Jan 12, 2026 A sensor that requires no nanoscale patterning detects single molecules of a breast cancer protein at concentrations 250 times lower than previous devices of its type. (Nanowerk Spotlight) A single drop of blood contains trillions upon trillions of molecules. Among them, the earliest signals of cancer, protein...
Quantum geometry controls chiral fermions without magnetism
Jan 12, 2026 Study demonstrates a chiral fermionic valve that separates handedness via quantum geometry, enabling transport and interference without magnetic fields. (Nanowerk News) A collaboration between Stuart Parkin’s group at the Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics in Halle (Saale) and Claudia Felser’s group at the Max Planck Institute...
Researchers develop OLED technology with double the screen brightness
Jan 12, 2026 A new near-planar light outcoupling structure and an OLED design method can significantly reduce light loss inside OLED devices. (Nanowerk News) Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are widely used in smartphones and TVs thanks to their excellent color reproduction and thin, flexible planar structure. However, internal light loss...
MXene-based metaskin hides objects from thermal cameras in any environment
Jan 12, 2026 A new adaptive metaskin hides objects from thermal cameras in both hot and cold environments, automatically adjusting its heat signature or holding a stable camouflage state. (Nanowerk Spotlight) Every object warmer than absolute zero emits infrared radiation, an invisible glow that thermal cameras translate into images. Your...
Modular RNA nanoparticles safely match clinical adjuvant potency in vaccine studies
Jan 11, 2026 Programmable nucleic acid nanoparticles boost vaccine immune responses as effectively as standard adjuvants in mice while avoiding the autoimmune risks that limit existing alternatives. (Nanowerk Spotlight) Every vaccine faces the same fundamental challenge: getting the immune system to pay attention. Antigens alone often fail to provoke responses...
Aptamer biosensor technology could transform how viruses are detected
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...
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,...