News by Subject Chemistry & Physics

Story tips from the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge National Laboratory: Molding matter atom by atom and seeing inside uranium particles

New artificial proteins have been created to function as molecular logic gates. Like their electronic counterparts in computers, these biochemical tools can be used to program the behavior of complex systems, such as gene regulation inside human T-cells. This new advance might improve the durability of future cell-based therapies.

At the BESSY II storage ring, a team has shown how the helicity of circularly polarized synchrotron radiation can be switched faster - up to a million times faster than before. They used an elliptical double-undulator developed at HZB and operated the storage ring in the so-called two-orbit mode. This is a special mode of operation that was only recently developed at BESSY II and provides the basis for fast switching.

A research team at The University of Tokyo has introduced a machine-learning algorithm that can scan through microscope images to find 2D materials like graphene. This work can help shorten the time required for 2D material-based electronics to be ready for consumer devices.

Researchers measure how fluid changes the movement of electrons.

Hydrated protons at the surface of water ice are of fundamental importance in a variety of physicochemical phenomena on earth and in the universe. Hydrated protons can be introduced by the autoionization of water molecules; thus, the autoionization and subsequent proton transfer processes determine the proton activity inherent to water molecular systems. A recent experimental study on the H/D isotopic exchange of water molecules reports markedly enhanced proton activity at the surface of crystalline ice.

Beckman research scientist Rafael C. Bernardi recently published a paper that uses computational tools to explain the mechanism of how streptavidin and biotin binding is affected by streptavidin's tethering. The results were published in Science Advances.