Invention Awards

Monday, September 9, 2024

Magical equation unites quantum physics, Einstein’s general relativity in a first

For the first time, we have an equation that connects the cosmic realm with the quantum world in ways never before imagined.

For the first time, a mathematical framework proves that Einstein’s theory of general relativity, which explains the relationship between space, time, and gravity, is in alignment with quantum physics —- the branch of science that describes the behavior of electrons, photons, and other fundamental particles.

“We proved that the Einstein field equation from general relativity is actually a relativistic quantum mechanical equation,” the researchers note in their study.

In simple words, this new framework connects the science that governs the macroscopic world with that of the microscopic world.

Therefore, it has the potential to explain every physical phenomenon known to humanity ranging from the mysterious dark matter in space to the photons emitted by your phone’s flashlight.

“To date, no globally accepted theory has been proposed to explain all physical observations,” the researchers added. They claim that their theory can challenge the foundations of physics and change our understanding of the universe.

The disconnect between relativity and the quantum world

Einstein’s theory of general relativity explains how gravity works. It says that massive objects like planets, stars, or galaxies bend the fabric of space and time around them, like a heavy ball on a trampoline. This bending creates what we feel as gravity.

So, instead of thinking of gravity as an invisible force pulling objects together, general relativity shows that objects move along curves in the warped space around them. The more massive the object, the more it bends space, and the stronger the gravitational effect.

Quantum physics, on the other side, is concerned with the study of the unusual behavior of the tiniest particles in the universe.

For instance, it investigates how particles such as electrons can exist in multiple states or locations at once (superposition) until we measure them. This type of strange behavior is not found in the objects we deal with regularly.

Until now, scientists have failed to reconcile general relativity and quantum physics because the two theories describe the universe in fundamentally different ways. When attempts were made to apply both theories together—such as in the case of black holes, they produced contradictory results, making it difficult to unify them into a single framework.

For example, general relativity predicts a black hole’s core is infinitely dense, while quantum physics suggests such infinities can’t exist.

Bridging the gap between relativity and quantum physics

General relativity works well for large-scale objects, while quantum physics accurately describes microscopic phenomena, but what’s the need to unite them? Well, there are two big reasons for that. First, combining these would provide a complete understanding of the universe across all scales

This is important because many concepts such as black holes or the Big Bang are probably results of the conditions where both quantum physics and general relativity played a role. Understanding them requires a theory that integrates both.

Second, one can not fully understand the science behind quantum gravity, Hawking radiation, string theory, and various other phenomena without connecting the dots between the theory of general relativity and quantum physics.

To link them, the researchers developed a mathematical framework that “Redefined the mass and charge of leptons (fundamental particles) in terms of the interactions between the energy of the field and the curvature of the spacetime.”

“The obtained equation is covariant in space-time and invariant with respect to any Planck scale. Therefore, the constants of the universe can be reduced to only two quantities: Planck length and Planck time,” the researchers note.

This equation mathematically proved that the Einstein Field Equation related to the theory of relativity is equal to the quantum equation. The study authors claim it can provide answers to various questions that have been a mystery.

For instance, it might explain why black holes don’t collapse, what were the conditions during the Big Bang, and how space-time entanglement works.

Moreover, “In recent years, the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has observed several phenomena, including galaxies that had already existed 300 Myr after the big bang, which have never been thought to exist. Our proposed theory suitably explains this phenomenon,” said the researchers.

Quantum physics, General relativity, Unified theory, Quantum gravity, Einstein, Planck scale, String theory, Quantum mechanics, Spacetime continuum, Theoretical physics, Gravitational waves, Curved spacetime, Quantum field theory, Black holes, Singularities, Quantum entanglement, Theory of everything, ToE

#ScienceFather#InventionsAwards#QuantumPhysics#GeneralRelativity#UnifiedTheory#QuantumGravity#Einstein#QuantumMechanics#Spacetime#TheoreticalPhysics#GravitationalWaves#QuantumEntanglement#TheoryOfEverything#StringTheory#PhysicsBreakthrough

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Sunday, September 8, 2024

Nervous System’s Master Matchmaker Sparks Breakthrough in Computer Science

A new breakthrough in bipartite matching algorithms, inspired by neuron and muscle fiber connections, improves efficiency in systems like ridesharing, enhancing user experience and preserving privacy.

