Tag Archives: measuring

Human Fratus Atlas: Measuring the Explosive Power of Flatulence

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Feedback is the New Scientist’s platform for engaging with our readers, especially those passionate about the latest in science and technology news. If you have insights or suggestions for articles that might interest our audience, please reach out via feedback@newscientist.com.

It’s Gas

Our feedback feels bold, so here’s a prediction: the research discussed here is likely to win an Ig Nobel Prize within the next decade. This project aims to objectively measure human flatulence using innovative biosensors, affectionately dubbed “smart underwear.”

We learned about this intriguing study from a press release featuring Carmela Padavik Callahan, a professor at the University of Maryland and a physics reporter. She noted, “Certainly we could do something with this feedback.”

The main challenge is that, unlike established biomarkers such as blood sugar, we lack a benchmark for bloating. Most existing studies depend on self-reporting, which is unreliable since individuals often forget their flatulence events and can’t accurately judge their frequency or size. Additionally, it’s “impossible to record gas while sleeping.” Anyone who has shared a bed with another person knows that everyone farts during slumber.

This is where smart underwear comes in, developed by Brantley Hall and colleagues. According to the press release, it’s a compact device that discreetly fits over standard underwear and utilizes electrochemical sensors to track intestinal gas production around the clock. Curious about the size? The sensor measures just 26 x 29 x 9 millimeters—pretty small, though participants may want to steer clear of skinny jeans during testing.

Initial research revealed that “healthy adults fart an average of 32 times per day,” approximately double previous assumptions. However, this varies widely, with reported farts per day ranging from 4 to 59.

As smart underwear becomes more widely adopted, data will contribute to the larger initiative known as the Human Flatus Atlas. Interested participants can register at flatus.info to track their gas output. This exciting project invites users to discover whether they are hydrogen over-producers, or if they’re more like Zen digesters who barely fart after a meal of baked beans.

Feedback raises questions about the sensor’s durability regarding substantial flatulence. Notably, we recently heard about an individual who ended up in a French hospital after attempting to hide unexploded ordnance from World War I, necessitating bomb disposal assistance. We can’t help but wonder if Smart Underwear was overwhelmed by such an incident.

On a brighter note, the principal researchers are keen to enhance technology in this field. Their website is minimalist, featuring a gas animation, a motivating slogan (“Measure. Master. Thrive.”), and the promise that “the future of gut health is just around the corner.” Feedback suggests a monthly subscription app might be on the horizon.

Ghost in the Machine

As AI companies integrate cutting-edge technology into our daily lives, many find it challenging to grasp its implications. With most people lacking a deep understanding of AI, we often rely on metaphors and analogies to conceptualize these advancements.

A particularly insightful analogy comes from a user on Bluesky, who described AI as “a hungry ghost trapped in a bottle.” This serves as a guideline to help us assess our use of AI wisely. If substituting “AI” with “starving ghost in a jar” still makes sense in your context, you’re likely employing AI appropriately.

“Think of it this way: ‘I have a bunch of hungry ghosts in a bottle. They’re mainly writing SQL queries for me.’ That’s reasonable,” the user elaborates. “But ‘My girlfriend is a hungry ghost in a bottle’? Definitely not okay.”

Equally concerning is the flood of unsolicited AI-generated content we encounter. From fake romance novels to AI summaries of searches and conferences, it’s overwhelming. We need an effective way to summarize our responses to such texts.

In this context, the popular internet abbreviation “tl;dr,” meaning “too long to read,” evolves into “ai;dr,” conveying similar sentiments about AI-generated material.

With countless anecdotes highlighting spectacular failures when using AI for critical tasks, one can only marvel at the mishaps. We’ve heard tales of venture capitalists asking AI tools to organize desktops, only to end up erasing 15 years’ worth of photos with a mere “oops” message (luckily, those files were later recovered). Other accounts reveal AI hallucinating entire months’ worth of analytical data.

