The extreme temperature of these unusual planets … allows the magnetic field to be coupled to the atmospheric winds Credit: Newcastle University

It is now possible to measure the magnetic field strengths of the hottest planets in the galaxy, new research has shown. Studying ‘hot Jupiters’, experts from Newcastle University, UK, have shown the planets’ magnetic field is responsible for the unusual behaviour of the atmospheric winds which move around it. Instead of moving in an eastward direction as has always been assumed, new observations have shown the winds varied from eastward to westward on the hot planet HAT-P-7b. Using this observation, Dr Tamara Rogers was able to estimate the magnetic field strength of this far-off planet.

Dr Rogers says this new understanding of the magnetic field...

Professor Alan Lau has mixed animal fibres with degradable plastics for better bone recovery.

Silk is an unlikely substitute for steel in any context, but for bone fractures, it may just be the perfect thing. A Swinburne researcher has developed a mix of cocoon silk fibres and biodegradable polymers that may one day hold bones together and help heal them from the inside out. Steel plates and bolts are often a surgeon’s only tools for fixing fractured bones. The problem is that steel can block new bone cells from repairing the fracture. Removing the steel through further surgery can leave bones brittle.

For 10 years, researchers have investigated a biodegradable polymer called PLA, already used in some food packaging, for medical implants...

Inhibition of Lateral Prefrontal Cortex Produces Emotionally Biased First Impressions: A Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and Electroencephalography Study, Psychological Science (2017). DOI: 10.1177/0956797617699837

Life is full of emotional highs and lows, ranging from enjoying an activity with a loved one and savoring a delicious meal to feeling hurt by a negative interaction with a co-worker or that recent scuffle with a family member. But when we let emotions from one event carry on to the next, such spillover can color our impressions and behavior in those new situations – sometimes for the worse...

Open Water Power’s battery that “drinks” in sea water to operate is safer and cheaper, and provides a tenfold increase in range, over traditional lithium-ion batteries used for unpiloted underwater vehicles. The power system consists of an alloyed aluminum anode, an alloyed cathode, and an alkaline electrolyte positioned between the electrodes. Components are only activated when flooded with water. Once the aluminum anode corrodes, it can be replaced at low cost. Credit: Open Water Power

The long range of airborne drones helps them perform critical tasks in the skies. Now MIT spinout Open Water Power (OWP) aims to greatly improve the range of unpiloted underwater vehicles (UUVs), helping them better perform in a range of applications under the sea...