A researcher has enhanced the bipartite matching problem in computer science by drawing parallels with biological processes in the nervous system.

In nature, neurons compete to connect with muscle fibers, an efficient system Navlakha adapted into a simple algorithm. This new method not only improves pairing accuracy, reducing wait times in real-world applications like ridesharing, but also enhances privacy by eliminating the need for central data processing.

Rideshare Optimization and Computer Science Challenges

When you ask a rideshare app to find you a car, the company’s computers get to work. They know you want to reach your destination quickly. They know you’re not the only user who needs a ride. And they know drivers want to minimize idle time by picking up someone nearby. The computer’s job, says Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Associate Professor Saket Navlakha, is to pair drivers with riders in a way that maximizes everyone’s happiness.

Computer scientists like Navlakha call this bipartite matching. It’s the same task handled by systems pairing organ donors with transplant candidates, medical students with residency programs, and advertisers with ad slots. As such, it’s the subject of intense study.

“This is probably one of the 10 most famous problems in computer science,” says Navlakha.

This schematic illustrates how the body’s motor neurons and muscle fibers are connected before (left) and after (right) developmental pruning. “Each blob corresponds to a motor unit,” Navlakha explains. “Small motor units are highly active, are recruited first during muscle contraction (because their neurons have low firing thresholds), and provide a small force. Large motor units are less active, are recruited last (since their neurons have large firing thresholds), and provide stronger forces.”

Biological Insights Into Computer Algorithms

Now, he’s found a way to do it better by taking a cue from biology. Navlakha recognized a bipartite matching problem in the wiring of the nervous system. In adult animals, each of the body’s muscle fibers is paired with exactly one neuron that controls its movement. However, early in life, every fiber is targeted by many neurons. To get an animal moving efficiently, excess connections must be pruned. So, which matches are made to last?

The nervous system has an efficient solution. Navlakha explains that neurons initially connected to the same muscle fiber compete against each other to maintain their match, using neurotransmitters as “bidding” resources. Neurons that lose this biological auction can take their neurotransmitters and bid on other fibers. This way, every neuron and fiber eventually winds up with a partner.

Navlakha devised a way to implement this matching strategy outside the nervous system. “It’s a simple algorithm,” he says. “It’s only two equations. One is the competition between neurons connected to the same fiber, and two is the reallocation of resources.”

Advantages of a Neuroscience-Inspired Algorithm

Tested against the best bipartite matching programs out there, the neuroscience-inspired algorithm performs very well. It creates near-optimal pairings and leaves fewer parties unmatched. In everyday applications, that could mean shorter wait times for rideshare passengers and fewer hospitals without medical residents.

Privacy and Practical Applications

Navlakha points out another advantage. The new algorithm preserves privacy. Most bipartite matching systems require that pertinent information be relayed to a central server for processing. But in many cases—from online auctions to donor organ matching—a distributed approach may be preferred. With countless potential applications, Navlakha hopes others will adapt the new algorithm for tools of their own.

“It’s a great example of how studying neural circuits can reveal new algorithms for important AI problems,” he adds.

Reference: “A neural algorithm for computing bipartite matchings” by Sanjoy Dasgupta, Yaron Meirovitch, Xingyu Zheng, Inle Bush, Jeff W. Lichtman and Saket Navlakha, 3 September 2024, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2321032121

Nervous System, Master Matchmaker, Computer Science, Neural Networks, Computational Neuroscience, AI Breakthrough, Brain-Inspired Computing, Synaptic Connections, Machine Learning, Neurotechnology

#ScienceFather#InventionsAwards#NeuralNetworks #ComputerScience #AI #BrainInspiredComputing #Neuroscience #TechInnovation #MachineLearning #Neurotech #AIResearch #ComputingBreakthrough#ComputerScientist#Researcher#Students

Friday, September 6, 2024

Using ingestible sensors to improve medication adherence

Mass General Brigham is exploring how ingestible sensors can improve medication adherence in psychiatric care, helping overcome longstanding barriers in this area.

