Nanotechnology : Science World Report

Dec 28, 2013 08:03 AM EST

Scientists Grow Liquid Crystal Flowers That Act as Lenses

Scientists have made another advance when it comes to using liquid crystals as a medium to assembling structures. They've managed to grow liquid crystal "flowers" that can be used as lenses.

Nov 19, 2013 07:36 PM EST

Counting Single DNA Molecules with Graphene Nanoribbons

One of the methods used for examining the molecules in a liquid consists in passing the fluid through a nano-sized hole so as to detect their passage. Researchers have now found a way to improve this technique by using a material with unique properties: graphene.

Oct 14, 2013 11:22 PM EDT

High-Tech Commercialization Among Goals of €70 Billion EU Research Programme

The UK launch of the European Union's new €70 billion Euro programme for research and innovation, the Horizon 2020 programme, is imminent. Among the programme's key goals is to tackle societal challenges by helping to bridge the gap between research and commercial organisations.

Oct 13, 2013 11:16 PM EDT

Mix of Graphene Nanoribbons, Polymer Has Potential for Cars, Soda, Beer

James Tour has enhanced a polymer material to make it far more impermeable to pressurized gas and far lighter than the metal in tanks now used to contain the gas.

Sep 19, 2013 04:37 PM EDT

Low-Cost Atomic Force Nanoscope Built With LEGO by Students

Using LEGO, the world’s first low cost Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) has been developed in Beijing by a group of PhD students from University College London (UCL), Tsinghua University and Peking University

Sep 19, 2013 03:49 PM EDT

Smartphone 'Microscope' Developed That Can Detect a Single Virus, Nanoparticles

UCLA engineers have created a 1/2-pound, portable smartphone attachment that can be used to perform sophisticated field testing to detect viruses and bacteria without the need for bulky and expensive microscopes and lab equipment.

Sep 03, 2013 07:36 PM EDT

The Butterfly Effect: Optical Nanotechnology Takes Flight

When scientists look for keys to unlock problems such as quantum teleportation or faster internet speeds, answers can sometimes be found in the natural world.

Aug 26, 2013 04:06 PM EDT

Unique Nanotech Surface Analysis Prototype Combines Crucial Functions

As a further development of well-known microscopic and mass spectroscopic methods, the 3D NanoChemiscope maps the physical and chemical surfaces of materials down to the atomic level. This instrument, which is unique in the world, not only delivers high-definition images; it also knows what it is "s...

Aug 11, 2013 10:54 PM EDT

Nanotech Self-Assembly Enables Novel Soft Materials With Special Properties

In order to help materials engineers to make ever better fabrics and soft materials from novel composites, scientists in the EU are developing design tools and tailor-made functions for soft materials that will soon be possible with cost- and energy-efficient controlled self-assembly.

Aug 02, 2013 05:40 PM EDT

Nanometer Sized Droplet Creation Makes Biological Micro-Experiments Easier

Progress means that many things that are used in everyday life are becoming more manageable, practical and generally smaller. This also applies to biological and chemical experiments. To save material and resources, scientists are trying to reduce their experiments to increasingly smaller sizes and ...

Jul 25, 2013 05:15 PM EDT

Nano Scientists Reach Holy Grail in Tiny Cancer Marker Detection: Single Molecules

Just months after setting a record for detecting the smallest single virus in solution, researchers at the Polytechnic Institute of New York University (NYU-Poly) have announced a new breakthrough: They used a nano-enhanced version of their patented microcavity biosensor to detect a single cancer ma...

Jul 25, 2013 02:54 PM EDT

Spinach and Nanodiamonds? New Biosensor Can Finally Detect Ironlevel in Blood Accurately

Lack of iron—caused by malnutrition—can lead to anemia while an increased level of iron may signal the presence of an acute inflammatory response. Therefore, the blood iron level is an important medical diagnostic agent.