Jan 20, 2026 Eye drop nanoparticles that shrink over time overcome the eye's natural defenses, delivering protein drugs to the retina and matching the effectiveness of direct injection in mice. (Nanowerk Spotlight) Every year, millions of people worldwide submit to needle injections directly into their eyes. The procedure, called intravitreal...
Near field sum frequency spectroscopy reaches ten nanometre resolution
Jan 20, 2026 Plasmonic nanogap confinement extends sum frequency vibrational spectroscopy to the nanoscale, enabling direct imaging of molecular orientation at interfaces. (Nanowerk News) Sum-frequency generation (SFG) is a powerful vibrational spectroscopy that can selectively probe molecular structures at surfaces and interfaces, but its spatial resolution has been limited to...
Trapped helium nanodroplets enable seconds long ultracold studies
Jan 20, 2026 Researchers succeeded for the first time in storing electrically charged helium nanodroplets in an ion trap for up to one minute. This extends the time window for experiments with these extremely cold 'mini-laboratories' by a factor of 10,000 compared to previous methods. (Nanowerk News) Helium nanodroplets are...
Physicists bridge two fundamental domains of modern quantum physisc
Jan 20, 2026 Scientists developed a theory linking mobile and static behaviors of a particle in a Fermi sea, explaining quasiparticles and quantum states. (Nanowerk News) A new unified theory connects two fundamental domains of modern quantum physics: It joins two opposite views of how a single exotic particle behaves...
Spin size determines how the Kondo effect behaves
Jan 20, 2026 Quantum effects in Kondo lattices can determine whether a system behaves magnetically or non-magnetically, opening new avenues for designing future quantum materials and technologies. (Nanowerk News) Collective behavior is an unusual phenomenon in condensed-matter physics. When quantum spins interact together as a system, they produce unique effects...
Turning retired wind turbine blades into high-performance lithium-ion battery anodes
Jan 20, 2026 Glass fibers from retired wind turbine blades can be converted into high-capacity silicon-carbon battery anodes, turning a growing waste problem into valuable energy storage materials. (Nanowerk Spotlight) Wind turbines have become a defining symbol of the global transition away from fossil fuels. Their sleek white blades, rotating...
Record-breaking nanocapacitor brings ultra-precise Atomic Force Microscopy closer
Jan 20, 2026 Nanomechanical systems have now reached a level of precision and miniaturization that will allow them to be used in ultra-high-resolution atomic force microscopes in the future. (Nanowerk News) Nanomechanical systems developed at TU Wien have now reached a level of precision and miniaturization that will allow them...
Atomic force microscopy reveals nanoscopic raft dynamics on cell membranes
Jan 19, 2026 By combining atomic force microscopy (AFM) with a Hadamard product-based image reconstruction algorithm, scientists successfully visualized the nanoscopic dynamics of membrane rafts in live cells. (Nanowerk News) Membrane rafts are nanometer-scale structures rich in cholesterol and sphingolipids, believed to serve as vital platforms for cell signaling, viral...
Dual closed-loop insulin system adds chemical safeguard to protect against dangerous overdoses
Jan 19, 2026 A wearable device pairs glucose-responsive insulin with algorithmic pump control, creating dual safety loops that reduced hypoglycemia from 4.01% to 0.52% in diabetic rats. (Nanowerk Spotlight) An insulin overdose can kill in hours. For people with diabetes who depend on automated pump systems, this risk shadows every...
Lifting magnetic fingerprints using scanning probe microscopy
Jan 19, 2026 How a small molecule offers a new window into atomic-scale magnetism. (Nanowerk News) A Czech and Spanish-led research team has demonstrated the ability to distinguish subtle differences between magnetic ground states using a new form of scanning probe microscopy. In the last few years, a magnetic characterisation...