Wearable technology is popular within the healthcare system as it expands clinicians' ability to gather patient health information, track health metrics over time, and tweak treatment plans. These technologies are typically worn on the body, enabling remote patient monitoring. Researchers have developed wearable sensors that can detect COVID-19, as well as ones that can help predict heart attacks.

However, healthcare researchers are now wondering: What if they could also work from inside the body?

Mass General Brigham is looking into this, with researchers investigating whether ingestible sensors can ease the long-standing challenge of medication adherence.

Medication adherence refers to patients taking their medications as directed. Poor medication adherence could result from patients not filling prescriptions, skipping doses or cutting doses in half. Medication adherence is one of the most intractable hurdles to improving patient care, particularly in chronic disease management. A February 2023 study showed that around one in five adults with diabetes did not maintain the use of glucose-lowering medications between 2005 and 2018.

Psychiatric care is another area where medication adherence is critical and difficult to achieve. Thus, Mass General Brigham researchers are exploring whether ingestible sensors can enhance medication adherence in psychiatric care -- and their potential appears highly promising.
What are the challenges to ensuring medication adherence?

According to Peter Ray Chai, MD, an emergency medicine physician and associate professor of emergency medicine at Mass General Brigham, the factors driving medication adherence are varied, ranging from psychosocial issues to access barriers to economic hurdles.

One significant factor is patients not understanding the importance of taking their medication as directed.

"A class example is hypertension," said Chai. "You don't feel your blood pressure going up. And so, a lot of people think, why do I need to take my blood pressure medication every day?"

Medication access is another critical barrier to medication adherence. Chai noted that patients can lack access to medication for several reasons, including being uninsured or underinsured and, thus, not being able to afford the medication. Transportation can also drive access barriers, as people without a car or access to public transportation might be unable to pick up their medication.

Then, there is the psychosocial aspect. Chai explained that for some people, taking medication might remind them that they have a disease.

"So, taking your medication for depression reminds you that you have depression," he said. "That can be very stigmatizing for some people, and it can kind of help them ruminate on diseases that they have, and people might not want to feel that way and [may] stop taking their medications from that perspective."

Additionally, there are significant challenges associated with medication side effects. Chai noted that these side effects, which include weight gain, insomnia, and nausea, could result in patients avoiding the medications.

Medication adherence is vital across treatment plans; however, the success of psychiatric treatments is primarily dependent on patients taking the proper medication at the right time, as the disease and its treatment are often not physically apparent. This means there are few objective ways to ensure psychiatric care is effective.

"You think about somebody who has depression, who has worsening depression -- is something happening? Are they not taking their medications? Are they on the wrong medication? Does this dose need to change?" Chai said. "For many, many years, this has been kind of an unknown, where it's a give-and-take process between the patient and clinician."
Where do medication adherence strategies fall short?

Healthcare providers have employed numerous strategies to improve medication adherence, but hurdles to their success persist.

For instance, common direct methods involve clinicians watching patients take their medication or measuring the concentration of the medication in the patient's body, Chai said. However, these methods could be viewed as intrusive and require the patient to be physically present in a clinic, which is not always possible.

There are also indirect medication adherence approaches, such as measuring the medication possession ratio and the proportion of days covered, Chai noted. These pharmacy-based measures involve assessing the number of refills that somebody picks up and the amount of time a patient has the medication available.

Still, there is an inherent risk of error in using these measures, Chai explained. People could pick up their prescriptions early or late due to travel or take the medications home and still not take them as directed.

Digital medication adherence tools, like smart medication dispensers and smart inhalers, aim to overcome these issues by gathering information on how often pill bottles are opened or inhalers are used, but even so, it is not certain that the patient actually took the medication,

This underscores one of the most challenging aspects of medication adherence: every person is different, and every disease is different, Chai said.

Thus, healthcare researchers are looking to ingestible sensors to enable clinicians to tailor medication adherence approaches to individual patients.
How can ingestible sensors help improve medication adherence?

While the concept of ingestible sensors is not new -- researchers have previously used these devices to monitor patient vital signs and enhance HIV care -- Chai is working with a health technology company to apply it to medication adherence in psychiatry.

The sensors are in the form of pills integrated with a radiofrequency transmitter that emits a signal detectable by a device outside the body. He explained that the patient's medication is placed inside this pill. The outer layer dissolves in the stomach, allowing stomach acid to power the radiofrequency transmitter.

