New research has shown that bio-based fibres caused higher mortality, and reduced growth and reproductivity, among earthworms - a species critical to the health of soils globally - than conventional plastics. It has led scientists to suggest that materials being advocated as alternatives to plastic should be tested thoroughly before they are used extensively in a range of products. The study was carried out as part of the BIO-PLASTIC-RISK project, led by researchers at the University of Plymouth and the University of Bath, and supported with £2.6million funding by the Natural Environmental Research Council.

Led by Dr. Jae Sung Yoon at the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM), and Ph.D. candidate Nguyen Hoang Minh from the UST-KIMM School, the research team drew inspiration from the structural coloration observed in natural phenomena such as peacock feathers and morpho butterflies. 

Using a transmission electron microscope, researchers at the University of Tsukuba have directly observed the breaking of carbon nanotube fibers is induced by molecular slippage, involving repeated transitions between static and kinetic friction. Furthermore, they have discovered that this slippage can be considerably suppressed by doping nitrogen into individual carbon nanotube molecules, followed by bundling them into fibers. Specifically, when these nitrogen-doped nanotubes are irradiated with an electron beam, the resulting fibers exhibit enhanced strength.

Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) and leading global venture capital (VC) firm Walden International are launching a new VC fund to support deep tech spin-offs from the University. Known as the Nanyang Frontier Fund, it has an initial target sum of S$50 million. The Nanyang Frontier Fund is Singapore’s first venture capital fund dedicated to a university. Mr Tan Lip-Bu, Chairman of Walden International, and his associates are committing an investment of S$5 million to kickstart the fund, with NTU co-investing another S$5 million. The Nanyang Frontier Fund was launched today by Guest-of-Honour, Mr Heng Swee Keat, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the National Research Foundation. Mr Tan Lip-Bu is a globally renowned venture capitalist with almost four decades of experience in the tech industry. Dubbed the “pioneer of Asian VC” by Forbes for pioneering the US venture capital concept in Asia, he has been instrumental in the success of numerous global tech startups.

University of Virginia Engineering advancement protects public health by improving air quality monitoring in real time.

The University of Virginia has combined efforts with Johns Hopkins University and others to understand how systems affect the care of people with disabilities.