ScienceDaily: Top Technology News

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• 'Bystander' Cs meet their match in gene-editing technique
• Twisting magnetic fields for extreme plasma compression
• Credit-card sized tool provides new insights into how cancer cells invade host tissues
• Bacteria with a metal diet discovered in dirty glassware
• In one hour, surface coating inactivates virus that causes COVID-19
• Tech to help autonomous vehicles better scan for nearby fast-moving objects
• Scientists build high-performing hybrid solar energy converter
• Designing DNA from scratch: Engineering the functions of micrometer-sized DNA droplets
• Researchers 3D print a working heart pump with real human cells
• Sun and rain transform asphalt binder into potentially toxic compounds
• Coumarin compounds from oak barrels could contribute to bitter taste in wine and spirits
• New material mimics strength, toughness of mother of pearl
• New promising treatment uses smart nanoparticles to target lung cancer
• Low-cost catalyst helps turn seawater into fuel at scale
• Monitoring groundwater changes more precisely
• Higher-order topology found in 2D crystal
• Move over, Siri! Researchers develop improv-based Chatbot
• A nanomaterial path forward for COVID-19 vaccine development
• New organic material unlocks faster and more flexible electronic devices
• Renewable energy transition makes dollars and sense
• New lithium battery charges faster, reduces risk of device explosions
• Ups and downs in COVID-19 data may be caused by data reporting practices
• Breakthrough in deciphering birth of supermassive black holes

'Bystander' Cs meet their match in gene-editing technique Posted: 15 Jul 2020 12:42 PM PDT Biomolecular engineers have developed new tools to increase the accuracy of CRISPR single-base editing to treat genetic diseases.

Twisting magnetic fields for extreme plasma compression Posted: 15 Jul 2020 11:24 AM PDT A new spin on the magnetic compression of plasmas could improve materials science, nuclear fusion research, X-ray generation and laboratory astrophysics.

Credit-card sized tool provides new insights into how cancer cells invade host tissues Posted: 15 Jul 2020 11:23 AM PDT Researchers have developed a credit-card sized tool for growing cancer cells outside the human body, which they believe will enhance their understanding of breast cancer metastasis. The device reproduces various environments within the human body where breast cancer cells live. Studying the cells as they go through the process of invasion and metastasis could point the way toward new biomarkers and drugs to diagnose and treat cancer.

Bacteria with a metal diet discovered in dirty glassware Posted: 15 Jul 2020 11:23 AM PDT Newfound bacteria that oxidize manganese help explain the geochemistry of groundwater.

In one hour, surface coating inactivates virus that causes COVID-19 Posted: 15 Jul 2020 10:12 AM PDT Researchers have developed a surface coating that, when painted on common objects, inactivates SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

Tech to help autonomous vehicles better scan for nearby fast-moving objects Posted: 15 Jul 2020 10:12 AM PDT Researchers have built a way that lidar could achieve higher-resolution detection of nearby fast-moving objects through mechanical control and modulation of light on a silicon chip.

Scientists build high-performing hybrid solar energy converter Posted: 15 Jul 2020 10:12 AM PDT Scientists have developed a hybrid solar energy converter that generates electricity and steam with high efficiency and low cost.

Designing DNA from scratch: Engineering the functions of micrometer-sized DNA droplets Posted: 15 Jul 2020 10:12 AM PDT Scientists have constructed ''DNA droplets'' comprising designed DNA nanostructures. The droplets exhibit dynamic functions such as fusion, fission, Janus-shape formation, and protein capture. Their technique is expected to be applicable to a wide variety of biomaterials, opening doors to many promising applications in materials design, drug delivery, and even artificial cell-like molecular systems.

Researchers 3D print a working heart pump with real human cells Posted: 15 Jul 2020 10:12 AM PDT In a groundbreaking new study, researchers have 3D printed a functioning centimeter-scale human heart pump in the lab. The discovery could have major implications for studying heart disease, the leading cause of death in the United States killing more than 600,000 people a year.

Sun and rain transform asphalt binder into potentially toxic compounds Posted: 15 Jul 2020 09:31 AM PDT Chemists show that asphalt binder, when exposed to sun and water, leaches thousands of potentially toxic compounds into the environment.

