Lund University

Zapping fakes with lasers FROM banknotes to bottles of Bordeaux and Vans shoes to Viagra, good forgeries can be hard to detect—even for experts. The difficulty is finding a quick and reliable way to tell the difference between what is real and what is faked. Yet if you look closely enough with a microscope, the

“Our initial results have been very promising,” Engineers at the University of Connecticut (UConn) have developed a fluorescent nanofibrous film capable of detecting ultra-trace levels of explosive vapors from landmines and other buried explosive devices. In the presence of explosive molecules, the film’s fluorescence is suppressed when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) light. In this way,

According to some experts, nuclear power holds great promise for meeting the world’s growing energy demands without generating greenhouse gases. But scientists need to find a way to remove radioactive isotopes, both from wastewater generated by nuclear power plants and from the environment in case of a spill. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Nano have developed

A team of mechanical engineers at the University of California San Diego has successfully used acoustic waves to move fluids through small channels at the nanoscale. The breakthrough is a first step toward the manufacturing of small, portable devices that could be used for drug discovery and microrobotics applications. The devices could be integrated in

University researchers have taken an important step forward on cloud security by proving it’s possible for a server to process encrypted data and to send back a still-encrypted result. The technique, developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), is based on homomorphic encryption, which makes it possible for a cloud server to process data

Smart Walls React to Human Touch, Sense Activity in Room Walls are what they are — big, dull dividers. With a few applications of conductive paint and some electronics, however, walls can become smart infrastructure that sense human touch, and detect things like gestures and when appliances are used. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University and Disney

New metallic structure may be stable at ambient temperature and pressure with potential applications in science and technology A theoretical, three-dimensional (3D) form of carbon that is metallic under ambient temperature and pressure has been discovered by an international research team. The findings, which may significantly advance carbon science, are published online in the Early

Robust encoder switches polarization 1 billion times a second; could facilitate global quantum encryption network Researchers have developed a simple and stable device to generate the quantum states necessary for quantum key distribution. The device could make it more practical to develop a global data network that uses this very secure method of encryption to

Image via Wikipedia The computer systems used to control modern cars are very vulnerable to attack, say experts. An investigation by security researchers found the systems to be “fragile” and easily subverted. The researchers showed how to kill a car engine remotely, turn off the brakes so the car would not stop and make instruments

Panasonic isn’t just making TVs, phones, or cameras, they are also producing household appliances.   Four leaf vegetables can be grown in one so-called “Smart Vegetable Garden” (which is sized at 100x50x30cm) at the same time, with Panasonic claiming that owners can expect to harvest them in about 40 days – 30% less than using