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Scientists discover simpler is better when it comes to terahertz time-domain spectroscopy

A simple tweak to the usual setup is all that is needed to enhance a spectroscopy technique that uses waves in the terahertz region to probe samples, RIKEN physicists have discovered. The findings are published in the journal Applied Physics Letters.

Developing techniques that can obtain spectra from tiny regions extremely rapidly is the ultimate goal of a team that Norihiko Hayazawa of the RIKEN Center for Advanced Photonics belongs to.

Until recently, the scientists had been focusing on obtaining spectra from nanoscale regions on samples. But now they are concentrating on acquiring spectra very quickly—on the order of billionths of seconds (nanoseconds)—to minimize fluctuations induced by the ambient environment.

Not Science Fiction: This Tiny Robot Crawls Through Your Body To Deliver Medicine

A flexible, semi-autonomous robot could potentially locate disaster victims trapped under rubble and deliver medication within the human body. A small, soft, and flexible robot capable of crawling through earthquake debris to locate trapped victims, or navigating the human body to deliver medicin

Astrophysicists Discover That Millions of Interstellar Objects Could Be Hiding in Our Solar System

A new model has been developed to simulate interstellar activity within our solar system and the nearby Alpha Centauri system. Interstellar material has been found within our solar system, but scientists are still working to determine its origin and how it arrived here. A recent study from Wes

Laser Holograms Could Revolutionize 3D Chip Manufacturing

The approach uses lasers and holograms to detect misalignments as small as 0.017 nanometers. Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have developed a new method for aligning 3D semiconductor chips by shining a laser through concentric metalenses patterned onto the chips, creating a

This Self-Shaping Liquid Defies Thermodynamics — And Always Rebuilds Its Form

In a surprising twist, a graduate student at UMass Amherst discovered a strange new fluid behavior that seems to defy thermodynamics.

While experimenting with oil, water, and magnetized nickel particles, he found that no matter how hard the mixture was shaken, it would always return to the same elegant urn shape. This behavior sparked curiosity among physicists, who eventually traced the cause to unusually strong magnetism altering the way the fluids interact. Though it has no immediate use, the finding opens new frontiers in soft-matter science.

A surprising discovery in soft matter.

The Immune Molecule That Rewires Your Brain — From Anxiety to Sociability

A surprising link between the immune system and brain behavior is emerging, as new research reveals how a single immune molecule can affect both anxiety and sociability depending on which brain region it acts upon.

Scientists found that IL-17 behaves almost like a brain chemical, influencing neuron activity in ways that alter mood and behavior during illness. These findings suggest the immune system plays a much deeper role in shaping our mental states than previously thought, opening new doors for treating conditions like autism and anxiety through immune-based therapies.

Immune Molecules and Brain Behavior.

This Star Got Kicked Out at a Million MPH — And Exposed a Hidden Black Hole

Scientists have uncovered the strongest evidence yet for the existence of elusive intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs), long thought to be the missing link between stellar-mass and supermassive black holes. By tracking a hypervelocity star, J0731+3717, that appears to have been ejected from the

Molecules in a Twist: How a Flash of Light Flips Chirality

Scientists in Japan have uncovered a surprising twist, literally, in how molecules organize themselves. By introducing tiny leftover fragments from previous assemblies, they discovered a way to flip the direction of helical molecular structures.

Using specific intensities of UV and visible light, they controlled whether these molecules formed left-handed or right-handed spirals, revealing a new method to fine-tune optical and electronic properties. This groundbreaking insight could unlock novel ways to engineer smarter, more responsive materials.

Revealing the power of molecular self-assembly.

Paper Werewolf Deploys PowerModul Implant in Targeted Cyberattacks on Russian Sectors

The threat actor known as Paper Werewolf has been observed exclusively targeting Russian entities with a new implant called PowerModul.

The activity, which took place between July and December 2024, singled out organizations in the mass media, telecommunications, construction, government entities, and energy sectors, Kaspersky said in a new report published Thursday.

Paper Werewolf, also known as GOFFEE, is assessed to have conducted at least seven campaigns since 2022, according to BI.ZONE, with the attacks mainly aimed at government, energy, financial, media, and other organizations.