Reflecting on this, author Nick Pettigrew shared a compelling perspective on Bluesky: “I believe that AI is the radium of our generation. While it has genuinely useful applications in controlled settings, we’ve carelessly infused it into everything from children’s toys to toothpaste, leading to unforeseen complications that future generations may question.”

There’s certainly more to unpack on this topic, but perhaps the AI will humorously eliminate those thoughts as well—definitely a modern twist on the classic “the dog ate my homework” excuse.

Qubit

It seems the feedback has gone years without acknowledging the contributions of quantum information theorists—a notable oversight on our part.

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If you have an article idea, please email us at feedback@newscientist.com. Don’t forget to include your home address. You can find this week’s feedback and previous editions on our website.

Source: www.newscientist.com

Astrophysicist Unveils Innovative Method for Measuring the Hubble Constant

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Astrophysicists from the University of Illinois and the University of Chicago have pioneered a groundbreaking method to determine the Hubble constant, which quantifies the rate of the universe’s expansion. By utilizing the subtle background sound of gravitational waves, this innovative technique is poised to transform our understanding of cosmic evolution and may resolve key debates in contemporary astrophysics.

Schematic diagram of the universe’s expansion from the Big Bang to the present. Image credit: NASA/EFBrazil.

“This discovery holds significant importance. To address the ongoing Hubble tension, obtaining an independent measurement of the Hubble constant is crucial,” stated Professor Nicolas Younes from the University of Illinois.

“Our approach innovatively leverages gravitational waves to enhance the accuracy of Hubble constant measurements.”

Professor Younes and colleagues introduced a novel gravitational wave method utilizing the faint “background hum” from numerous distant black hole mergers to enhance Hubble constant estimations.

In contrast to traditional measurement techniques, this method capitalizes on space-time distortions, or gravitational waves, which carry valuable insights about vast cosmic distances and the velocity of receding celestial bodies.

Astrophysicists have termed this approach the “stochastic siren” method.

“By observing distinct black hole mergers, we can ascertain the frequency of these events throughout the universe,” remarked Bryce Cousins, a graduate student at the University of Illinois.

“Considering their velocity, we anticipate many additional events occurring that remain undetected, referred to as the gravitational wave background.”

“Discovering a completely new tool for cosmological research is a rare occurrence,” added Daniel Holtz, a professor at the University of Chicago.

“We demonstrated that we can unravel the age and composition of the universe by harnessing the ambient sound of gravitational waves resulting from the merger of black holes across distant galaxies.”

“This is an exhilarating and entirely novel direction, and we eagerly anticipate applying our method to future datasets to assist in determining the Hubble constant and other vital cosmological parameters.”

As the sensitivity of gravitational wave detectors improves, the stochastic siren method could lay the foundation for precision cosmology.

Detection of gravitational wave backgrounds is anticipated within the next six years.

Until then, the method gradually restricts higher Hubble constant values as improved upper background limits emerge, providing additional insights into the Hubble tension even without full detection capabilities.

“This initiative should pave the way for future applications, enhancing our sensitivity and ability to better filter and potentially detect the gravitational wave background,” Cousins noted.

“We hope that incorporating this information will yield superior cosmological insights and bring us closer to resolving the Hubble tension.”

The team’s research will be published in the Physical Review Letters.

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Bryce Cousins et al. 2026. Stochastic Siren: Astrophysical Gravitational Wave Background Measurement of the Hubble Constant. Physics. in press. doi: 10.1103/4lzh-bm7y

Source: www.sci.news

Measuring Ice in a Fun New Way: The Equivalent of 109.5 Golden Retrievers

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New Scientist: Your source for the latest science, technology, health, and environmental news.

Feedback is New Scientist Your go-to source for the latest in science and technology news. To share feedback or suggest topics of interest to our readers, please email us at feedback@newscientist.com.

