How to get conductive gels to stick when wet
A new way of making polymers adhere to surfaces may enable better biomedical sensors and implants.
New sensor could help prevent food waste
Monitoring the plant hormone ethylene could reveal when fruits and vegetables are about to spoil.
Bacterial enzyme could become a new target for antibiotics
Scientists discover the structure of an enzyme, found in the human gut, that breaks down a component of collagen.
Why are workers getting smaller pieces of the pie?
Market concentration in the form of “superstar” firms has been lowering labor’s share of GDP in recent decades, a new study finds.
A new model of vision
Computer model of face processing could reveal how the brain produces richly detailed visual representations so quickly.
President Reif testifies before Congress on U.S. competitiveness
“To stay ahead, the U.S. needs to do more to capitalize on our own strengths,” he tells representatives.
Using light to put a twist on electrons
Method with polarized light can create and measure nonsymmetrical states in a layered material.
Instrument may enable mail-in testing to detect heavy metals in water
Whisk-shaped device absorbs trace contaminants, preserves them in dry state that can be shipped to labs for analysis.
Mirrored chip could enable handheld dark-field microscopes
Simple chip powered by quantum dots allows standard microscopes to visualize difficult-to-image biological organisms.
Artificial intelligence yields new antibiotic
A deep-learning model identifies a powerful new drug that can kill many species of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Correcting the “jitters” in quantum devices
A new study suggests a path to more efficient error correction, which may help make quantum computers and sensors more practical.
Seeding oceans with iron may not impact climate change
Study finds Earth’s oceans contain just the right amount of iron; adding more may not improve their ability to absorb carbon dioxide.
Researchers develop a roadmap for growth of new solar cells
Starting with higher-value niche markets and then expanding could help perovskite-based solar panels become competitive with silicon.
New electrode design may lead to more powerful batteries
An MIT team has devised a lithium metal anode that could improve the longevity and energy density of future batteries.
Engineers design bionic “heart” for testing prosthetic valves, other cardiac devices
Device made of heart tissue and a robotic pumping system beats like the real thing.