Monthly Archives: March 2025

Measuring brainwaves with temporary tattoo on scalp

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Caption: EEG setup with e-tattoo electrodes Credit: Nanshu Lu

A December 2, 2024 news item on ScienceDaily announces development of a liquid ink that can measure brainwaves,

For the first time, scientists have invented a liquid ink that doctors can print onto a patient’s scalp to measure brain activity. The technology, presented December 2 [2024] in the Cell Press journal Cell Biomaterials, offers a promising alternative to the cumbersome process currently used for monitoring brainwaves and diagnosing neurological conditions. It also has the potential to enhance non-invasive brain-computer interface applications.

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The December 2, 2024 Cell Press press release on Eurekalert, which originated the news item, claims this is a hair-friendly e-tattoo even though the model has a shaved head (perhaps that was for modeling purposes only?),

“Our innovations in sensor design, biocompatible ink, and high-speed printing pave the way for future on-body manufacturing of electronic tattoo sensors, with broad applications both within and beyond clinical settings,” says Nanshu Lu, the paper’s co-corresponding author at the University of Texas at Austin.

Electroencephalography (EEG) is an important tool for diagnosing a variety of neurological conditions, including seizures, brain tumors, epilepsy, and brain injuries. During a traditional EEG test, technicians measure the patient’s scalp with rulers and pencils, marking over a dozen spots where they will glue on electrodes, which are connected to a data-collection machine via long wires to monitor the patient’s brain activity. This setup is time consuming and cumbersome, and it can be uncomfortable for many patients, who must sit through the EEG test for hours.

Lu and her team have been pioneering the development of small sensors that track bodily signals from the surface of human skin, a technology known as electronic tattoos, or e-tattoos. Scientists have applied e-tattoos to the chest to measure heart activities, on muscles to measure how fatigued they are, and even under the armpit to measure components of sweat.

In the past, e-tattoos were usually printed on a thin layer of adhesive material before being transferred onto the skin, but this was only effective on hairless areas.

“Designing materials that are compatible with hairy skin has been a persistent challenge in e-tattoo technology,” Lu says. To overcome this, the team designed a type of liquid ink made of conductive polymers. The ink can flow through hair to reach the scalp, and once dried, it works as a thin-film sensor, picking up brain activity through the scalp.

Using a computer algorithm, the researchers can design the spots for EEG electrodes on the patient’s scalp. Then, they use a digitally controlled inkjet printer to spray a thin layer of the e-tattoo ink on to the spots. The process is quick, requires no contact, and causes no discomfort in patients, the researchers said.

The team printed e-tattoo electrodes onto the scalps of five participants with short hair. They also attached conventional EEG electrodes next to the e-tattoos. The team found that the e-tattoos performed comparably well at detecting brainwaves with minimal noise.

After six hours, the gel on the conventional electrodes started to dry out. Over a third of these electrodes failed to pick up any signal, although most the remaining electrodes had reduced contact with the skin, resulting in less accurate signal detection. The e-tattoo electrodes, on the other hand, showed stable connectivity for at least 24 hours.

Additionally, researchers tweaked the ink’s formula and printed e-tattoo lines that run down to the base of the head from the electrodes to replace the wires used in a standard EEG test. “This tweak allowed the printed wires to conduct signals without picking up new signals along the way,” says co-corresponding author Ximin He of the University of California, Los Angeles.

The team then attached much shorter physical wires between the tattoos to a small device that collects brainwave data. The team said that in the future, they plan to embed wireless data transmitters in the e-tattoos to achieve a fully wireless EEG process.

“Our study can potentially revolutionize the way non-invasive brain-computer interface devices are designed,” says co-corresponding author José Millán of the University of Texas at Austin. Brain-computer interface devices work by recording brain activities associated with a function, such as speech or movement, and use them to control an external device without having to move a muscle. Currently, these devices often involve a large headset that is cumbersome to use. E-tattoos have the potential to replace the external device and print the electronics directly onto a patient’s head, making brain-computer interface technology more accessible, Millán says.  

