Matter and energy from Science Daily Feed

Laser plasma acceleration is a potentially disruptive technology: It could be used to build far more compact accelerators and open up new use cases in fundamental research, industry and health. However, on the path to real-world applications, some properties of the plasma-driven electron beam as delivered by current prototype accelerators still need to be refined. DESY's LUX experiment has now made significant progress in this direction: Using a clever correction system, a research team was able to significantly improve the quality of electron bunches accelerated by a laser plasma accelerator. This brings the technology a step closer to concrete applications, such as a plasma-based injector for a synchrotron storage ring.

When materials are created on a nanometer scale -- just a handful of atoms thick -- even the thermal energy present at room temperature can cause structural ripples. How these ripples affect the mechanical properties of these thin materials can limit their use in electronics and other key systems. New research validates theoretical models about how elasticity is scale-dependent -- in other words, the elastic properties of a material are not constant, but vary with the size of the piece of material.

A new study using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) reveals the neural mechanisms that contribute to urinary incontinence, a common condition affecting stroke survivors that has a significant impact on their quality of life. The research was conducted by a multidisciplinary team of urologists, neurosurgeons, and imaging experts. The study utilized an innovative method of repeated bladder filling and voiding while participants were inside the MRI, during which their brain function was measured.

A study showed that different processing methods significantly affect the biochemical composition of plant-based foods. Current food classification systems do not sufficiently acknowledge the biochemical composition of the product.

New technology could enable more sustainable and cheaper production of bio-oils to replace petroleum-based products in electronic, construction and automotive applications. The technology, known as PYROCOTM, uses high temperatures without oxygen to convert treated sewage (biosolids) into a carbon-rich product called biochar, which can act as a catalyst to produce phenol-rich bio-oil.

A new approach to streaming technology may significantly improve how users experience virtual reality and augmented reality environments, according to a new study. The research describes a method for directly predicting visible content in immersive 3D environments, potentially reducing bandwidth requirements by up to 7-fold while maintaining visual quality.

Engineers have hit the trifecta of sustainability technology: A group has developed a low-cost method to produce carbon-free 'green' hydrogen via solar-powered electrolysis of seawater. A happy byproduct of the process? Potable water.

It's a game a lot of us played as children -- and maybe even later in life: unspooling measuring tape to see how far it would extend before bending. But to engineer, this game was an inspiration, suggesting that measuring tape could become a great material for a robotic gripper. The grippers would be a particularly good fit for agriculture applications, as their extremities are soft enough to grab fragile fruits and vegetables, researchers wrote. The devices are also low-cost and safe around humans.

This handheld device is the first that can detect tuberculosis in saliva, in addition to blood and sputum samples, an important breakthrough for testing children and HIV patients, who struggle to produce sputum. The device was found to deliver rapid, accurate results in under an hour, offering a cost-effective and accessible solution for diagnosing TB in resource-limited areas.

A hopping, insect-sized robot can jump over gaps or obstacles, traverse rough, slippery, or slanted surfaces, and perform aerial acrobatic maneuvers, while using a fraction of the energy required for flying microbots.

'Forever chemicals' are everywhere. But only a handful have been evaluated for potentially toxic effects. Researchers think there may be a faster, cheaper way to figure out which ones might be hazardous to our health -- using worms.

FLUID, an open-source, 3D-printed robot, offers an affordable and customizable solution for automated material synthesis, making advanced research accessible to more scientists.

Titanium micro-particles in the oral mucosa around dental implants are common. This is shown in a new study which also identified 14 genes that may be affected by these particles.

Researchers analyzed trade-related risks to energy security across 1,092 scenarios for cutting carbon emissions by 2060. They found that swapping out dependence on imported fossil fuels for increased dependence on critical minerals for clean energy would improve security for most nations -- including the U.S., if it cultivates new trade partners.

Nanoplastics are an increasing threat to the ecosystem; however, their mobility in the soil is still underexplored. Against this backdrop, researchers investigated the adsorption and aggregation behavior of nanoplastics in different types of soil under different pH conditions. The study offers new perspectives on the migration and environmental interactions of nanoplastics, while broadening our knowledge of pollution dynamics and soil contamination processes.

Cancer diagnoses traditionally require invasive or labor-intensive procedures such as tissue biopsies. Now, research reveals a method that uses pulsed infrared light to identify molecular profiles in blood plasma that could indicate the presence of certain common cancers. In this proof-of-concept study, blood plasma from more than 2,000 people was analyzed to link molecular patterns to lung cancer, extrapolating a potential 'cancer fingerprint.'

Wear and tear on plastic products releases small to nearly invisible plastic particles, which could impact people's health when consumed or inhaled. To make these particles biodegradable, researchers created plastics from plant starch instead of petroleum. An initial study shows how animals consuming particles from this alternative material developed health problems such as liver damage and gut microbiome imbalances.

Iron and its alloys, such as steel and cast iron, dominate the modern world, and there's growing demand for iron-derived products. Traditionally, blast furnaces transform iron ore into purified elemental metal, but the process requires a lot of energy and emits air pollution. Now, researchers report that they've developed a cleaner method to extract iron from a synthetic iron ore using electrochemistry, which they say could become cost-competitive with blast furnaces.

American Sign Language (ASL) recognition systems often struggle with accuracy due to similar gestures, poor image quality and inconsistent lighting. To address this, researchers developed a system that translates gestures into text with 98.2% accuracy, operating in real time under varying conditions. Using a standard webcam and advanced tracking, it offers a scalable solution for real-world use, with MediaPipe tracking 21 keypoints on each hand and YOLOv11 classifying ASL letters precisely.

The rapidly increasing data traffic is placing ever greater demands on the capacity of communication systems. A research team now introduces a new amplifier that enables the transmission of ten times more data per second than those of current fiber-optic systems. This amplifier, which fits on a small chip, holds significant potential for various critical laser systems, including those used in medical diagnostics and treatment.