It Rains Cats and Dogs

A new measurement unit has been adopted, particularly relevant to recent weather events. Reader Alan Baker noted a freezing rain warning on CBS News in Austin, Texas. Meteorologist Avery Tomasko highlighted that central Texas could expect up to half an inch of freezing rain, which would freeze upon contact.

To emphasize the seriousness, Tomasko explained that “ice is heavy,” posing risks such as tree branches potentially falling onto power lines. Even a mere half inch of ice can accumulate to over 7,000 pounds, or roughly the weight of 109.5 full-grown golden retrievers on a 30-foot tree,” he elaborated.

While there are many adorable dogs around, the imagery of a hundred retrievers precariously perched does raise some concern about the effectiveness of conveying the dangers associated with freezing rain.

Moreover, I find the phrase “approximately 109.5” amusing; there’s little room for approximation when counting fluffy companions. It evokes an unsettling thought about an odd situation that might leave one dog counted as half.

AI’s Map Mishap

In the realm of AI blunders, one notable instance involved erasing Canada from the world map. When asked how many countries end with ‘nada,’ the AI inaccurately responded, claiming, “No countries have official English names ending with ‘nada,’” while erroneously qualifying Canada’s name as ending with ‘a.’

Furthermore, the error omitted Grenada, which also ends with ‘nada.’ There was a small disclaimer warning users of possible AI errors, but the mix-up was glaring.

This information stems from a screenshot circulating on social media. While it may be fabricated, it features a logo from Reddit’s AI tool, Reddit Answers, which prompted Feedback to question the AI again.

Feedback revealed: “No countries end in ‘nada.’ This mishap seems to underline the AI’s limitations rather than provide factual insights into country names.” While somewhat insightful, this response still lacked clarity.

An editor noted variations in phrasing, which led Feedback to ask the AI the original question again. The AI reiterated that “there are no countries that end in ‘nada,’” yet acknowledged countries ending in ‘anada’ or ‘ada,’ prompting contemplation over the discrepancies.

Further, the AI named Canada and Grenada correctly but misidentified Granada as a country instead of a Spanish city. Unfortunately, it also claimed Uganda as another ‘ada’ country and humorously mentioned a fictional “Wacanada,” possibly mixed up with Black Panther’s Wakanda.

This chaotic exchange serves as a reminder to remain skeptical of supposed “fun facts” shared by AI; they may be neither entertaining nor factual.

Reflections on Life and the Universe

The Feedback team experienced the viral “6-7” sensation that swept the globe during the 2025 outbreak. Children began chanting “six seven” joyfully whenever the numbers appeared. Now that the trend has dissipated, we can finally reflect on it.

The phrase “6-7” seems to originate from Skrilla’s song “Doot Doot (6 7),” yet its meaning remains unclear. Some speculate it was simply a placeholder of sorts. Discussions surrounding its use often leaned into absurdity, with Feedback Junior, our resident expert on youth culture, confirming that it holds no intrinsic meaning.

However, we may have unearthed the true essence of “6-7,” thanks to an Instagram screenshot that proposed: “The ultimate question about life, the universe, and everything is: ‘What on earth is 6 7?'” This prompts thoughts reminiscent of Douglas Adams’ famous quote from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, where a supercomputer reveals that the answer to the ultimate question is simply 42, albeit with the challenge of discerning the actual question.

Thus, the Instagram post humorously yet aptly suggests that the AI miscalculated by interpreting space as a multiplication operation. This might very well be the most significant AI misstep documented.

Have a story to share with Feedback?

Email your article to Feedback at feedback@newscientist.com. Please include your home address. You can also find this week’s and past feedback on our website.

Source: www.newscientist.com

Measuring the Vastness of the Universe: How Do We Do It?

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NASA's James Webb Space Telescope's NIRCAM (near-infrared camera) instrument uncovers new details about the dense core of the Milky Way. This image focuses on the Sagittarius C (SGR C) region and highlights approximately 500,000 stars, along with some unidentified features. The large expanse of ionized hydrogen depicted in cyan contains an intriguing needle-like structure that lacks a consistent orientation. Credits to NASA, ESA, CSA, STSCI, and S. Crowe (University of Virginia).

