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Archive for the ‘chemistry’ category: Page 4

Dec 27, 2024

Study finds high levels of toxic ‘forever chemicals’ in popular smartwatch bands

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, chemistry, food, health

Smartwatch bands from popular brands have been found to contain high concentrations of toxic for forever chemicals, also known as PFAS (per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances). These synthetic chemicals do not break down easily in the environment and build in our bodies over time, hence earning them the nickname of forever chemicals.

PFAS are used in various consumer products, including non-stick cookware, water-resistant clothes, carpets, mattresses, food wraps, and more. Exposure to PFAS has been linked to serious health problems, including increased risks of certain cancers, hormone disruption, weakened immune systems, and developmental delays in children. These chemicals can leach into water, soil, and food, making them a growing public health concern worldwide.

A new study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters has found that smartwatch bands made of fluoroelastomers contain a very high concentration of a forever chemical known as perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA).

Dec 27, 2024

An artificial nerve system gives prosthetic devices and robots a sense of touch

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, chemistry, cyborgs, robotics/AI

Stanford and Seoul National University researchers have developed an artificial sensory nerve system that can activate the twitch reflex in a cockroach and identify letters in the Braille alphabet.

The work, reported May 31 in Science, is a step toward creating artificial skin for prosthetic limbs, to restore sensation to amputees and, perhaps, one day give robots some type of reflex capability.

“We take skin for granted but it’s a complex sensing, signaling and decision-making system,” said Zhenan Bao, a professor of chemical engineering and one of the senior authors. “This artificial sensory nerve system is a step toward making skin-like sensory neural networks for all sorts of applications.”

Dec 26, 2024

Smart materials, discover the materials with which we will shape the future

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, chemistry, engineering, evolution

Human evolution is linked to the manipulation of the environment. Since the first hominid to use a stone as a tool — or a bone according to the iconic scene from 2001: A Space Odyssey —, we have come to recognise this as materials science. This discipline uses physics, chemistry and engineering to study how materials are formed and what their physical properties are, as well as to discover and develop new materials, such as smart materials in order to find new uses applicable to any sector.

Smart materials are materials that are manipulated to respond in a controllable and reversible way, modifying some of their properties as a result of external stimuli such as certain mechanical stress or a certain temperature, among others. Because of their responsiveness, smart materials are also known as responsive materials. These are usually translated as “active” materials although it would be more accurate to say “reactive” materials.

For example, we can talk about sportswear with ventilation valves that react to temperature and humidity by opening when the wearer breaks out in a sweat and closing when the body cools down, about buildings that adapt to atmospheric conditions such as wind, heat or rain, or about drugs that are released into the bloodstream as soon as a viral infection is detected.

Dec 26, 2024

Transparent bamboo: A fireproof and waterproof alternative to glass

Posted by in categories: chemistry, sustainability

Glass might soon have some competition from an unlikely rival – bamboo. Scientists in China have turned regular old bamboo into a transparent material that’s also resistant to fire and water, and suppresses smoke.

Silica glass, made from sand, is still the go-to building material when you need something transparent but strong, like windows. But it’s not particularly sustainable, and can be heavy and brittle.

Transparent wood has actually been muscling in on glass’s turf for a few years now. Scientists chemically remove the lignin from the wood fibers, then treat the remaining material with plexiglass or epoxy. The end result is a material that’s transparent, renewable, and as strong as or stronger than glass, while being lighter and a better thermal insulator.

Dec 26, 2024

What Are Electrons Made Of? Unveiling the Mystery!

Posted by in categories: chemistry, particle physics

Electrons, those fundamental particles that orbit atomic nuclei, are central to electromagnetism and chemical processes. Ever since their discovery, scientists have pondered over what electrons are made of and their basic structure. While particles such as protons and neutrons have shown internal complexity, electrons appear impenetrable to such analysis. So, what constitutes an electron? Are they truly indivisible, or do they hide smaller components within?

Speaking of the atom, the term “indivisible” now seems outdated, especially with modern scientific understanding. The notion that atoms are the most fundamental units of matter dates back to Democritus over 2,000 years ago. However, as centuries passed and scientific discoveries unfolded, it became clear that atoms were not the ultimate particles of matter. Indeed, advancements in physics have shown that atoms are made up of even smaller particles: protons, neutrons, and electrons. While protons and neutrons can be broken down into quarks, the question remains for electrons: are they also made of smaller components, or are they indivisible?

