RMIT

A colorized microscope image, showing a fungal cell (green) perched on a segment of black phosphorus (red)

Medical

Black phosphorus coating kills superbugs then self-destructs

New weapons against so-called “superbugs” are desperately needed. A new black phosphorus coating quickly kills bacteria and fungi, then dissolves within 24 hours – and best of all, bacteria can’t evolve resistance against this mode of attack.

Study author Xingshuo Huang with the device used to create the lab-grown diamonds

Materials

Scientists produce rare diamonds in minutes at room temperature

An international team of researchers has succeeded in producing two types of diamonds in a matter of minutes, demonstrating a new technique where they not only form quickly, but do so at room temperature.

A closeup view of the micron-sized sponge

Materials

Microscopic sponge turns dirty cooking oil into biodiesel on the cheap

Scientists at Australia’s RMIT have developed a tiny sponge with big potential, and say the micron-sized material can be used to convert discarded cooking oil into biodiesel in a very cost-effective manner. And this catalyst is no one-trick pony.

Robotics

First-of-a-kind electronic skin mimics human pain response

Researchers in Australia have succeeded in developing an artificial skin that responds to painful stimuli, heat and pressure like real skin does, which they see as an important step towards intelligent machines and prosthetics.

A newly developed material could make road construction a lot greener

Materials

Building rubble combines with tire waste for recycled road material

A team of engineers in Australia has come up with a new recipe for a road construction material that draws on two huge sources of waste, while offering the strength and flexibility required to handle heavy traffic.

One of the micro-comb photonic chips, which allowed internet speeds of up to 44.2 Tb/s

Electronics

Experimental photonic chip clocks crazy 44-Terabit internet speed

A new record has been achieved for the fastest internet speed from a single light source – an absolutely astounding 44.2 terabits per second, 44,000 times faster than the highest speed connection. It was made possible by a new kind of optical chip.

A new ultra-thin touchscreen material developed by scientists in Australia

Materials

Ultra-thin smartphone touchscreens could be printed like a newspaper

Scientists in Australia have developed a new type of electronic material that is touch-responsive and just a fraction of the thickness of current smartphone screens, which could see it one day find use in next-generation mobile devices.

A microscope image of the liquid metal nanoparticles, which may be a promising new form of treatment against antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Medical

Liquid metal shredder kills superbugs without drugs

One of humanity’s biggest threats is also the smallest – bacteria. But now, researchers at RMIT in Australia have found a new method for killing these superbugs that they can’t resist – magnetic nanoparticles that physically tear them to shreds.

A new chip uses different colors of light to store data in a similar way to the human brain

Electronics

Brain-mimicking chip uses different-colored light to learn and forget

Engineers have recently focused on trying to emulate the structure of the brain with artificial synapses. Now, a team of researchers have made a new artificial synapse design that works using a light-based biotechnology technique called optogenetics.

Australian scientists have used extracts from gum trees to produce graphene in a cheaper, safer way

Materials

Making "green" graphene from gum trees could cut production costs by 200 times

The wonderful potential of graphene has been well covered on our pages. One thing missing has been a cost-effective way to produce the wonder material, but a team of researchers now believe they may have discovered a key to this hiding in the bark of Australian eucalyptus trees.

Researchers have developed a new way to turn captured carbon dioxide gas into solid "coal"

Environment

Scientists use liquid metals to turn carbon dioxide gas back into coal

Capturing carbon from the air and sequestering it is emerging as a viable strategy, and now scientists have developed a new method to turn CO2 gas back into solid coal, that can then be buried, or even used for electronic components.

Researchers have discovered that bees have the ability to add and subtract

Science

Bees join list of animals with ability to perform basic arithmetic

Researchers have found that bees can do basic arithmetic. The discovery that bees have the ability to add and subtract shows that the busy little insects are capable of a sophisticated level of cognition and proves once again that brain power isn't necessarily dependent on brain size.