Lithuanian University of Health Sciences

From trial and error to brute force A Franco-Japanese research group at the University of Tokyo has developed a new “brute force” technique to test thousands of biochemical reactions at once and quickly home in on the range of conditions where they work best. Until now, optimizing such biomolecular systems, which can be applied for

First gestural control consumer computer product we’ve seen. Sony Europe has unveiled a new addition to its E Series VAIO laptop range which allows users to flick through web pages, play music and adjust volume by waving a hand in front of the unit’s webcam. The 14-inch VAIO 14P also features a backlit keyboard for

In research published in Nature Materials, a team led by scientists from the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science in Japan has developed a new hydrogel that works like an artificial muscle—quickly stretching and contracting in response to changing temperature. They have also managed to use the polymer to build an L-shaped object that slowly

Counterfeiting is a crime as old as money itself. It causes a reduction in the value of real money and can add to company losses, as they are not reimbursed for counterfeits. In 1996 Australia became the first country to have a full series of circulating polymer banknotes, which are difficult to counterfeit because they

The sonic screwdriver has proven an indispensable piece of equipment for Doctor Who when battling Daleks, Cybermen and the Master. The fictional tool is capable of opening just about any lock known to man – or alien – and can fix a damaged TARDIS in a matter of seconds. Now engineers at Bristol University say

Weizmann Institute researchers suggest that the brain’s “immunological age” is what counts How the brain ages is still largely an open question – in part because this organ is mostly insulated from direct contact with other systems in the body, including the blood and immune systems. In research that was recently published in Science, Weizmann

New Approach to Making Cheaper, More Efficient Solar Panels Photovoltaic devices, which tap the power of the sun and convert it to electricity, offer a green — and potentially unlimited — alternative to fossil fuel use. So why haven’t solar technologies been more widely adopted? Quite simply, “they’re too expensive,” says Ji-Seon Kim, a senior

Separating fact from fiction in the age of alternate facts is becoming increasingly difficult, and now a new study has helped reveal why. Research by Dr Eryn Newman of The Australian National University (ANU) has found that when people listen to recordings of a scientist presenting their work, the quality of audio had a significant

“This is a quite remarkable spatial resolution.” Researchers have created tiny holograms using a “metasurface” capable of the ultra-efficient control of light, representing a potential new technology for advanced sensors, high-resolution displays and information processing. The metasurface, thousands of V-shaped nanoantennas formed into an ultrathin gold foil, could make possible “planar photonics” devices and optical

A breakthrough in drilling technology could slash costs by 85 per cent and help find much needed new mineral discoveries. It’s been unveiled by the Deep Exploration Technologies Cooperative Research Centre DETCRC which is a collaboration with the CSIRO, the Federal Government and several mining companies. Only 20 per cent of Australia has been explored