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Researchers have found a way to control the interaction of light and quantum -spin- in organic semiconductors, that works even at room temperature. These new materials hold great promise for completely new applications, since we've been able to remove the need for ultra-cold temperatures Sebastian Gorgon Spin is the term for the intrinsic angular momentum of electrons, which is referred to as up or down.

Using a metabolic pathway, energy-rich resources can be produced via the power of electricity When nature performs chemical reactions to create energy-rich compounds from simple molecules, it requires energy. So far, it has not been possible to use human-made electricity to drive these biochemical processes.

Using a newly developed microscopy method, researchers from Freiburg and Cambridge have been able to quantify how small, dynamic molecular aggregates form in living cells for the first time. Such aggregates play an important role in signal processing In cells, many vital processes take place in membraneless molecular aggregates, which help ensure that the molecules involved are present at the right concentration and in proximity to each other.

Quantum technology is promising, but also perplexing. In the coming decades, it is expected to provide us with various technological breakthroughs: smaller and more precise sensors, highly secure communication networks, and powerful computers that can help develop new drugs and materials, control financial markets, and predict the weather much faster than current computing technology ever could.

Anything made out of plastic or glass is known as an amorphous material. Unlike many materials that freeze into crystalline solids, the atoms and molecules in amorphous materials never stack together to form crystals when cooled. In fact, although we commonly think of plastic and glass as "solids," they instead remain in a state that is more accurately described as a supercooled liquid that flows extremely slowly.

Université de Montréal scientists recreate and compare molecular languages at the origin of life - opening new doors for the development of novel nanotechnologies. Two molecular languages at the origin of life have been successfully recreated and mathematically validated, thanks to pioneering work by Canadian scientists at Université de Montréal.

Cluster of Excellence Materials for Energy Conversion & Storage In the Cluster of Excellence Materials for Energy Conversion & Storage (MECS) researchers from the Vienna University of Technology, IST Austria, the University of Innsbruck and the University of Vienna develop new technologies for efficient energy conversion and storage, in order to pave the way for a climate-neutral society.

Expensive noble metals often play a vital role in illuminating screens or converting solar energy into fuels. Now, chemists at the University of Basel have succeeded in replacing these rare elements with a significantly cheaper metal. In terms of their properties, the new materials are very similar to those used in the past.

Catalysis scheme developed at the University of Bonn is inexpensive, sustainable, and effective A novel catalysis scheme enables chemical reactions that were previously virtually impossible. The method developed at the University of Bonn is also environmentally friendly and does not require rare and precious metals.

Specific receptors in the ears of mosquitoes have been revealed to modulate their hearing, finds a new study led by researchers at UCL and University of Oldenburg. Scientists say, this discovery could help develop new insecticides and control the spread of harmful diseases, such as malaria. The ability of male mosquitoes to hear female mosquitoes is a crucial requirement for their reproduction.

Mystery of blood-brain barrier unraveled: researchers find substrates with high importance for the barrier During neuroinflammation, immune cells such as leukocytes cross the blood-brain barrier. One key to this is the gelatinases matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and -9. Until now, the substrates of these enzymes involved in the process were unknown.

Bringing ultrafast physics to structural biology has revealed the dance of molecular -coherence- in unprecedented clarity. How molecules change when they react to stimuli such as light is fundamental in biology, for example during photosynthesis. Scientists have been working to unravel the workings of these changes in several fields, and by combining two of these, researchers have paved the way for a new era in understanding the reactions of protein molecules fundamental for life.

Professor David Simakov is developing innovative technologies to solve complex environmental challenges By Nicola Kelly Faculty of Engineering David Simakov, a professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering, is actively engaged in two bold interdisciplinary collaborations with Canadian and international partners to advance UN Sustainable Development Goals.

In rooms where smoking has taken place regularly, tobacco's imprint lingers on indoor surfaces, even long after regular smoking has stopped. The leftover residues, known as thirdhand smoke, can be a long-term source of indoor pollutants. New research from a team led by the Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory ÜBerkeley Lab) zeroes in on carpets as an especially potent - and difficult to clean - reservoir of tobacco contaminants.

Astronauts on the International Space Station are exposed to higher levels of potentially harmful chemical compounds than are found in homes on earth. Concentrations of potentially harmful chemical compounds in dust collected from air filtration systems on the International Space Station (ISS) exceed those found in floor dust from many American homes, a new study reveals.

Researchers at TU Graz have gained new insights into the functioning of a protein found in bacteria, whose enzymatic activity is activated by blue light. Light affects living organisms in many different ways: for example, plants orient their growth direction towards the sun, while circadian rhythms in humans are controlled by daylight.

New nanoporous membrane allows highly efficient separation of wastewater components for reuse, offering industries sustainability and added-value benefits Engineers have developed a new kind of membrane that separates chemicals within wastewater so effectively that they can be reused, presenting a new opportunity for industries to improve sustainability, while extracting valuable by-products and chemicals from wastewater.

Scientists reveal the transport of positively charged signal sequences through negatively charged groove Known as the power plant of the cell, mitochondria are essential to human metabolism. Human mitochondria consist of 1,300 different proteins and two fatty biomembranes. The vast majority of mitochondrial proteins are produced with a cleavable transport signal and have to be actively transported into the mitochondria.

Fundamental discovery and new technique could lead to better, safer rechargeable batteries Science + Technology Fundamental discovery and new technique could lead to better, safer rechargeable batteries August 2, 2023 Key takeaways Compared to lithium-ion batteries, lithium-metal batteries carry more power, but can be more dangerous.

Biologists investigate molecular processes responsible for reprogramming at the protein level We already learn in school that plants carry out photosynthesis in their chloroplasts when exposed to light. In the dark, this process comes to a halt. Instead, green plant tissue - for example the leaves - then activate cellular respiration, during which they consume carbohydrates and oxygen in the mitochondria, similarly to what humans are constantly doing.