Team discovers unexpected oscillation states in magnetic vortices
Jan 09, 2026 Magnon frequency combs could enable coupling across different physical systems. (Nanowerk News) Researchers at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) have uncovered previously unobserved oscillation states – so-called Floquet states – in tiny magnetic vortices. Unlike earlier experiments, which required energy-intensive laser pulses to create such states, the team...
Dynamically reconfigurable topological routing in nonlinear photonic systems
Jan 09, 2026 Scientists developed a reconfigurable topological photonic system that steers light in real time using optical pumping, enabling ultrafast adaptive control. (Nanowerk News) Topological photonics has emerged as a powerful paradigm for achieving robust light transport that is immune to imperfections, disorder, and structural defects. By harnessing principles...