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Polariton anomalous Hall effect in transition-metal dichalcogenides

Polariton anomalous Hall effect in transition-metal dichalcogenides

Condensed matterMaterialsQuantum physics

By DIPC

Two-dimensional materials, such as transition-metal dichalcogenides embedded in optical cavities, stand out as an excellent platform where strong light-matter interactions can be studied. Moreover, their band structures bring about nontrivial topological features, including the possibility of inducing some really interesting ones, like the polariton anomalous Hall effect. But, before getting into that let’s go through […]

Is thermal sterilisation of preservative-free rice cakes possible?

Is thermal sterilisation of preservative-free rice cakes possible?

HealthMathematicsMicrobiology

By BCAM

High-moisture soft solid snack foods such as rice cakes have become increasingly popular. Most of these snacks are freshly made and sold on the spot, whilst industrially produced versions use chemical preservatives to inhibit microbial growth and improve shelf life. With the increasing demand for preservative-free foods from some consumers, physical methods are needed to […]

MI weekly selection #309

MI weekly selection #309

Weekly Selection

By César Tomé

Mass extinction event likely result of warmed oceans, depleted oxygen A mass extinction of nearly all marine animals approximately 252 million years ago was caused by volcanic activity that released greenhouse gases, resulting in warmer ocean waters and depleted oxygen. Researchers used computer models to simulate conditions of the so-called Great Dying, saying that current […]

The protective effect of symmetry in entangled photonic states

The protective effect of symmetry in entangled photonic states

Condensed matterNanotechnologyQuantum physics

By DIPC

One of the most mysterious features of quantum mechanics is that if two particles (or photons) interact at some point in time then the properties of these particles will remain connected at future times. A consequence of this is that determining the quantum state of one of the particles simultaneously determines the quantum state of […]

Beer supply in danger

Beer supply in danger

GeosciencesPlant biology

By Daniel Marino

The history of Earth climate is characterized by a succession of glacial and interglacial periods. However, although climate change is inherent to Earth, the observed trend of temperature increase over the past century cannot be explained by climate models which include solar irradiance and are only explicable by the rise in greenhouse gases. Mauna Loa […]

Enzybiotics, from phages to the inhaler.

Enzybiotics, from phages to the inhaler.

BiomedicineMedicineMicrobiologyPharmacy

By Invited Researcher

I n the age of bacteria resistant to multiple antibiotics, the so-called superbacteria, it is critical to our future the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Lytic enzymes encoded by bacteriophages – viruses that specifically kill bacteria, also called lysins or enzybiotics, are effective agents for preventing and controlling diseases caused by Gram+ bacteria, including Streptococcus […]

MI weekly selection #308

MI weekly selection #308

Weekly Selection

By César Tomé

Star formation topped out around 10B years ago A comprehensive study of high-energy gamma rays suggests that star formation in the universe reached its highest rate about 10 billion years ago. Researchers examined 740 space objects that produce high-energy gamma rays using the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope to chart star formation history throughout 90% of […]

Catalysis depends on the crystallographic plane of the catalyst

Catalysis depends on the crystallographic plane of the catalyst

ChemistryCondensed matterMaterialsNanotechnology

By DIPC

A catalyst is a substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without itself undergoing any permanent chemical change. As the catalyst itself takes part in the reaction it may undergo a physical change. Hence, if catalysts take the form of nanoparticles, any physical feature of the nanoparticle interacting with the reacting molecules may […]

Self-knotting bionic proteins

Self-knotting bionic proteins

ChemistryMaterials

By Invited Researcher

Some heteropolymers can be designed to spontaneously self-assemble in complex pre-determined knotted structures. In the past, we referred to such designable heteropolymers as “bionic proteins”. Here we present an extensive study on self-knotting bionic proteins. As our everyday experience with ropes teaches us, knots form spontaneously in polymer chains of sufficient length and flexibility have […]