Coumarin compounds from oak barrels could contribute to bitter taste in wine and spirits Posted: 15 Jul 2020 09:31 AM PDT Wine and spirits are complex mixtures of flavor and aroma compounds, some of which arise during aging in wooden barrels. Among other compounds, oak wood releases coumarins, but how they affect wine's sensory properties is unclear. Now, researchers have detected and measured six coumarins in oak wood, wine and spirits, showing that a combination of these compounds can produce a bitter taste.

New material mimics strength, toughness of mother of pearl Posted: 15 Jul 2020 09:31 AM PDT In the summer, many people enjoy walks along the beach looking for seashells. Among the most prized are those that contain iridescent mother of pearl (also known as nacre) inside. But many beachcombers would be surprised to learn that shimmery nacre is one of nature's strongest, most resilient materials. Now, researchers have made a material with interlocked mineral layers that resembles nacre and is stronger and tougher than previous mimics.

New promising treatment uses smart nanoparticles to target lung cancer Posted: 15 Jul 2020 09:31 AM PDT A new and promising approach for treatment of lung cancer has been developed. The treatment combines a novel surgical approach with smart nanoparticles to specifically target lung tumors.

Low-cost catalyst helps turn seawater into fuel at scale Posted: 15 Jul 2020 09:31 AM PDT The Navy's quest to power its ships by converting seawater into fuel is one step nearer fruition. Chemical engineers have demonstrated that a potassium-promoted molybdenum carbide catalyst efficiently and reliably converts carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide, a critical step in the process.

Monitoring groundwater changes more precisely Posted: 15 Jul 2020 08:14 AM PDT A new method could help to track groundwater changes better than before. Researchers have compared gravity field data from the GRACE and GRACE-Follow On satellite missions with other measuring methods. They investigated the seasonal water storage in almost 250 river basins in Asia, whose water regime is dominated by monsoon. The results allow the large-scale GRACE data to be scaled down to smaller regions.

Higher-order topology found in 2D crystal Posted: 15 Jul 2020 08:14 AM PDT The research team took a new approach by using the Josephson junctions to spatially resolve the supercurrent flow and to show that WTe2 does indeed appear to have hinge states and be a higher-order topological insulator. They have identified a new higher-order topological insulator. It is a layered two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenide (TMDC) called WTe2. This is a famous material in condensed matter physics that displays a variety of exotic properties from titanic magnetoresistance to quantized spin hall effect.

Move over, Siri! Researchers develop improv-based Chatbot Posted: 15 Jul 2020 06:55 AM PDT Computer scientists have incorporated improv dialogues into chatbots to produce more grounded and engaging interactions.

A nanomaterial path forward for COVID-19 vaccine development Posted: 15 Jul 2020 06:55 AM PDT From mRNA vaccines entering clinical trials, to peptide-based vaccines and using molecular farming to scale vaccine production, the COVID-19 pandemic is pushing new and emerging nanotechnologies into the frontlines and the headlines. Nanoengineers detail the current approaches to COVID-19 vaccine development, and highlight how nanotechnology has enabled these advances, in a review article.

New organic material unlocks faster and more flexible electronic devices Posted: 15 Jul 2020 06:54 AM PDT Mobile phones and other electronic devices made from an organic material that is thin, bendable and more powerful are now a step closer.

Renewable energy transition makes dollars and sense Posted: 15 Jul 2020 06:54 AM PDT Ne research has disproved the claim that the transition to renewable electricity systems will harm the global economy.

New lithium battery charges faster, reduces risk of device explosions Posted: 14 Jul 2020 03:21 PM PDT Cell phone batteries often heat up and, at times, can burst into flames. In most cases, the culprit behind such incidents can be traced back to lithium batteries. Despite providing long-lasting electric currents that can keep devices powered up, lithium batteries can internally short circuit, heating up the device.

Ups and downs in COVID-19 data may be caused by data reporting practices Posted: 14 Jul 2020 10:27 AM PDT As data accumulates on COVID-19 cases and deaths, researchers have observed patterns of peaks and valleys that repeat on a near-weekly basis. A new study reports that those oscillations arise from variations in testing practices and data reporting, rather than from societal practices around how people are infected or treated.

Breakthrough in deciphering birth of supermassive black holes Posted: 14 Jul 2020 05:29 AM PDT Scientists say they are closer to understanding how a supermassive black hole (SMBH) is born thanks to a new technique that has enabled them to zoom in on one of these enigmatic cosmic objects in unprecedented detail.

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