"[The sensor] confirms the fact that that pill went in someone's mouth and is in their stomach, and then the reader basically relays that data to a smartphone or a web interface," Chai said. "And so, clinicians and patients can essentially review that data together. It's almost like your Apple Watch fitness data. You could see the number of pills that you took, and when you took them, where you were, all this kind of information. So, you get a very rich context-based pattern of adherence."

The most significant benefit the sensor offers clinicians is the ability to use the information on adherence patterns to individualize strategies to improve medication adherence.

According to Chai, many behavioral strategies can prompt people to take their medications correctly. However, their efficacy is limited because they're typically taught in an office with little to no context of the person's daily life. With the data from the sensor, clinicians can create medication adherence approaches that better fit a person's lifestyle. Further, they can automate conversations and reminders on medication directives.

For instance, if a patient forgets to take their medications on weekends or certain weekdays, clinical teams can create automated reminders that are sent to them on those days, Chai explained.

The technology offers exciting possibilities for solving medication adherence issues. Though there is still work to be done, particularly in developing clinical workflows and reimbursement pathways to bring the devices into real-world clinical settings, the technology itself is ready.

"The technology can always get better, but I think we're at a place where we have a lot of real-world experience in a research setting with patients -- we send patients home with these things all the time, and we get good data," Chai said. "And so, I think, it's not for everybody, but for the right person or the right disease, I think the technology is mature enough that it could be in the hands of people today."

Anuja Vaidya has covered the healthcare industry since 2012. She currently covers the virtual healthcare landscape, including telehealth, remote patient monitoring and digital therapeutics.

Ingestible sensors, Medication adherence, Digital health technology, Smart pills, Patient monitoring, Healthcare technology, Pharmacological compliance, Remote patient management, Wearable health devices.

#ScienceFather#InventionsAwards#IngestibleSensors#MedicationAdherence#DigitalHealth#SmartPills#HealthcareInnovation#HealthTech#PharmaTech#PatientMonitoring#RemoteHealthcare#MedicalIoT

#sensors#Researchers

Wednesday, September 4, 2024

Breakthrough: US finds key salt-based fuel chemistry for next-gen nuclear reactors

Unlike most materials that expand when heated, the bonds in molten UCl3 shrink, highlighting the unusual behavior of actinide elements like uranium at high temperatures.

ak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) scientists seem to have cracked the code of a potential fuel source for the next generation of nuclear reactors by documenting the unique chemical dynamics and structure of high-temperature liquid uranium trichloride (UCl3) salt.

This is the first time in the world that such research has been conducted on UCl3, a potential fuel source for advanced molten salt reactors. This breakthrough aims to detail how atoms move in the molten salt.

“This is a first critical step in enabling good predictive models for the design of future reactors,” said Santanu Roy, who co-led the study at ORNL. “A better ability to predict and calculate the microscopic behaviors is critical to design, and reliable data help develop better models.”

Notably, molten salt reactors, which have been under research since the 1960s, offer numerous advantages over traditional nuclear reactors. They are considered inherently safer and more efficient and produce less radioactive waste.

As the world grapples with the challenges of climate change and the need for clean energy sources, molten salt reactors are gaining renewed attention as a potential solution.
Unexpected findings

Contrary to the typical expectation that heat causes expansion, the uranium-chlorine bonds within the molten UCl3 actually contract. This unexpected behavior challenges conventional notions and underscores the unique properties of actinide elements, such as uranium, at high temperatures.

“Ideal system design for these future reactors relies on an understanding of the behavior of the liquid fuel salts that distinguish them from typical nuclear reactors that use solid uranium dioxide pellets,” underscored the scientists in a press release.

Furthermore, the bonds within the liquid salt exhibit a dynamic oscillation, fluctuating between remarkably short and surprisingly long lengths.

“After rigorous safety precautions and special containment developed in coordination with SNS beamline scientists, the team was able to do something no one has done before: measure the chemical bond lengths of molten UCl3 and witness its surprising behavior as it reached the molten state,” explained the press release.

This atomic-level choreography provides crucial insights into the complex interactions occurring within the molten fuel.