Approximately 500,000 stars illuminate this section of the Milky Way galaxy

NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, and S. Crowe (University of Virginia).

One significant challenge in discussing space and spacetime is the difficulty in grasping the vastness of the universe. It can be a struggle just to comprehend the scale of our solar system. For instance, if we model the Earth as being 1 centimeter in diameter, Pluto would need to be positioned 42 meters away! This distance is far greater than most homes can accommodate.

However, our solar system is quite small when compared to the scale of the Milky Way. Beyond the fact that our galaxy resides within an unseen halo of dark matter that extends far beyond what we can see, the Milky Way itself is immense; it would take about 100,000 years to traverse its entirety. In contrast, light travels from the Sun to Pluto in only 5.5 hours.

Notably, I’ve transitioned from daily distance measures to units related to the speed of light—they represent about 100,000 light-years, equivalent to 9.46 x 1020 meters. How can one visualize such vastness? It might be akin to comparing it to the scale of a ballroom. And the Milky Way is diminutive compared to the entire universe; it’s not even considered a particularly large galaxy, especially with our neighboring Andromeda being twice its width.

Moreover, spacetime is continuously expanding. This expansion doesn’t influence distance measurements within gravity-bound regions like our solar system or the Milky Way, nor does it impact the distances between galaxies. The Milky Way and Andromeda are actually moving towards one another, but the eventual collision will resemble a gentle dance rather than a catastrophic crash—at least 4.5 billion years are still required before this occurs!

However, on a grander scale, spacetime extends, causing clusters of galaxies to drift apart. This phenomenon is known as the Hubble expansion and implies that many measurements of spatial distance are subject to change. Billions of years down the line, future observers will have different calculations due to the expanding gap between us and the Virgo galaxy cluster.

Typically, these figures inspire awe, but they inevitably invite skepticism. A common question is how we ascertain these measurements. The answer lies in a “ladder” of measurements that astronomers use. Often, distances can be determined through objects with known brightness, such as certain types of stars.

Why don’t distant galaxies appear blurry, considering the expansion of space-time?

The simplest method employs Cepheid variable stars, which pulsate periodically, to calculate distances. These stars are effective over a specific range, after which another method is needed. Over the past three decades, astronomers have relied on specific types of supernovae, as they understand how their light behaves during the expansion of space-time. Other techniques also exist, like measuring the properties of bright red giant stars.

We possess a high level of confidence in our ability to measure long distances. However, we recognize why some readers raise questions about this process. One inquiry pertains to what happens to light as the universe expands. The standard view in cosmology is that, as space-time expands, light waves stretch, leading to a redshift much like how the frequency of a siren decreases. As previously noted, measuring this redshift is crucial for using supernovas to calculate distances.

Redshift indicates that light has lower energy than it did previously. However, there’s no apparent place for this “lost” energy to go, raising doubts. In Newtonian physics, energy must be accounted for, but this isn’t necessary in general relativity. In essence, the mechanisms that enable us to measure vast distances contradict our everyday understanding of how energy behaves in the universe.

Another related question from readers involves images of distant galaxies, like the first photo from the new Vera C. Rubin Observatory. Shouldn’t galaxies appear blurry due to the expansion of space-time?

It’s important to clarify that “observing” the expansion of space-time isn’t like watching an F1 race. It’s more akin to viewing an F1 race that unfolds over billions of years; the vast distances make the galaxies appear practically stationary. The only indicators we have of their separation are measurements like redshift, which simply track how light stretches over distances—not real-time observations of a galaxy’s motion.

I genuinely enjoy these types of questions as they delve into the nuances of how science communicators engage with their audiences. I appreciate that New Scientist readers challenge these metaphors to their limits!

Chanda’s Week

What I’m reading

A lot about the reasons behind its popularity—The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland.

