news 2016

Using ultrafast imaging of moving energy in photosynthesis, scientists have determined the speed of crucial processes for the first time. This should help scientists understand how nature has perfected the process of photosynthesis, and how this might be copied to produce fuels by artificial photosynthesis.

Molecules 10,000 times narrower than the width of a human hair could hold the key to making possible wooden skyscrapers and more energy-efficient paper production, according to research published today . The study, led by a father and son team at the Universities of Warwick and Cambridge, solves a long-standing mystery of how key sugars in cells bind to form strong, indigestible materials.

Scientists from the University of Liverpool as part of CERN's ALPHA collaboration have made the first spectroscopic measurement of an atom of antimatter - a longstanding goal in antimatter physics. Published , this finding represents a significant step towards the development of highly precise tests of whether matter behaves differently from antimatter.

How ice forms on the surfaces of mineral dust particles in the atmosphere has been revealed by a team from UCL and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) in Germany. More than 90% of precipitation over land relies on the formation of ice crystals on airborne aerosol particles but why only a tiny fraction of all atmospheric particles can initiate ice growth is unknown.

A large oil painting inspired by the first ever detection of gravitational waves is to be unveiled at Cardiff University. Penelope Cowley, a local artist who specialises in bringing art and science together, will present her work at the University's School of Physics and Astronomy, along with a video showcasing a unique artistic spin on the discovery.

Members of Bristol's Centre for Quantum Photonics presented their latest demonstrations to industry leaders, funding bodies and government representatives at this year's Quantum Showcase in London. The researchers occupied three stands in the exhibition space at the QEII Centre in Westminster, at an event attended by industry, government and funding bodies.

Security research paves the way towards new hybrid cyber defences for nationally critical buildings. Power stations, water supplies, oil refineries, large transport hubs and telecommunication networks are all defined as critical infrastructure needed for a country to function normally. However, the importance of these assets mean they are also likely targets of malicious cyber attacks - particularly from terrorist or state actors.

Hydrogen is often described as the fuel of the future, particularly when applied to hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles. One of the main obstacles facing this technology - a potential solution to future sustainable transport - has been the lack of a lightweight, safe on-board hydrogen storage material.

In a new study, researchers measure the spin properties of electronic states produced in singlet fission - a process which could have a central role in the future development of solar cells. Future research will focus on making devices and examining how these states can be harnessed for use in solar cells Leah Weiss Physicists have successfully employed a powerful technique for studying electrons generated through singlet fission, a process which it is believed will be key to more efficient solar energy production in years to come.

Astronomers have cast light on how young galaxies ionise oxygen in the early Universe and its effects on the evolution of galaxies through time. Galaxies produce stars from cold gas, but some galaxies are more productive than others and their productivity changes across cosmic time. Overall, galaxies seem to have been the most productive 2-3 billion years after the Big Bang, with a consistent decline ever since.

The most detailed exploration to date of how energy flows from a hot molecule into a surrounding liquid has been undertaken by a team of scientists at the University of Bristol. Led by Professors Mike Ashfold and Andrew Orr-Ewing from the School of Chemistry , the research, published recently , has significant implications for a fundamental understanding of the mechanisms of cooling and provides fresh insights into the extraordinarily complex behaviour of liquids.

A major international collaboration between the MINOS experiment, which involves UCL scientists, and the Daya Bay experiment has today announced results which shed new light on one of the most pressing questions in particle physics - do sterile neutrinos exist? Sterile neutrinos are a suggested fourth neutrino alongside the well-known electron, muon and tau neutrinos.

Experts from Cardiff University have proposed a much cheaper and more efficient way of producing a promising new catalyst that is used in reactions to produce a whole host of everyday materials, from electronics and cosmetics to sanitisation and pharmaceuticals. The team, from the Cardiff Catalysis Institute, have devised a new way of creating the catalyst graphitic oxide - a compound that is a pre-cursor to the 'wonder material' graphene - and shown how this can be effectively used in reactions to produce a widely used material called epoxide.

The universe is not spinning or stretched in any particular direction, according to the most stringent test yet. Looking out into the night sky, we see a clumpy universe: planets orbit stars in solar systems and stars are grouped into galaxies, which in turn form enormous galaxy clusters. But cosmologists assume this effect is only local: that if we look on sufficiently large scales, the universe is actually uniform.

The universe is expanding uniformly according to research led by UCL which reports that space isn't stretching in a preferred direction or spinning. The new study, published today in Physical Review Letters , studied the cosmic microwave background (CMB) which is the remnant radiation from the Big Bang.

Scientists have witnessed galaxies forming inside a mysterious giant space blob, which will one day form the heart of a giant galaxy cluster. Lyman-alpha Blobs (LABs) are gigantic clouds of hydrogen gas that can span hundreds of thousands of light years. Their structure looks relatively simple, but they glow far more brightly than might be expected.

Sussex physicists develop new touchscreen technology Physicists at the University of Sussex are at an advanced stage of developing alternative touchscreen technology to overcome the shortfall in the traditional display, phone and tablet material that relies on electrodes made from indium tin oxide (ITO).

Building up proteins from scratch, rather than piecing together fragments of existing proteins, could make designing new nanomaterials easier. Proteins perform a myriad of functions essential for life. They also make up important and useful biological materials, for example spider silk, which is exceptionally strong but still flexible.

A large international study of more than 200,000 people in nearly 50 countries has revealed that people with psychosis engage in low levels of physical activity, and men with psychosis are over two times more likely to miss global activity targets compared to people without the illness. The research, led by King's College London and the South London and Maudsley (SLaM) NHS Foundation Trust, also offers important insights into the barriers that prevent people with psychosis from engaging in regular physical activity.

Clear evidence of a planet orbiting Proxima Centauri, the closest star to the Solar System, has been found by an international team of scientists led by astronomers at Queen Mary University of London (QMUL). Using facilities operated by ESO (the European Southern Observatory) and other telescopes, The planet, called Proxima b, orbits its parent star every 11 days and has a temperature suitable for liquid water to exist on its surface.