The scientists discovered the brief appearance of covalent bonding within the UCl3. At its tightest bond length, the typically ionic bond transforms into a covalent one, albeit fleetingly. This cyclical behavior offers an explanation for certain inconsistencies observed in previous studies.

Neutron scattering studies

To delve into the atomic mysteries of molten UCl3, the research team employed a combination of cutting-edge computational approaches and the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) at ORNL.

“The SNS is one of the brightest neutron sources in the world, and it allows scientists to perform state-of-the-art neutron scattering studies, which reveal details about the positions, motions and magnetic properties of materials,” highlighted the press release.

By bombarding a sample with a neutron beam and analyzing the scattered neutrons, scientists can glean detailed information about the material’s atomic structure and dynamics.

For reference, this technique, known as neutron scattering, has revolutionized materials research across various fields, from pharmaceuticals to superconductors.

Beyond nuclear energy

The knowledge gained from this research has far-reaching implications for the future of nuclear energy.

With a deeper understanding of the behavior of nuclear fuel salts, scientists can now develop more accurate predictive models and designs for advanced reactors.

The implications of this research extend beyond nuclear energy. The insights into the fundamental behavior of actinide salts could also aid in tackling challenges in nuclear waste management and pyroprocessing, a technique used to recycle spent nuclear fuel.

Salt-based fuel, Nuclear reactors, Next-generation reactors, Nuclear energy, Molten salt reactors, Advanced reactor technology, Nuclear fuel chemistry, Clean energy, Energy breakthrough, Reactor innovation

#ScienceFather#InventionsAwards#NuclearEnergy#SaltBasedFuel#MoltenSaltReactors#CleanEnergy#NextGenReactors#NuclearInnovation#EnergyBreakthrough#SustainableEnergy#AdvancedNuclear#GreenTech

Synthetic biology, once hailed as a moneymaker, meets tough times

It’s been a rough go lately for synthetic biology’s flagship companies, which genetically engineer microbes to produce everything from medicines to materials. Three highfliers—each of which once had multibillion-dollar market capitalizations—have fallen fast and hard.

Amyris declared bankruptcy last year and by the beginning of this year had sold off several of its cosmetic and personal care product brands. In February, Zymergen, which was betting on microbes to produce transparent and flexible plastic films, liquidated its assets. And in June, Ginkgo Bioworks announced plans to lay off more than one-third of its workers after its stock tanked and revenues for its designer microbes failed to materialize.

“There has been a reckoning,” says Jay Keasling, a synthetic biologist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and co-founder of Amyris. Still, not all synbio companies are generating bad news, with some focused on pharmaceuticals and additives living up to the hype that has often surrounded the field.

One problem for the companies that have faltered, Keasling argues, was mountains of investor cash that led to an overabundance of ideas and a lack of focus. Amyris, for example, created a pipeline of nearly a dozen products. But none could generate the revenues needed to sustain the company’s highly trained personnel and sprawling infrastructure of industrial fermentation vats, in which engineered yeast turn sugar into products. “Early on it is good for companies to be starved of money,” Keasling says. “It forces you to choose what not to do.”

In contrast, firms more tightly focused on pharmaceutical products have made a powerful impact. Already, microbially produced protein therapeutics and other “biologics” account for about one-quarter of newly approved drugs in the United States, and they bring in nearly half of the country’s pharmaceutical company revenues.

Beyond pharma, synbio has also quietly worked its way into the fabric of modern manufacturing. For example, engineered microbes now produce many of the protein-rich supplements used in animal feed and the stain-removing enzymes in laundry detergents. “We talk about synthetic biology as what’s next,” says Tom Brennan, a partner at McKinsey & Company, a consulting firm. “But it’s here.”

And there’s room to grow, analysts say. By 2040, new bio-based materials alone could become a $300 billion market, according to a recent McKinsey reports. And that number could swell into the trillions once biofuels, pharma, cosmetics, and other personal care products are added in, McKinsey predicts.

Zymergen co-founder Zach Serber says relatively rigorous government regulations are helping keep pharma-centered companies in line. These firms must show a drug’s effectiveness in preclinical animal models, followed by safety and efficacy studies in human trials. If they miss those benchmarks, the would-be drug washes out and the company either moves on to another target or goes out of business. But if they succeed at any of those steps, they often can sell their drug candidate to a pharma company with deeper pockets. “It’s a very efficient system,” Serber says.