What I’m seeing

I finally enjoyed viewing Station Eleven.

What I’m working on

I’ve been pondering a lot about the true nature of quantum fields. Curious!

Chanda Prescod-Weinstein is an associate professor of physics and astronomy as well as a core faculty member within women’s studies at the University of New Hampshire. Her latest book is titled “The Disturbed Cosmos: A Journey to Dark Matter, Space, and Dreams.”

Topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

Physicists Achieve Unmatched Precision in Measuring Magnetic Anomalies in Mines

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Researchers from the Muon G-2 Experiment have unveiled their third measurement of the Muon magnetic anomaly. The conclusive results align with findings published in 2021 and 2023 but boast significantly improved precision at 127 parts per billion, surpassing the experimental goal for 140 people.

Muon particles traveling through lead in the cloud chamber. Image credit: Jino John 1996 / cc by-sa 4.0.

The Muon G-2 experiment investigates the wobble of a fundamental particle known as the Muon.

Muons resemble electrons but are roughly 200 times more massive. Like electrons, they exhibit quantum mechanical properties called spins, which can be interpreted as tiny internal magnets.

When subjected to an external magnetic field, these internal magnets wobble akin to the axis of a spinning top.

The precession speed of a magnetic field is influenced by the muon’s characteristics, captured numerically as the G-factor.

Theoretical physicists derive G-factors based on our current understanding of the universe’s fundamental mechanics, as outlined in the standard model of particle physics.

Nearly a century ago, G was anticipated to be 2; however, experimental measurements revealed minor deviations from this value, quantified as the Muon magnetic anomaly, Aμ, based on the formula (G-2)/2, giving the Muon G-2 experiment its name.

Muon magnetic anomalies encapsulate the effects of all standard model particles, enabling theoretical physicists to compute these contributions with remarkable precision.

Earlier measurements conducted at the Brookhaven National Laboratory during the 1990s and 2000s indicated potential discrepancies with the theoretical calculations of that era.

Disparities between experimental results and theoretical predictions could signal the existence of new physics.

In particular, physicists contemplated whether these discrepancies could stem from an undetected particle influencing the muon’s precession.

Consequently, physicists opted to enhance the Muon G-2 experiments to obtain more accurate measurements.

In 2013, Brookhaven’s magnetic storage ring was relocated from Long Island, New York, to Fermilab in Batavia, Illinois.

Following extensive upgrades and enhancements, the Fermilab Muon G-2 experiment launched on May 31, 2017.

Simultaneously, an international collaboration among theorists established the Muon G-2 theory initiative aimed at refining theoretical calculations.

In 2020, the Theoretical Initiative released updated and more precise standard model values informed by data from other experiments.

The differences between the experimental results continued to widen in 2021 as Fermilab announced the initial experimental results, corroborating Brookhaven’s findings with improved accuracy.

Simultaneously, new theoretical predictions emerged, relying significantly on computational capabilities.

This information closely aligned with experimental measurements and narrowed the existing discrepancies.

Recently, the Theoretical Initiative published a new set of predictions integrating results from various groups using novel calculation techniques.

This result remains in close agreement with experimental findings and diminishes the likelihood of new physics.

Nevertheless, theoretical endeavors will persist in addressing the disparities between data-driven and computational approaches.

The latest experimental values for the muon magnetic moment from Fermilab’s experiments are:

aμ =(g-2)/2 (Muon experiment) = 0.001 165 920 705

This final measurement is based on an analysis of data collected over the past three years, spanning 2021 to 2023, and is integrated with previously published datasets.

This has more than tripled the dataset size utilized in the second results from 2023, achieving the precision target set in 2012.

Moreover, it signifies the analysis of the highest quality data from the experiment.

As the second data collection run concluded, the Muon G-2 collaboration finalized adjustments and enhancements to the experiment, boosting muon beam quality and minimizing uncertainties.

