Category archives: Technology

Geometrical structure, lattice periodicity and atomic arrangement are subtly intertwined with the electronic properties of materials. Sub-angstrom changes in the atomic distance are sufficient to modify the physical and chemical properties, such as the band-structure, carrier mobility and the chemical reactivity. The deposition of two-dimensional layered crystals on mechanically stretchable or bendable substrates can produce […]

When we study for the first time the structure of the atom in high school we encounter for the first time the concept of quantum excitation. We learn that excitation is the process in which a nucleus, electron, atom, ion, or molecule acquires energy that raises it to a quantum state (the excited state) higher […]

Author: Shu Ning got her BSc degree in Pharmacy from Shenyang Pharmaceutical University (China) in 2014. In 2016, she obtained her Master of Research degree on Clinical Research – Translational Medicine – at Imperial College London (UK) where she has worked on mitochondrial dysfunction in pulmonary smooth muscle cells from Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. Currently she […]

Vacuum birefringence may have been observed in neutron star A neutron star seen with the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope may have given scientists the first look at a quantum effect predicted back in 1930 but never observed before. “The high linear polarization that we measured with the VLT can’t be easily explained by […]

Origami, the ancient art of creating intricate sculptures from a flat sheet of paper, is no longer just a Japanese curiosity, but a cutting-edge manufacturing technique. Just through bending and folding a given material, we can obtain complex 3D structures with applications in electronics, bioengineering or architecture, just to name a few that are currently […]

Security in residential and public areas is a matter of great importance for many people. This is why some Internet providers are offering surveillance systems as a value-added service. Such surveillance systems have recently shifted from CCTVs to IP-based cameras, as the latter offer clear advantages to their users, like a more competitive cost and […]

Los Angeles quakes in 1920s likely tied to oil drilling The oil industry may have caused earthquakes in the Los Angeles area in the 1920s. US Geological Survey researchers looked at 18 significant quakes that occurred near active oil fields and determined that 13 of them likely were connected with oil drilling. Ars Technica Huge […]

Author: Carles Martí is a Ph.D. student (ITN-EJD-TCCM) at University of Perugia Nowadays, mostly everybody has heard about global warming, a problem that humanity faces and that can drastically change our climate in the upcoming years. This is caused by the, also well known, greenhouse effect, produced by the gases our modern society generates, to […]

Scientists drill into ancient crater formed by asteroid hit 66M years ago The peak ring of the Chicxulub crater in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula is made of granite, pushed up from deep inside the Earth’s crust when a massive asteroid crashed into the planet about 66 million years ago, likely causing the mass dinosaur extinction. Scientists […]

Author: Jelle Vekeman is a Ph.D. student (ITN-EJD-TCCM) at Universitat de València For a long time now, we have mainly been using fossil fuels to satisfy our increasing needs for energy. Resources, however, are limited and waste products destructive for the environment. As researchers and companies are exploring alternatives, hydrogen gas (H 2 ) seems […]