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Researchers describe materials and methods used to study how microplastics such as polystyrene, polyethylene and PVC interact chemically with water at their surfaces. The methods include characterizing microplastic surface purity with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and using fluorescent probes, dyes and labeled DNA to track reactive activity and molecule binding at plastic-water interfaces.
The acknowledgments section of a paper on computational design of metalloproteases thanks staff and collaborators at the Institute for Protein Design for computational and laboratory support, along with researchers who provided reagents and feedback. It also credits beamline facilities at the Advanced Photon Source, National Synchrotron Light Source II and the Center for BioMolecular Structure, funded by the US Department of Energy and National Institutes of Health, for structural data collection.
A study published in Nature by Kim and colleagues applies time-resolved X-ray liquidography to observe azobenzene molecules undergoing light-triggered photoisomerization while dissolved in a solvent. The technique captured structural changes of the light atoms in the molecule despite being surrounded by a much bulkier solvent medium, detailing the rearrangement process as it unfolds.
Researchers used time-resolved X-ray liquidography at South Korea's PAL-XFEL free-electron laser facility to track the structural changes azobenzene molecules undergo when switched from trans to cis form by a laser pulse. The experiment combined a 400 nm pump laser with X-ray probe pulses to capture molecular motion with a measured time resolution of about 169 femtoseconds, using a single-pass capillary jet of the dissolved sample rather than a recirculated solution.
Scientists made replica papyrus scrolls and deliberately charred them to mimic the carbonized scrolls found at sites like Herculaneum. The goal was to study how burning affects papyrus structure, informing techniques used to decode ancient scrolls without physically unrolling them.
A research team created their own burned, rolled-up papyrus scrolls and found they could read the hidden text by using X-ray computed tomography and X-ray fluorescence to detect lead in the ink, rather than relying on carbon detection alone. The method allowed them to virtually unroll the scrolls and clearly view writing that previous X-ray CT techniques could not distinguish from the carbon-based papyrus itself. The findings are published in PLoS ONE.
Scientists used advanced imaging and computational techniques to read the text of an ancient scroll that was carbonized nearly 2,000 years ago during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, without physically opening the fragile artifact. The breakthrough combined technical innovation, scientific experimentation, and collaboration across multiple disciplines to recover writing long assumed unrecoverable.
Researchers created replica papyrus scrolls, inscribed and burned them to mimic scrolls buried by the Vesuvius eruption in AD 79, then showed they could detect the ink by identifying trace lead within it using X-ray techniques. This approach helps overcome a longstanding problem in which carbon-based ink is nearly indistinguishable from the carbonized papyrus itself under standard CT scanning.
Scientists studying the carbonized Herculaneum scrolls have created an artificial scroll and charred it to mimic the effects of the Vesuvius eruption, aiming to test whether lead traces in ancient ink can help reveal hidden text. The experiment is meant to validate imaging techniques before they are applied to the fragile, irreplaceable originals.
A new study introduces patient-specific neural network models that rapidly align 2D X-ray images with 3D CT scans during image-guided surgical procedures. The approach aims to replace slower, less reliable traditional registration methods used in orthopedic, spine and interventional surgeries.
Astronomers using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory identified 84 compact binary systems in six galaxies, including Andromeda and the Pinwheel Galaxy, that emit unusually weak X-rays alongside strong ultraviolet radiation. Researcher Mustafa Muhibullah of the University of Alabama says the team has dubbed them 'hypersoft X-ray sources' because their behavior differs from any previously known compact binaries.
Amazon announced new shopping tools for Prime Video, letting viewers browse products tied to shows through an upgraded X-Ray Shop tab and a 'shop the scene' feature powered by its Lens technology. Users can pause a title on Fire TV, open X-Ray, and jump into a synced product feed in the Amazon Shopping app.