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For the first time, scientists have 'photographed' a rare plasma instability, where high-energy electron beams form into spaghetti-like filaments. A new study, published in Physical Review Letters , outlines how a high-intensity infrared laser was used to generate a filamentation instability - a phenomenon that affects applications in plasma-based particle accelerators and fusion energy methods.

A landmark development led by researchers from the University of Glasgow could help create a new generation of diamond-based transistors for use in high-power electronics. Their new diamond transistor overcomes the limitations of previous developments in the technology to create a device much closer to being of practical use across a range of industries which rely on high power systems.

Groundbreaking research that used a NASA-equipped plane to fly over thunderclouds has described a new kind of radiation New research into the causes of lightning strikes, which could lead to better understanding and real-time forecasting of thunderstorms in the future, has been released today. Two studies published in Nature conclude that gamma ray generation from thunderstorms may be more common and take more forms than previously thought.

Smaller and newer homes use less energy than larger, older ones, confirms a new report by UCL researchers that offers unique insights into household energy consumption across the country. The report, published by UCL's Smart Energy Research Lab (SERL), analysed the gas and electricity use of more than 13,000 representative households across Great Britain over two years.

Engineers from UK universities have developed a new method of measuring temperature through the interaction of a soft and flexible 'smart skin' sensor with electromagnetic waves. Engineers from UK universities have developed a new method of measuring temperature through the interaction of a soft and flexible 'smart skin' sensor with electromagnetic waves.

University of Sheffield researchers have developed 3D-printed radio antennas that could be used to bring the fastest mobile phone networks to people living in remote areas for the first time 3D-printed millimetre wave aerials are much quicker and cheaper to produce than those currently used by the telecommunications industry, but have the same level of performance Development could help to drive innovation, speed up the production of new prototy

A new and more efficient way of modelling and designing power electronic converters using artificial intelligence (AI) has been created by a team of experts from Cardiff University and the Compound Semiconductor Applications (CSA) Catapult. The method has reduced design times for technology by up to 78% compared to traditional approaches and was used to create a device with an efficiency of over 98%.

Throughout history, alchemists believed in the existence of the philosopher's stone: a substance that could turn cheap substances into precious gold. Now scientists from The University of Manchester, Tsinghua University in China and the Chinese Academy of Sciences have shown that graphene can be a kind of philosopher's stone, allowing gold extraction from waste containing only trace amounts of gold (down to billionth of a percent).

A new form of flexible photodetector could provide future robots with an electronic skin capable of 'seeing' light beyond the range of human vision. A team of engineers from the University of Glasgow are behind the breakthrough development, which involves a newly-developed method of printing microscale semiconductors made from gallium arsenide onto a flexible plastic surface.

A team including researchers from The University of Manchester's National Graphene Institute (NGI) has revealed that sonic boom and Doppler-shifted sound waves can be created in a graphene transistor, giving new insights into this advanced material and its potential for use in nanoscale electronic technologies.

Physicists find a way to make components for low-cost electronics using a material that's highly rated for its performance in next-gen solar cells and LEDs. Last updated on Tuesday 17 August 2021 Physicists have found a way to make transistors using materials that are highly rated for their performance in next-generation solar cells and light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

Joint project with Birmingham's Tyseley Energy Park and the University of Birmingham. Demonstrates the potential of cost-effective decarbonisation through more effective utilisation and coordination of current and planned generation assets. A more coordinated net zero system could supply up to 50,000 users with CO2-neutral electricity or supply Birmingham airport with green electricity, heat and cooling.

'Make-at-home' pulse oximeter that can help track Covid-19 symptoms shared by Bath engineers Last updated on Wednesday 17 February 2021 Designs for a low-cost, 3D-printed blood-oxygen sensor have been shared by University of Bath engineers to help in the fight against Covid-19. The do-it-yourself 'Open Oximeter' sensor, designed by a team of engineers and scientists, can be created by anyone with a 3D printer and basic electronics skills.

Savings of up to £1,000 a year on energy bills could be made by living in the UK's first affordable energy positive house, researchers have shown. The team from Cardiff University say that over the course of a year the house exports 1.3 times more electricity to the grid than it consumes, thus resulting in overall net negative carbon emissions, equating to around -179 kg per year.

Bristol researchers have developed a tiny device that paves the way for higher performance quantum computers and quantum communications, making them significantly faster than the current state-of-the-art. Researchers from the University of Bristol's Quantum Engineering Technology Labs (QET Labs) and Université Côte d'Azur have made a new miniaturized light detector to measure quantum features of light in more detail than ever before.

Researchers have developed a new approach to printed electronics which allows ultra-low power electronic devices that could recharge from ambient light or radiofrequency noise. The approach paves the way for low-cost printed electronics that could be seamlessly embedded in everyday objects and environments.

From capturing your breath to guiding biological cell movements, 3D printing of tiny, transparent conducting fibres could be used to make devices which can 'smell, hear and touch' - making it particularly useful for health monitoring, Internet of Things and biosensing applications.

Extremely energy-efficient artificial intelligence is now closer to reality after a study by UCL researchers found a way to improve the accuracy of a brain-inspired computing system. The system, which uses memristors to create artificial neural networks, is at least 1,000 times more energy efficient than conventional transistor-based AI hardware, but has until now been more prone to error.

A new technique that synchronises the clocks of computers in under a billionth of a second can eliminate one of the hurdles for the deployment of all-optical networks, potentially leading to more efficient data centres, according to a new study led by UCL and Microsoft. Data centres, comprising tens or hundreds of thousands connected servers, are the underlying technology empowering everything we do online, from storing films and photos to serving up webpages and online services.

The work, which is reported , was carried out in collaboration with the University of Southampton and the Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden. The invention is an important development for all-electric vehicles and more-electric aircraft which require electronics with integrated data storage that can operate in extreme temperatures with high energy efficiency.