Author Archives: Nick Lavars

“Don’t eat me” proteins prevent synapse destruction in Alzheimer’s

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Scientists have discovered a new class of proteins that fight the destructive forces at play in Alzheimer's and similar conditions

Scientists investigating the driving factors behind certain neurological diseases have uncovered a new class of proteins that could help us intervene in some of the destructive processes that take place in the brain. The findings throw up new possibilities when it comes to treating Alzheimer’s and schizophrenia, with the team hopeful they can also shed light on why some are more susceptible to these types of diseases than others.

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Category: Medical, Science

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Test reveals radiation sickness in hours via a single drop of blood

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A new diagnostic tool developed by scientists at Ohio State University promises to drastically reduce the time needed to detect radiation sickness, by measuring a pair of key biomarkers in just a single drop of blood. With the results ready in just a f… Continue reading Test reveals radiation sickness in hours via a single drop of blood→

World’s lightest mirror is made from a few hundred atoms

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Using just a few hundred identical atoms, physicists at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics have pieced together the world’s lightest mirror. Despite having a surface measured in mere microns and being invisible to the naked eye, the one-of-a-ki… Continue reading World’s lightest mirror is made from a few hundred atoms→

Leaner, greener, expanding concrete pre-stresses itself as it forms

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One of the ways the strength and durability of concrete can be improved is by incorporating tensioned steel tendons before it is cast, which can then be released to compress the material as it sets. A novel adaptation of this pre-stressing technique ha… Continue reading Leaner, greener, expanding concrete pre-stresses itself as it forms→

Adhesive tape and graphene triple the life of lithium metal batteries

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Starting with adhesive tape and incorporating some advanced laser techniques, scientists at Rice University have developed a promising new electrode material for a battery architecture with massive potential. The team’s breakthrough could help overcome… Continue reading Adhesive tape and graphene triple the life of lithium metal batteries→

Coral polyp-inspired robot cleans up using magnets and light

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Researchers at Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands have drawn inspiration from a tiny tentacled marine creature to produce a centimeter-scale robot that is powered by magnets and light. With the ability to grab and release objects und… Continue reading Coral polyp-inspired robot cleans up using magnets and light→

Safe, fast-charging lithium battery handles 5 times the current

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Carefully introducing new materials into the design of today’s lithium-ion batteries has the potential to greatly improve their performance, and scientists have just happened upon a promising possibility in carbon nanotubes. By incorporating these mate… Continue reading Safe, fast-charging lithium battery handles 5 times the current→

US Army’s gravity-defying aluminum panel purifies water with sunlight

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Providing clean drinking water in regions where the resource is scarce is a huge challenge, and one that we’re seeing plenty of inventive solutions to. A research team from the US Army and the University of Rochester is throwing a new possibility into … Continue reading US Army’s gravity-defying aluminum panel purifies water with sunlight→

JUC Surf drops in with the world’s first recycled carbon surfboard

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A startup spun out of Australia’s Deakin University has leveraged its knowledge in organic chemistry and aerospace engineering to produce the world’s first recycled carbon fiber surfboard. Pitched as not just a way of preventing waste going to landfill… Continue reading JUC Surf drops in with the world’s first recycled carbon surfboard→