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......»»
Using a supercomputer to find the best way to mix two fluids
A pair of researchers, one with the Max Planck Institute of Brain Research, the other with Imperial College, has found more efficient ways to mix two fluids using simulations run on a supercomputer. In their paper published in the journal Physical Re.....»»
AI Learns What an Infant Knows about the Physical World
A computer model simulating how objects react to physical forces approximates how babies understand their surroundings -- Read more on ScientificAmerican.com.....»»
Designing surfaces that make water boil more efficiently
The boiling of water or other fluids is an energy-intensive step at the heart of a wide range of industrial processes, including most electricity generating plants, many chemical production systems, and even cooling systems for electronics......»»
Making the invisible visible: The remarkable journey of a powerhouse space microscope
Colloids are mixtures of microscopic particles suspended in fluids—substances that are part solid, part liquid. Colloids are found in products including toothpaste, ketchup, paint and liquid hand soap, and are part of a field of study known as soft.....»»
Improving the future of purification by using molecular silhouette to separate compounds in fluids
Impure chemical mixtures can now be separated based on differences in molecular silhouette. Membranes have been developed with nanoscale pores that match the shape of impurities in the mix so that only the impurity can pass through. KAUST researchers.....»»
Chemists create a sensor that accurately detects the saliva pH of humans
Chemists at the Ural Federal University have created a sensor for determining the pH of human saliva. This is a fluorophore with strong and stable emission, which picks up the smallest fluctuations in the pH in biological fluids. The analysis is perf.....»»
Examining the odd locomotion of microswimmers
Being odd can be a good thing, particularly when you are a microscopic cellular organism trying to go places......»»
Lab earthquakes show how grains at fault boundaries lead to major quakes
By simulating earthquakes in a lab, Caltech engineers have provided strong experimental support for a form of earthquake propagation now thought responsible for the magnitude-9.0 earthquake that devastated the coast of Japan in 2011......»»
New nanoparticles aid sepsis treatment in mice
Sepsis, the body's overreaction to an infection, affects more than 1.5 million people and kills at least 270,000 every year in the U.S. alone. The standard treatment of antibiotics and fluids is not effective for many patients, and those who survive.....»»
Rocket Engine Exhaust Pollution Extends High Into Earth"s Atmosphere
The American Institute of Physics reports via Phys.Org: In Physics of Fluids, researchers from the University of Nicosia in Cyprus assessed the potential impact of a rocket launch on atmospheric pollution by investigating the heat and mass transfer a.....»»
These Nanobots Can Swim Around a Wound and Kill Bacteria
Researchers have created autonomous particles covered with patches of protein “motors.” They hope these bots will tote lifesaving drugs through bodily fluids......»»
Investigating Earth"s interior using the distribution of electrical conductivity and density in the crust
Knowledge about the structure and composition of the Earth's crust is important for understanding the dynamics of the Earth. For example, the presence or absence of melt or fluids plays a major role in plate tectonic processes. Most our knowledge in.....»»
"Polaroids" help scientists detect hazardous ice on airplane plating
Researchers from Skoltech, MIPT, Russia's State Research Institute of Civil Aviation, the University of North Texas, and York University have simplified and automated the lab procedure used to test anti-icing fluids that ensure safe aircraft takeoff......»»
Simulating supernova remnants, star formation in earthbound lab
Molecular clouds are collections of gas and dust in space. When left alone, the clouds remain in their state of peaceful equilibrium......»»
Growth-climate sensitivity of two pine species varies with site-specific environmental conditions
A better understanding of tree growth-climate sensitivity across regions and species may reduce uncertainties in simulating forest carbon budgets. However, few studies have explored the growth-climate sensitivity of different tree species in Southwes.....»»
Scientists develop environmentally safe, frost-resistant coatings
Airports are busy, especially during the winter. As passengers wait to board, delays get longer when airplanes need to be dowsed with thousands of gallons of deicing fluids that help them fight the frigid winter. But as soon as the plane takes off, m.....»»
New study of how bacteria swim could help prevent the spread of disease and improve medical treatments
For years, science fiction authors have written about the idea of using microswimmers that could perform surgeries or deliver medicines to humans. Now, a team led by University of Minnesota Twin Cities researchers discovered how bacteria swim through.....»»
Most face masks don"t expose wearers to harmful levels of PFAS, study says
Face masks are important for slowing the spread of COVID-19 and protecting against smoke. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are added to many products to repel fluids, but their presence in face masks hasn't been thoroughly studied. Now, res.....»»
CMIP6 models have improved in simulating sea surface salinity and freshwater flux
Salinity changes the ocean stratification by affecting the density, which has a certain impact on the thermodynamic processes of the ocean, and then modulates sea surface salinity variations. With the development of numerical models in recent years,.....»»
Simulating outer space in a beamline provides insight into ice formation in extreme environments
Extreme conditions—severe pressure, intense temperatures, and high levels of radiation— exist all over the earth and beyond. Scientists are using the Canadian Light Source (CLS) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) to investigate how water a.....»»