Here’s a link to and a citation for the paper,

On-scalp printing of personalized electroencephalography e-tattoos by Luize Scalco de Vasconcelos, Yichen Yan, Pukar Maharjan, Satyam Kumar, Minsu Zhang, Bowen Yao, Hongbian Li, Sidi Duan, Eric Li, Eric Williams, Sandhya Tiku, Pablo Vidal, R. Sergio Solorzano-Vargas, Wen Hong, Yingjie Du, Zixiao Liu, Fumiaki Iwane, Charles Block, Andrew T. Repetski, Philip Tan, Pulin Wang, Martin G. Martın, José del R. Millán, Ximin He, Nanshu Lu. Cell Biomaterials, 2024 DOI: 10.1016/j.celbio.2024.100004 Copyright: © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies

This is paper is open access but you are better off downloading the PDF version.

Electronics repairs in space made possible with nanoink and 3D printing?

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Researchers — as well as a toy Cy the Cyclone — test their nanoink and printer technologies during a NASA microgravity flight. Pictured, left to right, are: Fei Liu, Yanhua Huang, Matthew Marander, Xuepeng Jiang and Pavithra Premaratne. Photo courtesy of Shan Jiang.

They’re not making any promises but there are possibilities according to a November 21, 2024 news item on phys.org,

An Iowa State University engineer floats in the air while other researchers hang tight to a metal frame surrounding and supporting their special printer. [A Cy the Cyclone toy mascot all dressed up as an astronaut also floats above the busy researchers hunched over their experiment.] It’s not the usual photo you see in a research paper. Tests aboard microgravity flights aren’t your typical materials experiments, either.

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A November 20, 2024 Iowa State University news release (also on EurekAlert but published November 21, 2024), which originated the news item, shows where curiosity can take you,

The flight path to these experiments began when a research team led by Iowa State’s Shan Jiang, an associate professor of materials science and engineering, and Hantang Qin, formerly of Iowa State who’s now an assistant professor of industrial and systems engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, wondered if their ink and printer technologies would work in the zero gravity of space.

The ink features silver nanoparticles synthesized with biobased polymers. After a heat treatment, the ink can conduct electricity and can therefore print electric circuits. The printer uses electrohydrodynamic printing, or 3D printing that jets ink under an electric field at resolutions of millionths of a meter. The electric field could eliminate the need for gravity to help deposit ink.

If the technologies work together in zero gravity, astronauts could use them to make electric circuits for spacecraft or equipment repairs. And astronauts might manufacture high-value electronic components in the special, zero-gravity environment of space.

NASA [(US) National Space and Aeronautics Agency] wondered if it would work, too.

Diving into microgravity

Researchers bolted the printer to the floor of a jet and prepared for a “roller coaster, basically,” Jiang said.

The NASA plane would continuously climb and dive, going in cycles from about 24,000 feet over Florida to 32,000 feet then back to 24,000. The dive phase produced about 10 seconds of pure zero gravity.

“It was exciting and new,” Jiang said.

Motion sickness was a problem for some. Others enjoyed the thrill of it. Jiang felt “frozen” the first time he experienced microgravity. “I was blank.”

But that didn’t last: “There was so much time and investment in this project. We wanted to achieve good results.”

But printing for a few seconds at a time on a microgravity flight “is a very challenging experiment,” Jiang said. “It’s so easy on the ground where everything is stable. But if anything gets loose during the flight, you lose your printing.”

The first microgravity flight was a good example. The printer wasn’t adequately secured against the plane’s shakes and vibrations.

“These are very intense experiments that require a lot of teamwork and preparation,” Jiang said.

So, the team went back to work, made some changes, made more test flights and produced better results.