“The extraordinary magnetic moment of the muon (G-2) is pivotal as it provides a sensitive test of the standard model of particle physics,” remarked Regina Lameika, associate director of high energy physics at the U.S. Department of Energy.

“This is an exhilarating result, and it’s fantastic to witness the experiment reach a definitive conclusion with precise measurements.”

“This highly anticipated outcome represents a remarkable achievement in accuracy and will hold the title of the most precise measurement of muon magnetic anomalies for the foreseeable future.”

“Despite recent theoretical challenges that have lessened the evidence for new physics in Muon G-2, this finding presents a robust benchmark for proposed extensions to the standard model of particle physics.”

“This is an incredibly exciting moment; not only did we meet our objectives, but we surpassed them, indicating that such precision measurements are challenging.”

“Thanks to Fermilab, the funding agencies, and the host lab, we accomplished our goals successfully.”

“For over a century, the G-2 has imparted crucial insights into the nature of reality,” stated Lawrence Gibbons, a professor at Cornell University.

“It’s thrilling to contribute accurate measurements that are likely to endure for a long time.”

“For decades, muon magnetic moments have served as a significant benchmark for the standard models,” noted Dr. Simon Kolody, a physicist at Argonne National Laboratory.

“The new experimental results illuminate this fundamental theory and establish a benchmark to guide new theoretical calculations.”

These new results will be featured in the journal Physical Review Letters.

Source: www.sci.news

Astronomers achieve unparalleled precision in measuring Uranus’ rotational speed

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The rotation period for Uranus was estimated at 17.24 hours from radio auroral measurements by NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft in 1986. Using long-term tracking of Uranus’ poles between 2011 and 2022 from Hubble images of UV light, astronomers now have an updated independent, highly accurate rotation period of 17.247864 hours, or 28 seconds longer than the estimated Voyager 2.

This image of the Uranus aurora was photographed by Hubble on October 10th, 2022. Image credit: NASA/ESA/Hubble/L. Ramie/L. Slomovsky.

“Our measurements not only provide essential references to the planetary science community, they solve long-standing problems. Previous coordinate systems based on outdated rotation periods quickly become inaccurate, making it impossible to track Uranus’ magnetic poles.

“With this new longitude system, we can compare nearly 40 years of observations of the Aurora and even plan future Uranus missions.”

This breakthrough was possible thanks to long-term surveillance of Hubble’s Uranus.

For over a decade, telescopes have regularly observed their ultraviolet emissions, allowing astronomers to generate magnetic field models that match changes in the position of magnetic poles with time.

“The continuous observation from Hubble was extremely important,” Dr. Lammy said.

“Without this rich data, it would not have been possible to detect periodic signals at the level of accuracy achieved.”

Unlike Earth, Jupiter, or Saturn’s aurora, Uranus’ aurora behaves in a unique and unpredictable way.

This is due to the highly tilted magnetic field of the planet, which is significantly offset from the axis of rotation.

The findings not only help astronomers understand Uranus’ magnetosphere, but also help to provide important information for future missions.

“These discoveries set a stage for further research that will deepen our understanding of one of the most mystical planets in the solar system,” the author said in a statement.

“The ability to monitor objects for decades has allowed Hubble to remain an essential tool for planetary science, paving the way for the next era of exploration on Uranus.”

result It was published in the journal this week Natural Astronomy.

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L. Ramie et al. A new rotation period and longitude system for Uranus. Nut AthlonPublished online on April 7th, 2025. doi:10.1038/s41550-025-02492-z

Source: www.sci.news

The importance of sleep quality and the challenges of measuring it

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Steven Puetzer/Getty Images

How did you sleep last night? Your response may depend on how long you were in bed, how much of that time you spent tossing and turning, or whether you felt rested. However, it may also depend on whether you exercised today, the messages on your wearable device, or even when you were asked.

This article is part of a special series exploring important questions about sleep. Click here for details.

