Ultralight batteries that breathe
Ultralight Batteries that Breathe Humanity is rarely satisfied with something that’s ‘good enough’. Some people, at least, always want improvements on the current standard. Electric vehicles are one such example, and rightly so; they are a more environmentally friendly alternative than combustion engines (provided they are made and powered renewably, but that’s a separate issue), […]
The Alzheimer Timerā¦
The Alzheimer Timerā¦ Sadly nowadays, you donāt have to talk to too many people to find someone with a grandparent or older friend that has suffered and/or died from a type of dementia, such as Alzheimerās disease (AD) or Parkinsonās disease (PD). In my case, I became aware of neurodegenerative disease via close relatives, working […]
Modelling Defects in WS2 Monolayers using ML Interatomic Potentials
Modelling Defects in WS2 Monolayers using ML Interatomic Potentials In the realm of mathematics, two-dimensional (2D) spaces are akin to an infinitely thin sheet of paper, confining existence and movement to a single plane. In the physical world, we find materials that closely emulate this concept. These 2D materials are typically a thousand times thinner […]
Unleashing the Power of Automation: Teaching Computers How to Build the Perfect Nanowire Device
Unleashing the Power of Automation Teaching Computers How to Build the Perfect Nanowire Device By using computer vision and machine learning, computers can design and manufacture miniaturised detectors based on nanowires. This could make detectors more affordable, more reliable, and be used for a larger range of applications from security screening to medical diagnosis. Nanowires […]
Revealing the Quantum Dance: Unveiling Topological Insulators with Pump-Probe Microscopy
Revealing the Quantum Dance Unveiling Topological Insulators with Pump-Probe Microscopy Deep in the bowels of Cambridge lies a lab only accessible to a select few. There is no source of light down here, except the eerie green glow of a laser powerful enough to blind in an instant. Creaking open the door, a researcher enters […]
Blue Is the New White
Blue Is the New White In 2021, researchers in Japan made a significant breakthrough in the field of optoelectronics. Their achievement? Demonstrating a highly efficient, pure-blue organic light-emitting diode, or OLED for short. This remarkable discovery also boasts a relatively long lifetime and low cost, paving the way for the development of novel devices that […]
Putting the pedal to the metal: Using steel straight out of the 3D printer
Putting the Pedal to the Metal Using Steel Straight out of the 3D Printer The ability to 3D print metal represents a paradigm shift in the way metal parts can be made. Conventionally, blocks or sheets of metal are machined down to the desired shape and fastened together as required to form everything you see […]
Using molecular āLegoā blocks to treat pancreatic cancer
Using Molecular āLegoā Blocks to Treat Pancreatic Cancer As a child, many of us enjoyed playing with āLegoā blocks, spending countless hours creating things. As an adult, I continue to indulge in building things, albeit on a nanoscale, much smaller than what you can see with your eyes or even standard microscopes. When we reach […]
Perovskites Through the Looking Glass
Perovskites Through the Looking Glass By freezing the perovskites in a glass host matrix, we can trap the active phase and improve stability to unlock the full potential of the next generation of photovoltaic and electronic devices. Since ancient times, glass has illuminated the world with its exquisite elegance and splendor. Whilst being known for […]
Self-replication in synthetic cells built from DNA
Self-Replication in Synthetic Cells Built from DNA The fabrication of nano- and microrobots, with āfingersā small enough to āfeelā and purposefully manipulate matter at the microscopic scale, is arguably one of the most ambitious goals of nanotechnology. At first glance, the prospect may appear unachievable, with Sci-Fi TV writers ā using non-descript ānanobotsā as a […]