PHYSICS & MATH

Cryo-force spectroscopy reveals the mechanical properties of DNA components

PHYSICS & MATH Physicists from the University of Basel have developed a new method to examine the elasticity and binding properties of DNA molecules on a surface at extremely low temperatures. With a combination of cryo-force spectroscopy and computer simulations, they were able to show that DNA molecules behave like a chain of small coil springs. The researchers reported their findings in Nature Communications.

Scientists discover new type of magnet

A team of scientists has discovered the first robust example of a new type of magnet--one that holds promise for enhancing the performance of data storage technologies.

Invisible tags: Physicists at TU Dresden write, read and erase using light

Prof. Reineke and his LEXOS team work with simple plastic foils with a thickness of less than 50 μm, which is thinner than a human hair. In these transparent plastic foils, they introduce organic luminescent molecules. In the beginning, these molecules are in an inactive, dark state. By locally using ultraviolet irradiation, it is possible to turn this dark state into an active, luminescent one.

JILA researchers uncover quantum structure of buckyballs

JILA researchers have measured hundreds of individual quantum energy levels in the buckyball, a spherical cage of 60 carbon atoms. It's the largest molecule that has ever been analyzed at this level of experimental detail in the history of quantum mechanics.

Plasmonic pioneers fire away in fight over light

In a new paper in the American Chemical Society journal Nano Letters, Rice chemist Stephan Link and graduate student Yi-Yu Cai make a case that photoluminescence, rather than Raman scattering, gives gold nanoparticles their remarkable light-emitting properties.

3D human epidermal equivalent created using math

Scientists have successfully constructed a three-dimensional human epidermis based on predictions made by their mathematical model of epidermal homeostasis, providing a new tool for basic research and drug development.

Russian physicists upgrade cheap diode laser for use in precise measurements

Russian physicists have developed a method for drastically narrowing the emission spectrum of an ordinary diode laser, like that in a laser pointer, for use in compact chemical analyzers that can fit into a smartphone, cheap lidars for self-driving cars, as well as security and structural health monitoring systems on bridges, gas pipelines, and elsewhere.

Physicists train robotic gliders to soar like birds

Scientists know that upward currents of warm air assist birds in flight. To understand how birds find and navigate these thermal plumes, researchers used reinforcement learning to train gliders to autonomously navigate atmospheric thermals. The research highlights the role of vertical wind accelerations and roll-wise torques as viable biological cues for soaring birds. The findings also provide a navigational strategy that directly applies to the development of UAVs.

The complicated mathematics behind poker

The complicated mathematics behind poker What's the difference between an average poker player and a successful one? Some say that it's mainly down to luck and how the cards fall in any given situation.

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