Since their discovery over 125 years ago, electrons have challenged the logic of decomposition. No experiment has yet detected any more complex internal structure, even during high-energy collisions aimed at probing deeper levels of matter. Electrons thus seem to defy the notion of being made up of smaller particles. They are currently regarded as fundamental particles within the standard model of particle physics, meaning they are entities that cannot be divided further.

Dec 26, 2024

New Research Identifies Key Cellular Mechanism Driving Alzheimer’s Disease

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, chemistry, health, neuroscience

The breakthrough marks a promising target for drug therapies that slow, possibly reverse, the disease’s development

NEW YORK, NY, December 23, 2024 — Researchers with the CUNY ASRC have unveiled a critical mechanism that links cellular stress in the brain to the progression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The study, published in the journal Neuron, highlights microglia, the brain’s primary immune cells, as central players in both the protective and harmful responses associated with the disease.

Microglia, often dubbed the brain’s first responders, are now recognized as a significant causal cell type in Alzheimer’s pathology. However, these cells play a double-edged role: some protect brain health, while others worsen neurodegeneration. Understanding the functional differences between these microglial populations has been a research focus for Pinar Ayata, the study’s principal investigator and a professor with the CUNY ASRC Neuroscience Initiative and the CUNY Graduate Center’s Biology and Biochemistry programs.

Dec 25, 2024

Breakthrough New Material Transforms Heavy Oil Into High-Value Fuels

Posted by in categories: chemistry, energy

ZMQ-1, a novel aluminosilicate zeolite with interconnected meso-microporous channels, addresses limitations of traditional zeolites by enhancing stability and catalytic efficiency.

Researchers have developed a groundbreaking aluminosilicate zeolite, ZMQ-1, designed with a distinctive intersecting meso-microporous channel system. This innovation is poised to significantly improve catalytic processes in the petrochemical industry.

Published in Nature, the study presents ZMQ-1 as the first aluminosilicate zeolite featuring interconnected intrinsic 28-ring mesopores. This breakthrough addresses long-standing challenges in zeolite design, including limitations in pore size, stability, and catalytic efficiency.

Dec 25, 2024

Engineers develop ultra-fast charging battery that could lead to futuristic aircraft: ‘A major breakthrough’

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, chemistry, drones

Researchers at Australia’s Monash University are using a common medicine cabinet antiseptic in unique battery chemistry that could soon power drones and other electric aircraft, according to a school news release.

The team is tapping Betadine, a common brand name for a topical medication used to treat cuts and other wounds, in research garnering surprising results.

Continue reading “Engineers develop ultra-fast charging battery that could lead to futuristic aircraft: ‘A major breakthrough’” »

Dec 25, 2024

Unlocking Microscopic Mysteries of Nucleotides

Posted by in categories: biotech/medical, chemistry

Understanding the behavior of the molecules and cells that make up our bodies is critical for the advancement of medicine. This has led to a continual push for clear images of what is happening beyond what the eye can see. In a study recently published in Science Advances, researchers from Osaka University have reported a method that gives high-resolution Raman microscopy images.

Raman microscopy is a useful technique for imaging because it can provide about specific molecules—such as proteins—that take part in the body’s processes. However, the Raman light that comes from biological samples is very weak, so the signal can often get swamped by the background noise, leading to poor images.

Continue reading “Unlocking Microscopic Mysteries of Nucleotides” »

Dec 24, 2024

High-quality nanodiamonds offer new bioimaging and quantum sensing potential

Posted by in categories: biological, chemistry, nanotechnology, particle physics, quantum physics

Quantum sensing is a rapidly developing field that utilizes the quantum states of particles, such as superposition, entanglement, and spin states, to detect changes in physical, chemical, or biological systems. A promising type of quantum nanosensor is nanodiamonds (NDs) equipped with nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers. These centers are created by replacing a carbon atom with nitrogen near a lattice vacancy in a diamond structure.

When excited by light, the NV centers emit photons that maintain stable spin information and are sensitive to external influences like magnetic fields, electric fields, and temperature. Changes in these spin states can be detected using optically detected (ODMR), which measures fluorescence changes under .

In a recent breakthrough, scientists from Okayama University in Japan developed nanodiamond sensors bright enough for bioimaging, with spin properties comparable to those of bulk diamonds. The study, published in ACS Nano, on 16 December 2024, was led by Research Professor Masazumi Fujiwara from Okayama University, in collaboration with Sumitomo Electric Company and the National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology.

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