The surface knows what lies beneath: Physicists show how to detect higher-order topological insulators

Just like a book can’t be judged by its cover, a material can’t always be judged by its surface. But, for an elusive conjectured class of materials, physicists have now shown that the surface previously thought to be ‘featureless’ holds an unmistakable signature that could lead to the first definitive observation. ​Just like a book …

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‘Smart glove’ can boost hand mobility of stroke patients

This month, a group of stroke survivors in British Columbia will test a new technology designed to aid their recovery, and ultimately restore use of their limbs and hands. Participants will wear a new groundbreaking ‘smart glove’ capable of tracking their hand and finger movements during rehabilitation exercises. ​This month, a group of stroke survivors …

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Unraveling the role of supersulfides in regulating mitochondrial function and longevity

Supersulfides, many of which are produced by cysteinyl-tRNA synthetase (CARS), are essential compounds across many different lifeforms. However, the precise physiological roles of CARS-produced supersulfide are unclear. Now, using a strategically engineered yeast mutant with a deficient CARS gene, researchers from Japan have shown that supersulfides control cell longevity by mediating mitochondrial energy metabolism and …

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Squishy, metal-free magnets to power robots and guide medical implants

‘Soft robots,’ medical devices and implants, and next-generation drug delivery methods could soon be guided with magnetism — thanks to a metal-free magnetic gel developed by researchers. Carbon-based, magnetic molecules are chemically bonded to the molecular network of a gel, creating a flexible, long-lived magnet for soft robotics. ​’Soft robots,’ medical devices and implants, and …

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Study reveals a reaction at the heart of many renewable energy technologies

Chemists have mapped how proton-coupled electron transfers happen at the surface of an electrode. Their results could help researchers design more efficient fuel cells, batteries, or other energy technologies. ​Chemists have mapped how proton-coupled electron transfers happen at the surface of an electrode. Their results could help researchers design more efficient fuel cells, batteries, or …

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Glowing COVID-19 diagnostic test prototype produces results in one minute

Cold, flu and COVID-19 season brings that now-familiar ritual: swab, wait, look at the result. But what if, instead of taking 15 minutes or more, a test could quickly determine whether you have COVID-19 with a glowing chemical? In a new study, researchers describe a potential COVID-19 test inspired by bioluminescence. Using a molecule found …

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Origin of intense light in supermassive black holes and tidal disruption events revealed

A new study is a significant breakthrough in understanding Tidal Disruption Events (TDEs) involving supermassive black holes. The new simulations accurately replicate the entire sequence of a TDE from stellar disruption to the peak luminosity of the resulting flare. ​A new study is a significant breakthrough in understanding Tidal Disruption Events (TDEs) involving supermassive black …

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Physicists identify overlooked uncertainty in real-world experiments

The rules of statistical physics address the uncertainty about the state of a system that arises when that system interacts with its environment. But they’ve long missed another kind. In a new paper, researchers argue that uncertainty in the thermodynamic parameters themselves — built into equations that govern the energetic behavior of the system — …

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