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Life Sciences - Physics - 10.08.2022

Neutrons help track down Mammalian Ancestors
Investigations at Research Neutron Source lead to discovery of a previously unknown animal species A long snout, a massive jaw and sharp teeth - these are some features of the newly discovered species Tessellatia bonapartei. It belongs to the group of Cynodontia (which literally translates to "dog teeth"), mammal-like animals from which mammals eventually evolved.

Astronomy / Space Science - Physics - 05.08.2022

No trace of dark matter halos
Signs of disturbance in the dwarf galaxies of one of Earth's nearest galaxy clusters indicate an alternative gravity theory According to the standard model of cosmology, the vast majority of galaxies are surrounded by a halo of dark matter particles. This halo is invisible, but its mass exerts a strong gravitational pull on galaxies in the vicinity.

Physics - Chemistry - 28.07.2022

A nanokelvin microwave freezer for molecules
A new method to cool gases of polar molecules to near absolute zero paves the way for studying quantum effects of exotic forms of matter Researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics have developed a novel cooling technique for molecular gases. It makes it possible to cool polar molecules down to a few nanokelvin.

Physics - 26.07.2022

Urban sites such as Berkeley and Brooklyn have their individual magnetic pulse
Multidisciplinary study uses magnetometers to investigate the magnetic fields of metropolitan areas Magnetic fields occur wherever magnets are active. The Earth itself is surrounded by a magnetic field and its orientation can be readily determined using a compass, for example. Cities also have magnetic fields and can be clearly distinguished from each other thanks to their unique magnetic signatures.

Astronomy / Space Science - Physics - 25.07.2022

Preparing for the World’s biggest radio telescope
Astronomers simulate physical processes in the interstellar medium of galaxies at "Cosmic Noon" for future SKAO observations An international team of researchers has demonstrated that the Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO) is capable of detecting radio emissions from normal spiral galaxies in the early universe.

Physics - Chemistry - 22.07.2022

More safety, less cost: Small spectroscopy devices are coming more and more into reach
New approach combines zero-to-ultra-low field magnetic resonance with hyperpolarization technique SABRE-Relay to study alcohols Nuclear magnetic resonance provides the basis for numerous applications, such as magnetic resonance imaging in medical diagnostics. However, strong magnetic fields are still required, which limits the use of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR).

Physics - Chemistry - 22.07.2022

Porous Crystals Bind Fluorine-containing Greenhouse Gases
Heidelberg researchers develop new crystalline materials that adsorb polyfluorinated hydrocarbons on their surface Emissions of greenhouse gases contribute significantly to global warming. Not only carbon dioxide (CO2) but also fluorine-containing gases - including so-called peror polyfluorinated hydrocarbons, or PFCs - have a significant share in this development.

Physics - Chemistry - 20.07.2022

Making food ingredients visible
Mass spectrometry imaging (MS imaging) provides highly precise information on the spatial distribution of substances in many areas. Researchers at the University of Bayreuth have now presented some exemplary new applications in food analysis in the journal "Food Chemistry". For the first time, they have succeeded in making visible an additive in dairy products and a production-related contamination in baked goods.

Physics - Chemistry - 19.07.2022

Microscopic Views of a Rare Phenomenon
Ions are found everywhere in nature. These electrically charged particles in atoms and molecules influence the folding and unfolding of proteins and enzymes, maintain chemical balances, are responsible for transmitting nerve signals, and determine the efficiency of electrochemical reactions. Strong interactions between ions and water molecules play a central role in most processes.

Life Sciences - Physics - 14.07.2022

Most complex protein knots
Theoretical physicists at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz put Google's artificial intelligence AlphaFold to the test and find the most complex protein knots so far The question of how the chemical composition of a protein, the amino acid sequence, determines its 3D structure has been one of the biggest challenges in biophysics for more than half a century.

