Science

Second-generation of powerful X-ray laser fires for the first time

The Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS) is an extremely powerful X-ray laser – and now it's about to get even more powerful. The second generation of the instrument has now achieved first light, with scientists demonstrating fine control of the beam.

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Cobalt-free battery leans on nickel for extra energy storage

A new battery design from the University of Texas at Austin may help address some issues of current lithium batteries, with the researchers demonstrating a new type of architecture that is entirely free of cobalt.

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Puzzled astronomers watch a black hole vanish and reappear in a year

Despite the name, black holes often shine very bright in the sky, due to their hot glowing corona. Now, astronomers have been puzzled to watch a black hole’s corona suddenly vanish – and if that wasn’t weird enough, it reappeared a few months later.

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Test reveals radiation sickness in hours via a single drop of blood

A new diagnostic tool developed by scientists at Ohio State University promises to drastically reduce the time needed to detect radiation sickness, by measuring a pair of key biomarkers in just a single drop of blood.

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How antibiotics and a high-fat diet can drive gut inflammation

New research suggests a high-fat diet and antibiotics work together to promote a gut microbiome imbalance that can lead to bowel inflammation. The study sheds light on the causal mechanism by which environmental factors can trigger IBD.

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Ultra-black fish that absorb 99.5% of light found in the deep ocean

Scientists have discovered ultra-black fish that absorb almost all light that hits them, allowing them to effectively hide in the deepest, darkest parts of the ocean. The find could help inform future advances in optical and camouflage technology.

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Study finds Andean condors can soar 100 miles without flapping

New research, led by Professor Emily Shepard of Swansea University and Dr. Sergio Lambertucci of the Universidad Nacional del Comahue in Argentina, indicates that the Andean condor only flaps its wings one percent of the time it's in flight.

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World’s lightest mirror is made from a few hundred atoms

Using just a few hundred identical atoms, physicists at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics have pieced together the world’s lightest mirror, which is invisible to the naked eye and has a surface measured in mere microns.

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Solar flow battery efficiently stores renewable energy in liquid form

An international team of scientists has created a new type of solar flow battery that’s efficient and long-lasting. The device is made up of a silicon/perovskite tandem solar cell, paired with a redox flow battery, with organic chemical electrolytes.

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New Harvard vaccine technique coats red blood cells in nanoparticles

Researchers at Harvard have developed a new platform for producing vaccines. Red blood cells are loaded with antigens to generate a specific immune response, and in tests in mice the team showed that it was effective in slowing the growth of cancer.

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