Lifeboat Foundation

Researchers identify Brown-Zak fermions in superlattices made from the carbon sheet.

Researchers at the University of Manchester in the UK have identified a new family of quasiparticles in superlattices made from graphene sandwiched between two slabs of boron nitride. The work is important for fundamental studies of condensed-matter physics and could also lead to the development of improved transistors capable of operating at higher frequencies.

In recent years, physicists and materials scientists have been studying ways to use the weak (van der Waals) coupling between atomically thin layers of different crystals to create new materials in which electronic properties can be manipulated without chemical doping. The most famous example is graphene (a sheet of carbon just one atom thick) encapsulated between another 2D material, hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), which has a similar lattice constant. Since both materials also have similar hexagonal structures, regular moiré patterns (or “superlattices”) form when the two lattices are overlaid.

Continue reading “New family of quasiparticles appears in graphene” »

LONDON — Alphabet-owned DeepMind has developed a piece of artificial intelligence software that can accurately predict the structure that proteins will fold into in a matter of days, solving a 50-year-old “grand challenge” that could pave the way for better understanding of diseases and drug discovery.

Every living cell has thousands of different proteins inside that keep it alive and well. Predicting the shape that a protein will fold into is important because it determines their function and nearly all diseases, including cancer and dementia, are related to how proteins function.

“Proteins are the most beautiful, gorgeous structures and the ability to predict exactly how they fold up is really very, very challenging and has occupied many people over many years,” Professor Dame Janet Thornton from the European Bioinformatics Institute told journalists on a call.

Researchers at DeepMind say they have solved “the protein folding problem,” a task that has bedeviled scientists for more than 50 years.

If I was a billionaire, I’d want to keep the profits flowing…

This chart shows the change in wealth of U.S. billionaires since the start of the pandemic.

Biodegradable facemasks! 😃

A natural solution to fight pollution. 📕.

Henrik shows off his bionic arm! 😃

Henrik shows how he performs everyday tasks with a bionic arm 😮 🦾.

Video. Well, at least the planet/environment benefits somewhat from what’s currently happening.

Maybe we can continue the good while overcoming the bad?

Pandemic restrictions reduced global nitrogen dioxide concentrations by nearly 20%, NASA finds.

For the first time, scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have formally identified a new species of undersea creature based solely on high-definition video footage captured at the bottom of the ocean.

And what an undersea creature it is. Meet Duobrachium sparksae – a strange, gelatinous species of ctenophore, encountered by the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) Deep Discoverer during a dive off the coast of Puerto Rico.

Continue reading “Scientists Confirm Entirely New Species of Gelatinous Blob From The Deep, Dark Sea” »

The Army Research Office has pledged $6.25 million towards developing mindreading technology for use on the battlefield.