Companies trying to use microbes to make nonpharma materials face a tougher path to commercialization, Keasling says, in part because there aren’t defined milestones along the way that help reveal how a product stacks up against the competition. Zymergen, for example, thought its plastic film, called Hyaline, would have a huge market as a protective coating in electronic displays. But in 2021, company officials announced that “technical issues” would delay any revenue from Hyaline for at least two more years. A year later, the company, which had previously raised $1.5 billion from investors, was sold to Ginkgo Bioworks for $300 million.

Another challenge for nonpharma synbio firms is the sheer amount of product that they would need to produce to compete with established approaches. Investors initially salivated over synbio replacements for meat and dairy protein, for example, given that people annually consume hundreds of millions of tons of these foods. But fermentation firms have struggled to build and operate the facilities needed to match the high productivity and relatively low prices achieved by ranchers and poultry farmers, who have honed their operations over decades.

“The infrastructure is not there. … Industrial biotechnology has not scaled up like other industries,” says Kasia Gora, co-founder of the defunct cultivated meat company SCiFi Foods.

Firms that can make a profit synthesizing small volumes of product offer a better chance of success, believes Jason Ryder, a fermentation expert at the University of California, Berkeley. In 2014 he co-founded Joywell Foods—later rebranded as Oobli—a startup that engineers microbes to produce plant proteins that are up to 5000 times as sweet as table sugar. The company currently uses the proteins to replace sugar in its own branded sweet teas and chocolates. And in May, it announced its first deal with an international food firm looking to use the proteins in baked goods. Because only tiny amounts of the sweeteners are needed, Ryder says Oobli will be able to compete with the prices charged by industrial sugar plantations. The company is engineering 1000 new microbial strains per week, tweaking genes to increase protein production and thereby lower costs. “There’s lots of knobs we can turn,” Ryder says.

Another promising small volume market could be fertilizer supplements. The startup Pivot Bio has engineered two soil microbe strains that can steadily convert atmospheric nitrogen gas to ammonium, a form that corn and wheat can take up to speed their growth. In the United States, the company says the microbes have already been used on about 3% of the nation’s 36 million hectares of corn and could replace about one-third of the synthetic nitrogen fertilizers made from fossil fuels, which can pollute streams and rivers.

Amyris’s struggles, however, provide a cautionary lesson for synbio startups, as none of its numerous products proved profitable enough. Still, Gora says it’s just a matter of time before synbio hits its stride. “We’re in a down cycle,” she says. “But biology is not going anywhere.”

Synthetic Biology, Challenges, Market Downturn, Innovation, Investment, Biotech Industry, Economic Impact.

#scienceFather#InventionsAwards#SyntheticBiology #Biotech #MarketChallenges #Innovation #Investment #EconomicImpact #BiotechIndustry#Biologist#bBomateraisls#Scientists

Tuesday, September 3, 2024

Chemical plastics recycling

Scientists around the world can now go full throttle in their research into chemical plastics recycling. Researchers at ETH Zurich have laid important foundations for this by showing that it’s all about the stirring.

Hundreds of millions of tonnes of plastic waste are generated worldwide every year. Scientists are working tirelessly on new methods to recycle a large proportion of this waste into high-quality products, and thus enable a genuine circular economy. However, current recycling practices fall short of this goal. Most plastic waste is recycled mechanically: shredded and then melted down. Although this process does result in new plastic products, their quality deteriorates with each recycling step.

An alternative to this is chemical recycling, which avoids loss of quality. This method involves breaking down long-chain plastic molecules (polymers) into their fundamental building blocks (monomers), which can be reassembled into new, high-quality plastics, creating a truly sustainable cycle.

Fuels from plastic waste

As the approach of chemical recycling develops, the initial focus is on breaking down these long polymer chains into shorter-chain molecules that can be used as liquid fuels, say, or lubricants. This gives plastic waste a second life as petrol, jet fuel or engine oil. Scientists at ETH Zurich have now laid down important foundations for developing this process. These enable the global scientific community to engage in more targeted and effective recycling development work.

