Simulating microswimmers in nematic fluids
New research shows how control over self-propelled microswimmers could be achieved using exotic materials named 'nematic liquid crystals' - whose viscosity and elasticity can vary depending on the direction of an applied force......»»
Simulating space on earth: NASA receives hardware for testing satellite servicing tech
In August 2021, new testing equipment arrived at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, in the form of a gravity offset table. NASA engineers will use the table to test robotic satellite servicing technologies that will one day op.....»»
Optically generated quantum fluids of light reveal exotic matter-wave states in condensed matter physics
Researchers from Skoltech and the University of Southampton, U.K., have used all-optical methods to create an artificial lattice whose nodes house polaritons—quasiparticles that are half-light and half-matter excitations in semiconductors. This so-.....»»
An experimental loop for simulating nuclear reactors in space
Nuclear thermal propulsion, which uses heat from nuclear reactions as fuel, could be used one day in human spaceflight, possibly even for missions to Mars. Its development, however, poses a challenge. The materials used must be able to withstand high.....»»
Observation of quasi-equilibrium phase coexistence in supercritical fluids
A long-lasting non-equilibrium phase coexistence in supercritical fluids has been observed by a Korean research team......»»
How schools of "microswimmers" can increase their cargo capacity
A new study published in Physical Review Letters describes a way to increase the cargo capacity of microscopic, self-propelled droplets known as "microswimmers." Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and the Max Planck Institute for D.....»»
High-speed camera captures a water jet"s splashy impact as it pierces a droplet
Squirting a jet of water through a drop of liquid may sound like idle fun, but if done precisely, and understood thoroughly, the splashy exercise could help scientists identify ways to inject fluids such as vaccines through skin without using needles.....»»
Revisiting Clebsch"s early papers on the flow of incompressible fluids
New analysis of two recently translated papers, first published in the 1850s, assesses the early methods used by Alfred Clebsch to describe the flow of incompressible fluids, and explores their impact on active areas of cutting-edge research.....»»
Running quantum software on a classical computer
Two physicists, from EPFL and Columbia University, have introduced an approach for simulating the quantum approximate optimization algorithm using a traditional computer. Instead of running the algorithm on advanced quantum processors, the new approa.....»»
Simulating 195 million years of global climate in the Mesozoic
The Mesozoic, which stretched from about 252 million to 66 million years ago, was a pivotal period in Earth's history. In addition to being the age of the dinosaurs, it was when the supercontinent Pangaea began to separate into the fragmented contine.....»»
Selenium may support deep microbial life in Earth"s continental crust
International drilling efforts over the last decades into the seafloor have provided increasing evidence for the existence of an extensive deep biosphere below the seafloor. There, circulating fluids in the sub-seafloor deliver chemical compounds fro.....»»
Study examines the role of deep-sea microbial predators at hydrothermal vents
The hydrothermal vent fluids from the Gorda Ridge spreading center in the northeast Pacific Ocean create a biological hub of activity in the deep sea. There, in the dark ocean, a unique food web thrives not on photosynthesis but rather on chemical en.....»»
Physicists discover simple propulsion mechanism for bodies in dense fluids
A team of researchers from Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), the University of Liège and the Helmholtz Institute Erlangen-Nürnberg for Renewable Energy have developed a micro-swimmer that appears to defy the laws of fluid d.....»»
Simulating microswimmers in nematic fluids
New research shows how control over self-propelled microswimmers could be achieved using exotic materials named 'nematic liquid crystals' - whose viscosity and elasticity can vary depending on the direction of an applied force......»»
Simulating microswimmers in nematic fluids
Artificial microswimmers have received much attention in recent years. By mimicking microbes which convert their surrounding energy into swimming motions, these particles could soon be exploited for many important applications. Yet before this can ha.....»»
The shape of nanoparticles in body fluids may help identify the type of cancer
A recent study has shown that the shape of cell-derived nanoparticles, known as 'extracellular vesicles' (EVs), in body fluids could be a biomarker for identifying types of cancer. In the study, scientists successfully measured the shape distribution.....»»
Researchers develop a viscosity measurement technique for both liquids and gases
NIMS and Harvard University jointly developed a technique capable of measuring the viscosity of both liquids and gasses using the same device. This device can be used to identify unknown fluids based on their viscosities and may potentially be used t.....»»
How green mining could pave the way to net zero and a sustainable future
Scientists at the University of Oxford demonstrate how it is possible to directly extract valuable metals from hot salty fluids ('brines') trapped in porous rocks at depths of around 2km below dormant volcanoes. They propose this radical green-mining.....»»
Video: Simulating atmospheric reentry in a plasma wind tunnel
Simulating the burn-up during atmospheric reentry of one of the bulkiest items aboard a typical satellite using a plasma wind tunnel......»»
New model simulates the tsunamis caused by iceberg calving
A team of scientists has developed a new model for simulating both iceberg calving and the tsunamis that are triggered as a result. Their method can help improve hazard assessment in coastal areas and refine the empirical calving models used to evalu.....»»
How Quantum Computers are Already Untangling Nature"s Mysteries
Wired published a long extract from Amit Katwala's book Quantum Computing: How It Works and How It Could Change the World — explaining how it's already being put to use to explore some of science's biggest secrets by simulating nature itelf: So.....»»