Scientists Create First-ever Individual 2D Phosphorene Nanoribbons
Nanotech Tracks Records of Earth’s Oldest Life Forms
Population Declines of Mammals and Birds Linked to Rapid Warming of Climate
The rate at which our planet is warming has been found to be a critical factor in explaining the decline of bird and mammal species, reveals new research by UCL and ZSL (Zoological Society of London). For the study, published today in Global Change Biology, 987 populations of 481 species across the globe were studied to…
Rigor Mortis in Worms Offers New Insight Into Death
A dying worm experiences rigor mortis early in the death process, rather than after the main event as it is for humans, according to a new study by an international team of scientists at UCL and Washington University. The study, published in the journal Cell Reports, is the first discovery of rigor mortis in worms and…
Supercomputer Model Reveals How Sticky Tape Makes Graphene
Scientists at University College London have explained for the first time the mystery of why adhesive tape is so useful for graphene production. The study, published in Advanced Materials, used supercomputers to model the process through which graphene sheets are exfoliated from graphite, the material in pencils. Graphene is known for being the strongest material in the…
Supercomputer Model Shows How Graphene Results from Sticky Tape
DNA Used to Construct Nanoscale Filter
Inspired by biological filters, scientists at UCL, Imperial College London and Yale University have designed and built a nanometer-sized pore that helps us to better understand the complex way by which cells transport genetic material and viruses. The study, published in ACS Nano, shows how DNA can be folded using “DNA origami” to form a…
Synthetic “Virus” Dispatched to Kill Bacteria
Onions Could Hold Key to Fighting Antibiotic Resistance
Researchers believe the antibacterial properties extracted from the Persian shallot could increase the effects of existing antibiotic treatment. The study, published in Scientific Reports, was led by Dr Sanjib Bhakta of Birkbeck, University of London and UCL’s Professor Simon Gibbons, who worked with a team of scientists from Birkbeck, UCL, the University of Greenwich, the University of East London…
Smartphones Help Diagnose Immunity to Ebola
A promising new approach to detect immunity to Ebola virus infection has been developed by researchers from i-sense in a collaboration between UCL and Imperial College London. Published in ACS Nano, the new approach uses lateral flow technology, similar to that of a pregnancy test, coupled with smartphones to provide a promising alternative to lab-based…
Ultrasound Imaging Needle to Transform Heart Surgery
Heart tissue can be imaged in real-time during keyhole procedures using a new optical ultrasound needle developed by researchers at UCL and Queen Mary University of London (QMUL). The revolutionary technology has been successfully used for minimally invasive heart surgery in pigs, giving an unprecedented, high-resolution view of soft tissues up to 2.5 cm in…