Nanoparticles can turn off genes in bone marrow Nanoparticles delivering messenger RNA to specific organs. (Image: Penn Engineering Today) Nanoparticles can turn off genes in bone marrow Using specialized nanoparticles, researchers from Penn Engineering and MIT have developed a way to turn off specific genes in cells of bone marrow, which play an important role in producing blood cells.
Engineers manipulate color on the nanoscale, making it disappear Engineers manipulate color on the nanoscale, making it disappear A new system of nanoscale semiconductor strips uses structural color interactions to eliminate the strips’ intrinsic color entirely, with implications for holographic displays and optical sensors, or new types of microlasers and detectors.
‘Nanocardboard’ flyers could serve as Martian atmospheric probes In this artist’s conception, fleets of flyers could be launched from ground-based rovers and steered with lasers to collect samples. Planets and moons with thin atmospheres and low gravities would enhance these flyers’ ability to levitate by shooting air through their corrugated channels. (Image: Penn Engineering) ‘Nanocardboard’ flyers could serve as Martian atmospheric probes As NASA plans to launch its next Mars rover, Perseverance, this summer, Penn Engineers are now testing their ‘nanocardboard flyers’ ability to lift payloads.
Three Penn faculty named 2020 Sloan Research Fellows Three Penn faculty named 2020 Sloan Research Fellows Engineer Liang Feng, neuroscientist Erica Korb, and statistician Weijie Su each received the competitive and prestigious award honoring early-career researchers.
Magnetic microrobots use capillary forces to coax particles into position Shown in 4x speed, a flower-shaped microrobot approaches plastic beads, uses capillary forces to stick them to one of its petals, then releases them at the desired location by spinning in place. (Image: Penn Engineering) Magnetic microrobots use capillary forces to coax particles into position A new study shows how microscopic robots, remotely driven by magnetic fields, can use capillary forces to manipulate objects floating at the interface between two liquids.
New astronomical instrument on the hunt for exoplanets New astronomical instrument on the hunt for exoplanets A state-of-the-art instrument called NEID, from the Tohono O’odham word meaning “to see,” collected its “first light” and is poised to look for new planets outside the solar system.
Drops of liquid crystal molecules branch out into strange structures Drops of liquid crystal molecules branch out into strange structures Shaped by surface tension and elasticity, spherical drops of chain-like liquid crystal molecules transform upon cooling into complex shapes with long-reaching tendrils.
Philadelphia science prize goes to climate change and electronics researchers from Penn, UCLA Penn In the News Philadelphia Inquirer Philadelphia science prize goes to climate change and electronics researchers from Penn, UCLA Charles Kane and Eugene Mele of the School of Arts and Sciences have been honored with the John Scott Award, given annually to innovators in science, for their work developing ways to predict the behavior of atomic particles. A wearable new technology moves brain monitoring from the lab to the real world Postdoc Arjun Ramakrishnan (left) and Penn Integrates Knowledge professor Michael Platt created a wearable EEG akin to a Fitbit for the brain, with a set of silicon and silver nanowire sensors embedded into a head covering like the headband seen here. The new technology led to the formation of a company called Cogwear, LLC. A wearable new technology moves brain monitoring from the lab to the real world The portable EEG created by PIK Professor Michael Platt and postdoc Arjun Ramakrishnan has potential applications from health care to sports performance. A new way to fly, built up from the nanoscale A new way to fly, built up from the nanoscale Super-thin “nanocardboard” can levitate using only the power of light, opening the door to tiny flying machines with no moving parts.
A wearable new technology moves brain monitoring from the lab to the real world Postdoc Arjun Ramakrishnan (left) and Penn Integrates Knowledge professor Michael Platt created a wearable EEG akin to a Fitbit for the brain, with a set of silicon and silver nanowire sensors embedded into a head covering like the headband seen here. The new technology led to the formation of a company called Cogwear, LLC. A wearable new technology moves brain monitoring from the lab to the real world The portable EEG created by PIK Professor Michael Platt and postdoc Arjun Ramakrishnan has potential applications from health care to sports performance.
A new way to fly, built up from the nanoscale A new way to fly, built up from the nanoscale Super-thin “nanocardboard” can levitate using only the power of light, opening the door to tiny flying machines with no moving parts.