COSMIC, a multipurpose X-ray instrument, has made headway in the scientific community since its launch less than 2 years ago, with contributions in fields ranging from batteries to biominerals. COSMIC is the brightest X-ray beamline at the ALS, a synchrotron that generates intense light — from infrared to X-rays — and delivers it to dozens…

Researchers report that they have developed a gel that, when exposed to near infrared (NIR) light, safely whitens teeth without the burn. The growing demand for selfie-ready smiles has made tooth whitening one of the most popular dental procedures. Treatments at a dentist’s office are effective, but they use high-concentration hydrogen peroxide (30-40%). Home bleaching…

Researchers are developing a graphene sensing system that detects early signs of foot ulcers before they form so people living with diabetes can access preventative healthcare and confidently manage their health. The smart insole, Bonbouton’s first product, can be inserted into a sneaker or dress shoe to passively monitor the foot health of a person…

Mosquito-transmitted diseases such as malaria, dengue and yellow fever are responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths every year. A new low-cost imaging system could make it easier to track mosquito species that carry disease, enabling a more timely and targeted response. «A remote system like ours can dramatically reduce the labor needed to monitor…

Researchers showed that diamonds with color center defects can act as nonlinear optical materials for second-harmonic photon generation. This discovery can pave the way for completely light-based communication and logic systems that do not require conversion of light into electrical signals. Current fiber optical technology uses light pulses to transfer broad-bandwidth data that let you…

Researchers demonstrate wireless transmission of uncompressed full-resolution 8K video using terahertz waves, accelerating research and development of Beyond 5G towards 6G. The next-generation 6G mobile communication standard beyond the present 5G system is expected to transmit 8K and other UHD videos with low latency and low power consumption. Since the data rate of UHD video…

Researchers have developed a new design of vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) that demonstrates record-fast temporal bandwidth. VCSELs are a vital class of semiconductor laser diodes accompanying a monolithic laser resonator that emits light in a direction perpendicular to the chip surface. This class of lasers is gaining market importance given their compact size and high…

A new study of 2,500 Dutch children is the first to explore the relationship between brain volume and different doses of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields. The potential negative health consequences associated with children’s use of mobile devices have been a matter of concern for some time. Exposure to RF-EMF is of particular interest, since the preadolescent…

Model systems based on virus capsids have shown how large biomolecules are able to penetrate a cell nucleus. The larger the molecule, the more nuclear localization signals are needed. «We have been able to gain new understanding of the transport of large biostructures, which helped us develop a simple model that describes how this works,»…

A new method for visualizing breath that is exhaled while someone is speaking or singing could provide important new insights into how diseases such as COVID-19 spread and the effectiveness of face masks. «Scientists believe the SARS-CoV-2 virus is primarily spread through respiratory droplets that can be carried in the breath or expelled through coughing…