“Everyone has a different definition of sleep quality, and that’s the problem,” sleep researchers say. nicole tan At the University of Warwick, UK.

While sleep quality and what defines it is still a mystery that scientists are still trying to figure out, a good night’s rest involves a series of sleep cycles, or distinct sequences of stages of brain activity that you experience during sleep. We know that (see the image below). And for most of us, each stage of these cycles is necessary to wake up feeling refreshed. The average person experiences four to five complete menstrual cycles per night, and any disruption to this can have negative effects on your health in both the short and long term.

“Poor sleep quality is associated with many negative physical health effects,” he says. Jean-Philippe Chapou At the University of Ottawa, Canada. As with what you’d expect from not getting enough sleep (see Why your chronotype is key to knowing how much sleep you need), these include an increased risk of: cardiovascular disease, stroke, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and weight gain.

Although there is no clear consensus on what defines sleep quality, researchers and doctors often analyze sleep using electroencephalograms (EEGs), which track brain activity during sleep.

Source: www.newscientist.com

Scientists create advanced nanosensor for measuring forces

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The newly developed all-optical nanosensor is a luminescent nanocrystal that changes intensity and color when pushed or pulled. Probed only with light, allowing fully remote reading. No wires or connections required. They have force sensitivity that is 100 times better than existing nanoparticles that utilize rare earth ions for their optical response, with a force operating range of more than four orders of magnitude and a much wider range than other nanoparticles (10–100 times). Conventional optical nanosensor.

Illustration of atomic arrangement within a single lanthanide-doped nanocrystal. Each lanthanide ion can emit light. Image credit: Andrew Mueller / Columbia Engineering.

“Our discovery revolutionizes the sensitivity and dynamic range achievable with optical force sensors, and has implications for applications from robotics to cellular biophysics, medicine to space travel,” said Dr. Jim Shack, a researcher at Columbia University. We expect that this technology will immediately disrupt technology in this field.”

The new nanosensor enables high-resolution, multiscale capabilities for the first time in the same nanosensor.

This means that this nanosensor alone, rather than a series of different classes of sensors, can be used for the continuous study of forces from the subcellular level to the whole system level in engineered and biological systems such as embryonic development. It is important because it means , moving cells, batteries, or integrated NEMS, highly sensitive nanoelectromechanical systems in which the physical movement of nanometer-scale structures is controlled by electronic circuits and vice versa.

“Aside from their unparalleled multiscale sensing capabilities, what makes these force sensors unique is that they operate with benign, biocompatible, and deeply penetrating infrared light,” said Natalie, a postdoctoral fellow at Columbia University. said Dr. Fardian Melamed.

“This will allow us to peer deeply into various technical and physiological systems and monitor health conditions from a distance.”

“These sensors will enable early detection of system malfunctions and failures, and will have a major impact on sectors ranging from human health to energy and sustainability.”

Researchers were able to construct these nanosensors by exploiting the photon avalanche effect within nanocrystals.

In photon avalanche nanoparticles, the absorption of a single photon within the material causes a chain reaction that ultimately leads to the emission of many photons. Therefore, one photon is absorbed and many photons are emitted.

The optically active components within the nanocrystals studied are atomic ions from the lanthanide series of elements of the periodic table, also known as rare earth elements, doped into the nanocrystals. In this study, the scientists used thulium.

They found that the photon avalanche process is very sensitive to several things, such as the spacing between lanthanide ions.

With this in mind, they tapped a piece of a photon avalanche nanoparticle (ANP) with an atomic force microscope (AFM) tip and found that the avalanche's behavior was influenced by these gentler forces than previously expected. I found that I was greatly affected.

“We discovered this almost by accident,” Shook said.

“We suspected that these nanoparticles were force-sensitive, so we measured the release while hitting the nanoparticles.”

“And they turned out to be much more sensitive than expected!”

“In fact, we couldn't believe it at first either. We thought the chip might be having a different effect.”

