University Research

Realistic Solar Corona Loops Simulated in Lab

Caltech applied physicists have experimentally simulated the sun's magnetic fields to create a realistic coronal loop in a lab.

Atomic Imperfections

Using cutting-edge first-principles calculations, researchers at the UC Santa Barbara have demonstrated the mechanism by which transition metal impurities — iron in particular — can act as nonradiative recombination centers in nitride semiconductors.

2-D Material a Brittle Surprise

Scientists at Rice University have discovered that an atom-thick material being eyed for flexible electronics and next-generation optical devices is more brittle than they expected.

Nanoshells: Potential Catalysts and Cradles of Life

A team of researchers at the University of Michigan have found a way to coax simple, inorganic nanoparticles to spontaneously assemble into shells has been discovered, potentially paving the way for more efficient industrial chemical processing, gene delivery and clean-up of chemical contaminants in the environment

Rice U. Lab Creates Open-Source Optogenetics Hardware and Software

Rice University bioengineering graduate student Karl Gerhardt and other Rice colleagues have created the first low-cost, easy-to-use optogenetics hardware platform that biologists who have little or no training in engineering or software design can use to incorporate optogenetics testing in their labs.

A Step Toward Mars

A highly successful test of a prototype power generator at the University of Dayton Research Institute bodes well for NASA's plans to expand its exploration of Mars with the next rover mission.

New Method Promises Easier Nanoscale Manufacturing

Scientists at the University of Chicago and Argonne National Laboratory have discovered a new way to precisely pattern nanomaterials that could open a new path to the next generation of everyday electronic devices.

Our Solar System’s “Shocking” Origin

New work from Carnegie’s Alan Boss offers fresh evidence supporting the theory that our Solar System’s formation was triggered by a shock wave from an exploding supernova.

Atomistic Calculations Predict that Boron Incorporation Increases the Efficiency of LEDs

Using predictive atomistic calculations and high-performance supercomputers at the NERSC computing facility, researchers Logan Williams and Emmanouil Kioupakis at the University of Michigan found that incorporating the element boron into the widely used InGaN (indium-gallium nitride) material can keep electrons from becoming too crowded in LEDs, making the material more efficient at producing light.