Researchers in the group led by Javier Pérez-Ramírez, Professor of Catalysis Engineering, investigated how to break down polyethylene and polypropylene with hydrogen. Here, too, the first step is to melt the plastic in a steel tank. Gaseous hydrogen is then introduced into the molten plastic. A crucial step involves adding a powdered catalyst containing metals such as ruthenium. By carefully selecting a suitable catalyst, researchers can increase the efficiency of the chemical reaction, promoting the formation of molecules with specific chain lengths while minimizing by-products such as methane or propane.

Rotational speed and geometry are key

“The molten plastic is a thousand times thicker than honey. The key is how you stir it in the tank to ensure the catalyst powder and hydrogen get mixed right through,” explains Antonio José Martín, a scientist in Pérez-Ramírez’s group. Through experiments and computer simulations, the research team demonstrated that the plastic is best stirred using an impeller with blades parallel to the axis. Compared to a propeller with angled blades or a turbine-shaped stirrer, this results in more even mixing and fewer flow vortices. The stirring speed is equally crucial. It must be neither too slow nor too fast; the ideal speed is close to 1,000 revolutions per minute.

The researchers successfully developed a mathematical formula to describe the entire chemical recycling process with all its parameters. “It’s every chemical engineer’s dream to have a formula like this at hand for their process,” Pérez-Ramírez says. All scientists in the research field can now precisely calculate the effect of the stirrer’s geometry and speed.
With this formula, future experiments can focus on directly comparing different catalysts with the influence of mixing under control. In addition, the principles developed here are central for scaling up the technology from the laboratory to large recycling plants. “But for now, our focus remains on researching better catalysts for the chemical recycling of plastics.

Catalyst Effectiveness, Transport Phenomena, Polyolefin Recycling, Chemical Recycling, Mass Transfer, Heat Transfer, Reaction Kinetics, Catalyst Design, Sustainable Chemistry, Waste To Energy

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Monday, September 2, 2024

Iranian students rank 1st in 17th International Olympiad on Astronomy, Astrophysics

Iranian students have won the first place in the 17th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA).

Iran dispatched a five-member team to the event, which was held this year in Vassouras, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from August 17 to 27.

More than 250 students from 57 countries contended in the competition.

The delegation compromised Hannaneh Khorramdashti, Mohammad-Mehdi Keshavarzi, Arya Fateh-Kerdari, and Ali Naderi-Lordjan.

The IOAA is an annual international astronomy competition for high school students and was first held in Thailand in 2007.

Last year, Iranian students won the third place in the competition which was held in Silesia, Poland over a 10-day period starting on August 10.

Amir-Mehdi Esmaeili Taheri, Mehdi Ostad-Mohammadi, and Arvin Rasoulzadeh bagged three gold medals for Iran, while Sarina Farzadnasab and Amir-Hossein Mousavifard won two silver medals.

At the end of the competitions, Britain won the event's first place with five gold medals and India ended in the second place with four golds and one silver.

The United States, Brazil, Bulgaria, Romania, Germany, and Canada followed Iran in the ranking.

Founded by five countries--Thailand, Indonesia, Iran, China, and Poland—IOAA aims to promote interest in astronomy and astrophysics among young people from participating countries, as well as to strengthen ties between different nations and improve the exchange of scientific and cultural knowledge and experiences.

Also on April, Iranian students secured five gold medals at the 9th edition of the 1Idea 1World Invention and Innovation Competition (1i1w) held in Istanbul, Turkey.

Participants from 24 countries, including Iran, Canada, China, Taiwan, the United States, Malaysia, Indonesia, and the United Arab Emirates, competed in this edition of the event which was held on April 28-29.

The event featured over 273 innovative ideas and plans from various countries. The top five ideas received special awards, with two of the awards going to Iranian participants.

Iranian students, Gold medals, Science competition, Astronomy education, Astrophysics achievement, International academic competition, STEM success, 17th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics

#ScienceFather #InventionsAwards #Innovations #AstrophysicsOlympiad #AstronomyOlympiad, #GoldMedalists #ScienceOlympiad, #STEMEducation #InternationalOlympiad #AcademicExcellence #Researchers #Scientists # Astronomical Achievements

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