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Nanoparticles
From TV to reality: how transformable robots will change our life
From TV to reality: how transformable robots will change our life
If you grew up in the 80s or the 90s, you will have hardly missed “The Transformers”, an American animated series that mesmerized and marked a whole generation, with its futuristic heroes: ...
Meet the skyrmions: exotic quasiparticles could revolutionise computing
Meet the skyrmions: exotic quasiparticles could revolutionise computing
For most of us, any concerns about computing speed or data storage are usually to make it go faster while storing more. We hardly ever think about the enormous amounts of energy already required to power Internet servers or charge the increasing number of devices we own.
Nano-coating to protect buildings against pollution
Nano-coating to protect buildings against pollution
The photocatalytic properties of anatase , one of the three naturally occurring forms of titanium dioxide , were discovered in Japan in the late 1960s.
Designing ultra-sensitive biosensors for early personalised diagnostics
Designing ultra-sensitive biosensors for early personalised diagnostics
Personalised medicine is one of the new developments that is deemed to revolutionise health care. A key component is the detection of biomarkers, proteins in blood or saliva, for example, whose presence or abnormal concentration is caused by a disease.
Pietro Gucciardi – Working towards a single-molecule biosensor
Pietro Gucciardi – Working towards a single-molecule biosensor
Until now, few biosensors have had the required sensitivity to detect single molecules. A novel approach for improved biosensor sensitivity has opened new avenues for developing new kinds of biosensors.
Frédéric Chevallier and Olivier Boucher - Greenhouse gases and aerosols forecasters
Frédéric Chevallier and Olivier Boucher - Greenhouse gases and aerosols forecasters
Greenhouse gases and aerosols have an undisputed impact on climate. Long-lived greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and methane have a well-understood warming effect.
Preventing antibiotic resistance in hospital textiles
Preventing antibiotic resistance in hospital textiles
“Antibiotic resistance threatens a return to the pre-antibiotic era”. The World Health Organisation uses this strong expression when referring to a phenomenon that is rapidly spreading: the increasing resistance of microorganisms to antimicrobial medicines, such as antibiotics .
Forecasting air pollution
Forecasting air pollution
Air quality is not a local problem. Like clouds moving through the sky, pollution is transported from one location to another by wind patterns in the atmosphere .
Nanodiamonds: a cancer patient’s best friend?
Nanodiamonds: a cancer patient’s best friend?
Diamonds are sometimes considered as a girl’s best friend. Now, this expression is about to have a new meaning. Indeed, nanometric scale diamond particles could offer a new way to detect cancer far earlier than previously thought.
Nanosilver in textiles – friend or foe?
Nanosilver in textiles – friend or foe?
Silver has been used as biocide for medical purposes since the 1930s. Today nanometric size silver particles are used to prevent unpleasant odour caused by bacteria in sport shirts or socks .
Revamping nanotubes
Revamping nanotubes
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are set to become an important material for the future. That’s because they are light, robust, and highly conductive, both electrically and thermally whilst still being chemically stable.
Gold nanoparticles enhance cancer diagnostics
Gold nanoparticles enhance cancer diagnostics
Gold nanoparticles ( AuNPs ) present the many advantages of displaying relative biocompatibility, high light absorption and strong optical scattering properties. They are therefore good candidates to be used as probes for cancer imaging .
Regenerating the Ear and the Eye
Regenerating the Ear and the Eye
Finnish researchers have designed tiny nano-particles which can deliver a specific drug to cells of the inner ear. Once brought into position, this drug helps to repair damaged cells .
Nanoparticle therapeutics helping hearing disorders
Nanoparticle therapeutics helping hearing disorders
Due to different anatomic and physiological barriers it is hard to treat hearing disorders by using conventional systemic drug delivery. Therefore scientists are investigating different ways to locally apply drugs using nanoparticles.
Nanoparticles in our cities: any risks for our health?
Nanoparticles in our cities: any risks for our health?
Dr. Anne Beeldens and colleagues at the Belgian Road Research Centre have tested air purification efficiency by TiO2 NP-containing pavement blocks on parking lanes in Antwerp.
Could nanoparticles in cosmetics be toxic?
Could nanoparticles in cosmetics be toxic?
NPs in cosmetics are especially used as UV filters in sunscreens. Nano-sized titanium dioxide (TiO2) and zinc oxide (ZnO) have been widely used for years.
Uncertainties surrounding nanoparticles aimed for medical use
Uncertainties surrounding nanoparticles aimed for medical use
Researchers are trying to find out more about the relationship between different NPs’ shapes, sizes and surface chemistries and how they behave in the human body.