Matter and energy from Science Daily Feed

Photosynthesis -- mainly carried out by plants -- is based on a remarkably efficient energy conversion process. To generate chemical energy, sunlight must first be captured and transported further. This happens practically loss-free and extremely quickly. A new study shows that quantum mechanical effects play a key role in this process.

Physicists have achieved a breakthrough in data processing by employing an 'inverse-design' approach. This method allows algorithms to configure a system based on desired functions, bypassing manual design and complex simulations. The result is a smart 'universal' device that uses spin waves ('magnons') to perform multiple data processing tasks with exceptional energy efficiency. This innovation marks a transformative advance in unconventional computing, with significant potential for next-generation telecommunications, computing, and neuromorphic systems.

Synthetic biologists have developed a prototype for an innovative biosensor that can detect rare earth elements and be modified for a range of other applications.

A research team presents an AI assessor for Hall-effect ion thrusters, the engines of satellites and space probes.

Recyclers, battery manufacturers, and electric vehicle manufacturers must work together to revolutionize lithium-ion battery (LIB) recycling processes to meet ever-growing demand for electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage systems.

An international team of scientists have modelled formation and evolution of strongest magnetic fields in the Universe.

Advances in nanotechnology may provide solutions to oil spill cleanups in coastal regions that are more effective, safer and work much faster than current methods, according to a new paper. The paper synthesizes, reviews and analyzes between 40 and 50 studies on the subject to provide a big-picture look of the status of nanotechnologies in coastal oil spill response. The researchers also present their own suggestions and identifying research gaps between using nanomaterials in the lab and how they can be used in real-world applications.

Researchers develop machine learning tools that screen for co-morbid anxiety disorders and major depressive disorder using acoustic voice signals. The team spoke to participants with and without co-morbid AD/MDD and recorded them using a secure telehealth platform. The participants were given a semantic verbal fluency test, in which they were required to name as many animals as possible within a time limit. The team extracted acoustic and phonemic features from the recordings and applied machine learning technique to distinguish subjects with and without comorbid AD/MDD. The results confirmed that a one-minute semantic VFT can be reliably used to screen for AD/MDD.

Researchers have developed a new portable tool that could improve how firefighters douse fires, making the process more efficient and far less risky.

Researchers have used mathematical analysis tools to study the effect of classical music on a fetal heartbeat and identify patterns in heart rate variability. They recruited 36 pregnant women and played two classical pieces for their fetuses. By attaching external heart rate monitors, the researchers could measure the fetal heart rate response to both songs, and by employing nonlinear recurrence quantification analysis, they could identify changes in heart rate variability during and after the music was played. They found evidence music can calm fetal heart rates, potentially providing developmental benefits.

A groundbreaking study on the freezing of water droplets suspended in air sheds light on a key process in Earth's water cycle: the transformation of supercooled water into ice.

A new platform for studying neuroinflammatory diseases, utilizing advanced 3D bioprinting technology has been developed.

Seven years ago, researchers caught an unexpected phenomenon on film: A pool of red dye that somehow 'knew' how to solve a maze filled with milk. Propelled forward by a couple drops of soap, it unerringly found its way, avoiding dead ends and even making 90 degree turns in its path toward the exit.

Through a multi-university collaboration, researchers have discovered a new, solid lubricating mechanism that can reduce friction in machinery at extremely high temperatures, well beyond the breakdown temperature of traditional solid lubricant such as graphite.

Researchers developed an automated system to help programmers increase the efficiency of their deep learning algorithms by simultaneously leveraging two types of redundancy in complex data structures: sparsity and symmetry.

Scientists are hoping a new research technique will help unlock underwater secrets of marine wildlife.

National targets for solar and wind power will see reliance on natural gas plummet, reducing electricity price volatility across Europe, with major beneficiaries including the UK and Ireland, the Nordics, and the Netherlands.

Tiny copper 'nano-flowers' have been attached to an artificial leaf to produce clean fuels and chemicals that are the backbone of modern energy and manufacturing.

Researchers have developed a way to print nanoparticles like ink, creating inexpensive sweat sensors that can continuously monitor multiple molecules.

Electrochemical reaction-based stimuli-responsive materials are shaping up the era of innovative display devices. By embedding luminescent europium(III) complexes and color-changing viologen derivatives in a layered clay matrix, the device achieves simultaneous control of light emission and color at low voltage. The use of clay-based materials also highlights an eco-friendly approach to enhancing electronic device performance. This innovation could revolutionize display technology and the development of sensors, adaptable to changing light conditions.