Category Physics

(Left) Hinode observation of a developing sunspot. An elongated bright feature called a ‘light bridge’ appears between the merging pores (darkest parts). (Right) Computer simulation of sunspot formation. A light bridge resembling the one observed is formed between the pores. (Credit: NAOJ/JAXA/LMSAL/NASA)

Sunspots are planet-sized conglomerates of bundles of intense magnetic field lines on the surface of the Sun. They are known to cause solar flares which can directly impact our technological infrastructure. Shin Toriumi’s team analyzed observations of sunspots as they formed taken by Hinode, the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) and the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) satellites.

The team modeled the observations using state-of-the-art numerical simulations performed on the Pl...

Image obtained from scanning tunneling microscopy on a porous 3D-gold structure. Credit: Anaïs Ferris – LAAS

Micro-supercapacitors are a promising alternative to micro-batteries because of their high power and long lifetime. They have been in development for about a decade but until now they have stored considerably less energy than micro-batteries, which has limited their application. Now researchers have developed an electrode material that means electrochemical capacitors produce results similar to batteries, yet retain their particular advantages.

With the development of on-board electronic systems and wireless technologies, the miniaturization of energy storage devices has become necessary...

What looks like a bed of nails are actually nanowires. Each outgrowing thread has a diameter of 80 nanometres (billionths of a metre). The green things climbing on the nanowires are neurons. Credit: Image courtesy of Lund University

Neurons thrive and grow in a new type of nanowire material developed by researchers. In time, the results might improve both neural and retinal implants, and reduce the risk of them losing their effectiveness over time, which is currently a problem.

By implanting electrodes in the brain tissue one can stimulate or capture signals from different areas of the brain. These types of brain implants, or neuro-prostheses as they are sometimes called, are used to treat Parkinson’s disease and other neurological diseases...

Speaker that grows in a piece of furniture, the shape is generated by an algorithm to suit one’s physical space. Credit: Image courtesy of Umeå universitet

Thus more meaningful products can be made for people and more value for companies. In his research, Guido Hermans has investigated a way to open up design to the consumer and how to give this group an active role in the design of everyday products. “This role change implies a shift for the professional designer from knowing what a future user would like to have towards knowing what a layperson would like to design, which is for most designers an unfamiliar way of thinking,” says Guido Hermans.

The new form of lay design is enabled by 2 developments: On the one hand, the creation of variable designs by using computational design, and ...