Physics - 04.07.2022

The Higgs particle turns ten
Detailed insights into the nature of the Higgs boson could help answer big open questions in physics Exactly ten years ago, the Atlas and CMS experiments announced a resounding success: Little less than three years after the launch of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at Cern, the last missing piece in the Standard Model of particle physics had been found: The Higgs boson, a kind of messenger of the Higgs field that in turn gives mass to all matter particles.

Physics - 04.07.2022

Obstacle course for microscopic whirlwinds
Joint project involving experimental and theoretical physicists and coordinated by Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz is providing greater insight into the pinning effects of skyrmions We know hurricanes mainly from worldwide weather phenomena, but they have started to occur more frequently also in Europe.

Earth Sciences - Physics - 24.06.2022

Defects in quartz crystal structure reveal the origin of dust
Global warming and a progressively drier climate in many parts of the world are causing more dust storms. To predict how these storms are caused, researchers are looking into the past to understand where the dust came from, for how long, and over what distances it was transported. An international research team led by Dr. Aditi K. Dave and Professor Kathryn Fitzsimmons from the Department of Geosciences at the University of Tübingen, along with colleagues from Romania, Brazil, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan, have now developed a new method of doing this.

Physics - 23.06.2022

Long-sought tetra-neutron discovered
After 60 years of unsuccessful searches, an international research team has discovered a neutral nucleus for the first time - the tetra-neutron. The collaboration succeeded in creating an isolated four-neutron system with low relative kinetic energy in a volume equivalent to an atomic nucleus. The building blocks of atomic nuclei are the nucleons, which come in two types, the neutral neutrons and the positively charged protons - the two so-called isospin states of the nucleon.

Physics - Life Sciences - 22.06.2022

Microscopy technique enables 3D super-resolution nanometre-scale imaging
Research team led by Göttingen University combine two techniques to achieve isotropic super -resolution imaging Over the last two decades, microscopy has seen unprecedented advances in speed and resolution. However, cellular structures are essentially three-dimensional, and conventional super-resolution techniques often lack the necessary resolution in all three directions to capture details at a nanometer scale.

Life Sciences - Physics - 21.06.2022

Another step towards synthetic cells
Introducing functional DNA-based cytoskeletons into cell-sized compartments - Publication Scientists from the 2. Physics Institute at the University of Stuttgart and the Max Planck Institute for Medical Research were now able to take the next step towards synthetic cells: They introduced functional DNA-based cytoskeletons into cell-sized compartments and showed functionality.

Chemistry - Physics - 21.06.2022

A nose for damaged plants and fake perfumes
Researchers develop a highly sensitive novel technique capable of detecting chiral molecules within complex gas mixtures The chiral signature of a fragrance can reveal whether a perfume is genuine or fake. Similarly, the chiral signature of the emissions of a plant can provide information on whether the plant is healthy or sick.

Physics - Innovation - 20.06.2022

Using quantum technology to ensure low-noise microphones
Use of quantum light leads to a significant improvement in signal-to-noise ratio [Picture: PI 3 / Florian Kaiser] Whether it's an online conference or a hearing aid, a high noise level in the microphones used, or significant background noise will disrupt any conversation, and better microphones are urgently needed.

Physics - Chemistry - 15.06.2022

New insights into binding configuration and mobility of molecules on nanoparticle surfaces
Freiburg physicists investigate binding between molecules and nanoparticles with high resolution How molecules bind to a surface is of central importance in chemical reactions, making the possibility of studying binding configurations in isolated nanosystems of great interest. A Freiburg research team led by Dr. Lukas Bruder and Frank Stienkemeier has now succeeded in studying the binding configurations and mobility of organic molecules on ultracold noble gas particles.

Computer Science - Physics - 09.06.2022

Third funding period for collaborative research center investigating soft matter simulation
German Research Foundation approves further four-year funding of the joint Collaborative Research Center/Transregio 146 on Multiscale Simulation Methods for Soft Matter Systems of Mainz University, TU Darmstadt, and the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research The German Research Foundation (DFG) has agreed to finance another four years of development of soft matter simulation by the Collaborative Research Center/TRR 146.