Highlights
Telecommunications
A transistor for light
22 April 2014A high-performance ‘photonic transistor’ that switches light signals instead of electronic signals could revolutionize optical signal processing
Cancer
The significance of silence
22 April 2014An enzyme that silences DNA activity may be crucially involved in health and cancer
Polymer Multilayers
Multilayer polymers spring into action
8 April 2014Flexible plastics that turn mechanical vibrations into electrical energy could spur the development of self-powered sensors and devices
T-cells
Flu vaccine enables rapid response
8 April 2014A more efficient production process for influenza vaccines could help to cope with future pandemics
Plasmonics
A modern twist on Young’s slits
8 April 2014A landmark experiment on wave interference from the early 1800s is revisited using gold nanoparticles
Microfluidics
Microbeads are easily fixed
8 April 2014A passive method for sorting and fixing microbeads of different sizes could lead to cheaper and more functional biological assays
Diabetes
Sweet sensing
8 April 2014A highly sensitive and specific biological assay requires only a tiny sample volume to monitor glucose levels in patients with diabetes
Metal-organic Frameworks
Metal–organic ‘micromushrooms’ repel all
8 April 2014A clever chemical transformation yields surface-bound microstructures that efficiently drive away oil- and water-based contaminants
A*STAR Institute Of High Performance Computing (A*STAR IHPC)
Probing polarization puzzles
25 March 2014Using electron beams to encode data in nanocrystals could help to improve the capacity of computer memory devices
Pluripotency
Helping cultured stem cells get back to nature
25 March 2014Cultured human embryonic stem cells given the ‘3iL’ treatment more closely resemble natural stem cells from the developing embryo
Laser
Silicon helps light go through the right channels
25 March 2014Improved design of lasers on optoelectronic chips will advance optical communications
Route Control Signals
Slimmed down for a better fit
25 March 2014A thinner probe array that uses a silicon-based microstructure could underpin safer neural implants
Appetite
The power of proteins to battle the bulge
25 March 2014Improved understanding of the proteins that help the body to control appetite may be useful for the treatment of obesity