The authors knew how sensitive ANPs were, so they designed new nanoparticles that responded to force in different ways.

In one new design, nanoparticles change the color of their emitted light depending on the applied force.

In another design, they created nanoparticles that do not exhibit photon avalanches under ambient conditions, but start avalanching when a force is applied. These turned out to be very sensitive to forces.

They are now applying these force sensors to critical systems with the goal of making a big impact.

“The importance of developing new force sensors was recently highlighted by 2021 Nobel Prize Laureate Erdem Patapoutian. “It highlighted the difficulty of investigating biological processes,” said Dr. Shook.

“We are thrilled to be part of these discoveries that will transform the sensing paradigm and allow us to sensitively and dynamically map significant changes in forces and pressures in real-world environments that are unreachable with today's technology.” I think so.

team's work Published in today's diary nature.

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Natalie Fardian Melamed others. 2025. Infrared nanosensor from piconewton to micronewton forces. naturein press. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-08221-2

This article is a version of a press release provided by Columbia University.

Source: www.sci.news

Webb finds 138 main belt asteroids measuring 10 meters in diameter

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These asteroids are as small as 10 meters in diameter, making them the smallest asteroids ever observed in the major asteroid belt.

Artist Webb's illustration reveals clusters of main-belt decameter asteroids in infrared light. Image credit: Ella Mall/Julian de Wit.

The discovery of asteroids is essential to planetary defense efforts aimed at preventing collisions with Earth, such as the frequent megaton explosions caused by decameter impactors.

Large asteroids (=>100 km) remain in the main belt since their formation, while smaller asteroids are typically transported into the near-Earth object (NEO) population.

“We were able to detect NEOs very close to Earth, up to 10 meters in size,” said MIT researcher Dr. Artem Brudanov.

“We now have a way to discover these small asteroids when they are far away, so we can do more precise trajectory tracking, which is important for planetary defense.”

For this study, astronomers used data from the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope to search for small asteroids.

Coincidentally, asteroids orbiting the main asteroid belt are much brighter in infrared wavelengths than in visible wavelengths, making them much easier to detect with Webb's infrared capabilities.

Researchers were able to discover eight known asteroids in the main asteroid belt.

Further investigation subsequently discovered 138 new asteroids around the belt, all within a few tens of meters in diameter, making them the smallest main-belt asteroids ever detected. .

They think several asteroids may be on their way to becoming NEOs, and one of them is probably the Trojans, or Jupiter-tracking asteroids.

“We thought we would only detect a few new objects, but we detected far more objects than we expected, especially small ones,” said Professor Julian de Witt of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

“This is an indication that we are exploring a new population regime, where many more small objects are formed by a chain of collisions that very efficiently disintegrates asteroids smaller than about 100 meters. It will be done.”

“This is a completely new and unexplored territory that we are entering, thanks to modern technology,” said Dr. Brudanov.

“This is a great example of what we can do as a field when we look at data from a different perspective. Sometimes the benefits can be huge, and this is one of them.”

“The statistics of these very small main-belt asteroids are very important for modeling asteroid populations,” said Dr. Miroslav Broz, a researcher at Charles University in Prague.

In fact, these are debris ejected during the impact of larger, kilometer-sized asteroids, which are observable and often exhibit similar orbits around the sun, placing them in a “family” of asteroids. Can be grouped. ”

“We never expected that we could use state-of-the-art exoplanet observations to achieve such impactful solar system bonus science,” said Dr. Michael Guillon, a researcher at the University of Liège.

ESA researcher Dr Marco Micheli said: “Thanks to the web, we can now discover these small asteroids even when they are located far from Earth, allowing us to make more accurate orbit determinations. “This is extremely important for planetary defense.” Near Earth Object Coordination Center.

of the team paper Published in today's magazine nature.

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AY Brudanov others. JWST sighting of a 10-meter main belt asteroid and views on the meteorite source. naturepublished online on December 9, 2024. doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-08480-z

Source: www.sci.news