Inhibition of HER2 on tumor cells by molecularly imprinted nanoparticles. A particularly aggressive, metastasizing form of cancer, HER2-positive breast cancer, may be treated with nanoscopic particles “imprinted” with specific binding sites for the receptor molecule HER2. As reported by Chinese researchers in the journal Angewandte Chemie, the selective binding of the nanoparticles to HER2 significantly inhibits multiplication of the tumor cells.

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women and one of the leading causes of death...

Portable polarization-sensitive camera could be used in machine vision, autonomous vehicles, security, atmospheric chemistry and more. Researchers have developed a highly compact, portable camera that can image polarization in a single shot. The miniature camera – about the size of a thumb – could find a place in the vision systems of autonomous vehicles, onboard planes or satellites to study atmospheric chemistry, or be used to detect camouflaged objects.

When the first full-length movie made with the advanced, three-color process of Technicolor premiered in 19...

The asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter preserves the processes of planetary formation, frozen in time. Vesta, the second largest asteroid in this belt, provides an outstanding opportunity for scientists to investigate the origin and formation of planets. In particular, Vesta has kept its crust, mantle and metallic core, much like Earth. Careful mapping of Vesta by NASA’s Dawn mission showed that the crust at the south pole of Vesta is unusually thick.

In a paper just published in Nature Geoscience, Dr. Yi-Jen Lai of the Macquarie University Planetary Research Centre and Macquarie GeoAnalytical and her colleagues propose a new evolutionary history of Vesta involving a giant impact...

Researchers at EPFL have developed a method that uses artificial intelligence to design next-generation heat-pump compressors. Their method can cut the pumps’ power requirement by around 25%. In Switzerland, 50 – 60% of new homes are equipped with heat pumps. These systems draw in thermal energy from the surrounding environment – such as from the ground, air, or a nearby lake or river – and turn it into heat for buildings.

While today’s heat pumps generally work well and are environmentally friendly, they still have substantial room for improvement...