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Flexible optoelectronic device with minimal defects fabricated at just 90°C

Dr. Jung-Dae Kwon’s research team at the Energy & Environmental Materials Research Division of the Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS) has successfully developed an amorphous silicon optoelectronic device with minimal defects, even using a low-temperature process at 90°C. The findings are published in the journal Advanced Science.

Notably, the team overcame the limitations of high-temperature processing by precisely controlling the hydrogen dilution ratio—the ratio of hydrogen to silane (SiH4) gas—enabling the fabrication of high-performance flexible optoelectronic devices (sensors that detect light and convert it into ).

Flexible optoelectronic devices are key components of next-generation , such as wearable electronics and image sensors, and require the precise deposition of thin films on thin, bendable substrates. However, a major limitation has been the necessity of high-temperature processing above 250°C, making it difficult to apply these devices to heat-sensitive flexible substrates.

Earth’s Gravity Might Be Warping Quantum Mechanics, Say Physicists

Scientists propose a groundbreaking experiment using quantum computers and atomic clocks to test whether gravity alters the fundamental rules of quantum theory. A recent study featured in the journal PRX Quantum reveals how a network of quantum computers equipped with optical clocks can be used t

Alzheimer’s Gene Therapy Shows Promise in Preserving Cognitive Function

Someone posted this, and reminded me I didn’t Researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine have developed a gene therapy for Alzheimer’s disease that could help protect the brain from damage and preserve cognitive function. Unlike existing treatments for Alzheimer’s that target unhealthy protein deposits in the brain, the new approach could help address the root cause of Alzheimer’s disease by influencing the behavior of brain cells themselves.

Alzheimer’s disease affects millions of people around the world and occurs when abnormal proteins build up in the brain, leading to the death of brain cells and declines in cognitive function and memory. While current treatments can manage symptoms of Alzheimer’s, the new gene therapy aims to halt or even reverse disease progression.

Studying mice, the researchers found that delivering the treatment at the symptomatic stage of the disease preserved hippocampal-dependent memory, a critical aspect of cognitive function that is often impaired in Alzheimer’s patients. Compared to healthy mice of the same age, the treated mice also had a similar pattern of gene expression, suggesting that the treatment has the potential to alter the behavior of diseased cells to restore them to a healthier state.

By reprogramming brain cells, a new gene therapy approach for Alzheimer’s developed by UC San Diego researchers could address the root cause of the disease to halt its progression.

TISSIUM Announces Clinical Results of COAPTIUM® CONNECT System for Atraumatic Sutureless Nerve Repair

Paris, France, Cambridge, USA, April 2nd, 2025 – TISSIUM, a privately-owned medtech company developing biomorphic programmable polymers for tissue reconstruction, is proud to unveil clinical data which were presented at the IFSSH Congress in Washington, D.C. on March 27, 2025, demonstrating the potential of its COAPTIUM® CONNECT System, an innovative atraumatic sutureless solution for peripheral nerve repair.

Peripheral nerve injuries pose a significant burden, often resulting in impaired nerve function, reduced dexterity, and decreased quality of life. Traditional microsurgical repair with sutures, while effective, presents challenges such as inconsistent functional recovery and the potential for additional nerve trauma. The need for disruptive technologies in nerve repair is clear—TISSIUM’s COAPTIUM® CONNECT System offers an innovative atraumatic sutureless method for coaptation of severed nerves.

Study Overview & Key Findings

A prospective, single-arm study was conducted in patients with digital nerve injuries to assess the COAPTIUM® CONNECT System. The trial enrolled 12 patients, of whom 10 completed the entire 1-year follow-up duration.

Comparative Performance Analysis of Femtosecond-Laser-Written Diode-Pumped Pr: LiLuF4 Visible Waveguide Lasers

In crystalline materials, the fabrication of optical waveguides by femtosecond laser irradiation is not as easy as in glasses [7] because, in many cases, it is not possible to produce a refractive index increase, able to directly confine and guide light along a certain trajectory. On the contrary, the most typical situation is that the refractive index of the crystal is decreased by the effect of the high intensity of the laser, but even in those cases it can be used anyway to design efficient waveguides [22].

In our study, we designed and fabricated waveguides with different configurations and geometries in the search for the best performance, helping us to understand the confinement mechanisms in Pr: LLF. The following waveguide types were tested:

What are ‘blue zones’? 5 places on Earth where the healthiest people live

His findings launched books including, The Blue Zones Secrets for Living Longer: Lessons From the Healthiest Places on Earth, worldwide interest in these hot spots, and even a Netflix series, “Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones.”

So where are these “blue zones,” what makes them so healthy, and what can we learn from them even if we don’t live anywhere near one? Here’s everything to know about blue zones.

Buettner’s research has led him to identify five regions he’s dubbed “blue zones.” These are “demographically confirmed, geographically defined” areas in the world where people are living to 100 at extraordinary rates— 10 times greater than in the United States.

NASA’s Roman telescope will catch 100,000 explosions — and rewrite the Universe’s story

NASA’s Roman Space Telescope is set to embark on a deep-sky survey that could capture nearly 100,000 cosmic explosions, shedding light on everything from dark energy to black hole physics. Its High-Latitude Time-Domain Survey will revisit the same region of the sky every five days for two years, catching transient phenomena like supernovae — particularly type Ia, which are cosmic mileposts for tracking the universe’s expansion. Roman’s simulations suggest it could push the boundary of what we know about the early universe, observing ancient supernovae over 11.5 billion years old.

Scientists predict one of the major surveys by NASA’s upcoming Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope may reveal around 100,000 celestial blasts, ranging from exploding stars to feeding black holes. Roman may even find evidence of some of the universe’s first stars, which are thought to completely self-destruct without leaving any remnant behind.

Cosmic explosions offer clues to some of the biggest mysteries of the universe. One is the nature of dark energy, the mysterious pressure thought to be accelerating the universe’s expansion.

Scientists use dental floss to deliver vaccines without needles

Flossing your teeth at least once a day is an essential part of any oral health routine. But it might also one day protect other parts of the body as scientists have created a novel, needle-free vaccine approach using a specialized type of floss.

In a study published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, researchers demonstrated that when floss laced with components, such as proteins and inactive viruses, was applied along the gum lines of mice, it triggered an .

This method of vaccine delivery is effective because the areas of gum between the teeth are highly permeable, allowing them to absorb vaccine molecules easily.