Electricity can be generated by using nanoscale fibres that respond to the movement of molecules in fluid Martin Capek/Alamy A miniature generator can convert the movements of molecules in room temperature liquid into electricity. The device could one day be used to power devices like medical implants or even small household appliances. Molecules are constantly … Read more
Oak buds contain a useful bacterium for separating rare earth elements Getty Images/Anna Hedderly A bacterial protein found in English oak buds could be used to more efficiently process the rare earth elements needed for different technologies. Rare earth elements are used in products such as smartphone and TV screens, electric vehicle motors and wind … Read more
Beer fermentation vats Shutterstock/Digieva Tiny robots packed with yeast speed up the fermentation of beer and eliminate the need to filter it before bottling. Using living yeast to convert sugar to alcohol is a key part of making beer, but it can be time consuming, and the yeast can spoil and ruin a whole batch of … Read more
A chemical gel can reveal a secret sequence of numbers if given the right “password” – a combination of heat, light and water. The technology could be used to prevent counterfeiting or in smart labels Technology 3 November 2022 By Alex Wilkins The right combination of heat, light and water could unlock a passcode encrypted … Read more
An artificial intelligence model that maps the structure of molecules to their smell could help create specific food tastes or find compounds to better repel disease-carrying organisms like mosquitoes Technology 12 September 2022 By Alex Wilkins What we smell is linked to the structure of chemical molecules in the air, but many subjective factors influence … Read more
One of the long-promised benefits of quantum computers is simulating molecules very quickly, but it turns out that these extra-fast speeds might not be possible Technology 16 August 2022 By Alex Wilkins An artist’s impression of a quantum computer Bartlomiej K. Wroblewski/Shutterstock Quantum computers may not be able to simulate molecules and solve other problems … Read more