Science

Light from the Darkness

On the left of this new image there is a dark column resembling a cloud of smoke. To the right shines a small group of brilliant stars. At first glance these two features could not be more different, but they are in fact closely linked. The cloud...

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A hidden treasure in the Large Magellanic Cloud

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Nearly 200 000 light-years from Earth, the Large Magellanic Cloud, a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way, floats in space, in...

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Heliatek consolidates its technology leadership by establishing a new world record for organic solar technology with a cell efficiency of 12%

The 12.0% record cell on a standard size of 1.1 cm² combines two patented absorber materials, which convert light of different wavelengths. Using two different absorber materials creates a stronger absorption of photons and improves energetic...

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Mathematical breakthrough sets out rules for more effective teleportation: New protocol advances solutions for more efficient teleportation - the transport of quantum information at the speed of light

Now, for the first time, researchers have worked out how entanglement could be 'recycled' to increase the efficiency of these connections.

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Hubble Views a Dwarf Galaxy

The constellation of Ursa Major (The Great Bear) is home to Messier 101, the Pinwheel Galaxy. Messier 101 is one of the biggest and brightest spiral galaxies in the night sky. Like the Milky Way, Messier 101 is not alone, with smaller dwarf galaxies...

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Chips that can steer light: Record-setting ‘optical phased arrays’ could lead to better laser rangefinders, smaller medical-imaging devices and even holographic TVs

Another possibility, however, is to create an array of light emitters and vary their "phase" — the alignment of the light waves they produce. The out-of-phase light waves interfere with one another, reinforcing each other in some directions but...

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How to treat heat like light: New approach using nanoparticle alloys allows heat to be focused or reflected just like electromagnetic waves

The approach relies on engineered materials consisting of nanostructured semiconductor alloy crystals. Heat is a vibration of matter — technically, a vibration of the atomic lattice of a material — just as sound is. Such vibrations can also be thought...

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Study quantifies the size of holes antibacterials create in cell walls to kill bacteria: Death on a nanometer scale

Research has shown that alternative antimicrobials such as PlyC can effectively kill bacteria. However, fundamental questions remain about how bacteria respond to the holes that these therapeutics make in their cell wall and what size holes bacteria...

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