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Research News

  • Cheap loans for renewables would drive global energy transition

    Achieving the global energy transition will not only require the introduction of carbon prices. In addition, costs of capital for wind and solar power plants will need to be reduced from about 10 per cent today to below five per cent in the emerging and developing countries. This could be accomplished by way of export […]

  • Physicists make it possible to 3D print your own baby universe

    Researchers have created a 3D printed cosmic microwave background – a map of the oldest light in the universe – and provided the files for download. The cosmic microwave background (CMB) is a glow the universe has in the microwave range that maps the oldest light in the universe. It was imprinted when the universe […]

  • Dogs detecting cancer: putting the idea to the test

    Study performed on smokers and ex-smokers examines whether canine scent detection could really be a suitable screening tool for lung-cancer under clinical conditions.

  • Physicists refine polymer model to study the origins of life

    Linear molecular system where DNA strand length is used as a proxy for groups of living organisms exhibits selective behaviour that can continue indefinitely.

  • Seismic shield: large-scale metamaterials combat earthquakes in 3D model

    Numerical analysis considers both surface and guided waves, accounts for soil dissipation, and provides design guidelines for implementing earthquake protection using an array of ground-based cavities Metamaterials – artificial structures that exhibit extraordinary vibrational properties – could come to the rescue of regions threatened by earthquakes, according to new results published in the New Journal […]

  • Water droplet on eggbeater-shaped hairs (trichomes) covering the Salvinia molesta leaves.

    Scientists explore oil clean-up properties of aquatic ferns

    Hairy-leaved plants that selectively soak up oil while repelling water could inspire more efficient environmental remediation. Certain varieties of aquatic floating weeds demonstrate an impressive ability to selectively absorb oil from contaminated water. These plants, which are often regarded as a nuisance, could in fact provide an extremely convenient way of cleaning up messy oil […]

  • Contrail, courtesy of Mick West

    "Chemtrails" not real, say leading atmospheric science experts

    Well-understood physical and chemical processes can easily explain the alleged evidence of a secret, large-scale atmospheric spraying program.

  • Figure 4, New J. Phys. 18 (2016) 083013

    Where is my mind? A new study looks for the cortical conscious network

    New research published in the New Journal of Physics tries to decompose the structural layers of the cortical network to different hierarchies enabling to identify the network’s nucleus, from which our consciousness could emerge.