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Energy

Interdisciplinary Research Centre
 

Scientists engineer starfish cells to shape-shift in response to light

Scientists used light to control how a starfish egg cell jiggles and moves during its earliest stage of development. Their optical system could guide the design of synthetic, light-activated cells for wound healing or drug delivery.

Household electricity three times more expensive than upcoming 'eco-friendly' aviation e-fuels, study reveals

Existing tax policies during the energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources will lead to major energy injustices and skewed priorities, new research shows.

Groundbreaking light-driven method to create key drug compounds

Scientists have unveiled a groundbreaking chemical process that could streamline the development of pharmaceutical compounds, chemical building blocks that influence how drugs interact with the body.

New machine learning framework enhances precision and efficiency in metal 3D printing, advancing sustainable manufacturing

Researchers are leveraging machine learning to improve additive manufacturing, also commonly known as 3D printing. The team introduces a new framework they've dubbed the Accurate Inverse process optimization framework in laser Directed Energy Deposition (AIDED). The new AIDED framework optimizes laser 3D printing to enhance the accuracy and robustness of the finished product. This advancement aims to produce higher quality metal parts for industries, such as aerospace, automotive, nuclear and health care, by predicting how the metal will melt and solidify to find optimal printing conditions.

Researchers create eco-friendly detergent from wood fiber and corn protein

From laundry detergent to dishwasher tablets, cleaning products are an indispensable part of life. Yet the chemicals that make these products so effective can be difficult to break down or could even trigger ecosystem-altering algal blooms. Now, researchers have addressed those challenges with an environmentally compatible detergent made of tiny wood fibers and corn protein that removes stains on clothes and dishes just as well as commercial products.

Groundbreaking study unveils new complexities in synchronization phenomena

A researcher has conducted an experimental demonstration of intricate and previously theorized behaviors in the fundamental patterns that govern oscillatory systems in nature and technology.

Hot water freezes first: Uncovering the mysteries of the Mpemba effect

The Mpemba effect, in which hot systems cool faster than cold ones under the same conditions, was first described by Aristotle more than 2,000 years ago. In 1963 it was rediscovered by Tanzanian student Erasto Mpemba, who observed it when preparing ice cream in a cooking class at school. Mpemba later collaborated with a British physicist on a paper that described its effect on water. Since this influential research, further studies have demonstrated that the effect extends beyond simple liquids and can be observed in a variety of physical systems --even microscopic ones.

Proton-coupled electron transfer: Deciphered with high pressure

Chemists reveal method for differentiating PCET mechanisms -- a key step for steering fundamental energy conversion and redox catalysis processes.

Device enables direct communication among multiple quantum processors

Researchers developed a scalable interconnect that facilitates all-to-all communication among many quantum processor modules by enabling each to send and receive quantum information on demand in a user-specified direction. They used the interconnect to demonstrate remote entanglement, a type of correlation that is key to creating a powerful, distributed network of quantum processors.

Green recipe: Engineered yeast boosts D-lactic acid production

Researchers have engineered yeast to efficiently convert methanol into D-lactic acid, a key compound for biodegradable plastics and pharmaceuticals. By optimizing gene and promoter combinations, they achieved the highest reported yield to date, offering a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based production. Their findings advance eco-friendly chemical manufacturing.

Researchers capture first laser-driven, high-resolution CT scans of dense objects

A research team has achieved a new milestone in 3D X-ray imaging technology. The scientists have captured high-resolution CT scans of the interior of a large, dense object -- a gas turbine blade -- using a compact, laser-driven X-ray source. The work is part of a larger vision to leverage high-intensity lasers for a wide range of uses, from studying inertial fusion energy to generating bright beams of GeV electrons and MeV x-rays.

New AI tool generates high-quality images faster than state-of-the-art approaches

Researchers developed a hybrid AI approach that can generate realistic images with the same or better quality than state-of-the-art diffusion models, but that runs about nine times faster and uses fewer computational resources. The tool uses an autoregressive model to quickly capture the big picture and then a small diffusion model to refine the details of the image.

Muonic atoms unlock new possibilities in nuclear physics

Researchers have combined theory and experiments to show that nuclear polarization does not limit studies of muonic atoms, clearing the way for new nuclear physics experiments.

New CRISPR tool enables more seamless gene editing -- and improved disease modeling

Advances in the gene-editing technology known as CRISPR-Cas9 over the past 15 years have yielded important new insights into the roles that specific genes play in many diseases. But to date this technology -- which allows scientists to use a 'guide' RNA to modify DNA sequences and evaluate the effects -- is able to target, delete, replace, or modify only single gene sequences with a single guide RNA and has limited ability to assess multiple genetic changes simultaneously. Now, however, scientists have developed a series of sophisticated mouse models using CRISPR ('clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats') technology that allows them to simultaneously assess genetic interactions on a host of immunological responses to multiple diseases, including cancer.

Engineer develops new security protocol to protect miniaturized wireless medical implants from cyberthreats

Scientists recently unveiled a first-of-its-kind authentication protocol for wireless, battery-free, ultraminiaturized implants that ensures these devices remain protected while still allowing emergency access.

Recycled cements drive down emissions without slacking on strength

Engineers have developed an approach for recycling cement waste into a sustainable, low-carbon alternative that is comparable in performance to the industry standard.

Producing nuclear fusion fuel is banned in the US for being too toxic, but these researchers found an alternative

Lithium-6 is essential for producing nuclear fusion fuel, but isolating it from the much more common isotope, lithium-7, usually requires liquid mercury, which is extremely toxic. Now, researchers have developed a mercury-free method to isolate lithium-6 that is as effective as the conventional method.