Category archives: Technology

The development of superconducting devices was greatly stimulated after the acceptance of the basic theory of superconductivity proposed in 1957 by John Bardeen, Leon Cooper, and Robert Schrieffer – BCS theory. The basic idea is that the electron waves in the superconducting state no longer act independently, as in Bloch’s model. Instead, they are paired […]

While for long in neuroscience, computers were used to model brain function, organoid intelligence, a new scientific field, aims to do the opposite by developing biological computers which would benefit from the efficiency of our most complex biological machine: the brain. Fear not. The objective is not to connect humans by their brains to power […]

Electrifying long-haul cargo-carrying trucks was deemed financially unviable. However, recent findings from researchers at Chalmers University of Technology demonstrate that operating electric heavy goods vehicles can be more cost-effective than using diesel. The shift from fossil fuel-powered to electric vehicle fleets has primarily been noticeable in lighter vehicles like private cars and delivery vans. However […]

Organic compounds of sulphur that contain the group -S- linked to two hydrocarbons are known as thioethers. This alternative name to sulphides comes from the fact that they are analogues of ethers in which the oxygen is replaced by a sulphur; thioethers are generally more reactive than ethers, though. The formation of thioether structures increases […]

Authors: Mireia Martín, Life Cycle Thinking Group, Department of Graphic Design and Engineering Projects. University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) and Erlantz Lizundia, Life Cycle Thinking Group and BCMaterials One of the consequences of global population growth is an increase in food waste. This is a relevant issue not only in terms of the waste […]

Two-dimensional (2D) materials are an ideal platform to artificially engineer heterostructures with new functionalities due to the weak van der Waals bonding between layers. Monolayers hosting symmetry-broken phases, such as superconductivity, magnetism, ferroelectricity, charge density waves (CDWs), or multiferroicity, represent the most interesting building blocks to design novel phases of matter. One of the main […]

Polaritons attract wide attention due to their ability to confine and guide light at the nanometre scale. These capacities are key for the development of ultrasmall resonators and waveguides that can be used for sensing, heat transfer and optical circuitry applications. But, what are polaritons in the first place? If, for the sake of the […]

Ammonia (NH3), a ubiquitous compound, was generated in excess of 187 million tons globally in 2020. Roughly 85% is employed in the creation of nitrogenous fertilizers, while the remainder is used for refining petroleum, producing various other chemicals, and manufacturing synthetic fibers like nylon. However, these processes come with a substantial energy expenditure. Presently, the […]

Our modern rechargeable batteries, such as lithium-ion batteries, are anything but sustainable. One alternative is organic batteries with redox-organic electrode materials (OEMs), which can be synthesized from natural “green” materials. A Chinese team has now introduced a new OEM for aqueous organic high-capacity batteries that can be easily and cheaply recycled. Traditional inorganic electrode materials […]

geopolymer Author: Ada Martinelli holds a PhD in organic chemistry and is a researcher in an Italian ceramics company The construction industry is one of the major exploiters of natural resources, and it has a great contribution to the greenhouse gas emissions and non-sustainable development of the global economy. Nowadays, it still mostly relies on […]