“This proof-of-concept microgravity experiment proves the unique capability of (electrohydrodynamic) printing under zero-gravity conditions and opens a new venue for future on-demand manufacturing in space,” the researchers wrote in a paper published by the journal American Chemical Society Applied Materials & Interfaces. (…)

Making a new nanoink

The key innovation by Jiang’s research group was developing a new laboratory method to synthesize the ink with its silver nanoparticles.

“This is a new combination of materials and so we needed a new recipe to make the ink,” Jiang said.

Grants from the NASA Iowa Space Grant Consortium and the NASA Iowa Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research supported the project.

Both programs “strive to support innovative and leading research in Iowa,” said Sara Nelson, director of the programs and an Iowa State adjunct assistant professor of aerospace engineering. “We are thrilled to have supported Dr. Jiang’s research. His work has helped to build Iowa’s research infrastructure and is an important part of NASA’s strategic mission.”

The project also makes use of an abundant Iowa resource, plant biomass.

The ink includes a biobased polymer called 2-hydroxyethyl cellulose, which is typically used as a thickening agent. But it is also a cost-effective, biocompatible, versatile and stable material for the inks necessary for high-resolution ink jet printing under an electric field.

“There is a lot of biomass in Iowa,” Jiang said. “So, we’re always trying to use these biobased molecules. They make a wonderful polymer that does all the tricks for us.”

Jiang called that “the biggest surprise of this research. We didn’t know that before. Now we know what we can do with these biobased polymers.”

The Iowa State University Research Foundation has filed a patent on the new nanoink and the technology is currently available for licensing.

“This success is really just the beginning,” Jiang said. “As humanity ventures deeper into space, the need for on-demand manufacturing of electronics in orbit is no longer science fiction; it is a necessity.”

Next up for the researchers could be development of 3D space printing for other electronic components such as semiconductors.

After all, Jiang said, “You can’t just make one component and assemble an electronic device.”

Here’s a link to and a citation for the paper,

Silver Nano-Inks Synthesized with Biobased Polymers for High-Resolution Electrohydrodynamic Printing Toward In-Space Manufacturing by Tyler Kirscht, Liangkui Jiang, Fei Liu, Xuepeng Jiang, Matthew Marander, Ricardo Ortega, Hantang Qin, Shan Jiang. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2024, 16, 33, 44225–44235 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.4c07592 Published: July 30, 2024 Copyright © 2024 American Chemical Society

This paper is behind a paywall.

Growing plant roots and fungal hyphae in silica nanoparticles for 3D microvascular networks

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This is fascinating,

A November 19, 2024 news item on phys.org describes the problem the researchers in Japan were solving,

Microfluidic technology has become increasingly important in many scientific fields, such as regenerative medicine, microelectronics, and environmental science. However, conventional microfabrication techniques face limitations in scale and in the construction of complex networks. These hurdles are compounded when it comes to building more intricate 3D microfluidic networks.

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A November 19, 2024 Kyushu University press release (also on EurekAlert), which originated the news item, describes how the researchers propose to solve the problem building 3D microfluidic networks, Note: Links have been removed,

Now, researchers from Kyushu University have developed a new and convenient technique for building such complex 3D microfluidic networks. Their tool? Plants and fungi. The team developed a ‘soil’ medium using nanoparticles of glass (silica) and a cellulose based binding agent, then allowed plants and fungi to grow roots into it. After the plants were removed, the glass was left with a complex 3D microfluidic network of micrometer-sized hollow holes where the roots once were.

The new method can also be utilized for observing and preserving 3D biological structures that are typically difficult to study in soil, opening new opportunities for research in plant and fungal biology. Their findings were published in the journal Scientific Reports.

“The primary motivation for this research was to overcome the limitations of conventional microfabrication techniques in creating complex 3D microfluidic structures. The focus of our lab is biomimetics, where we try to solve engineering problems by looking to nature and artificially replicating such structures,” explains Professor Fujio Tsumori of Kyushu University’s Faculty of Engineering, who led the study. “And what better example of microfluidics in nature than plant roots and fungal hyphae? So, we set out to develop a method that could harness the natural growth patterns of these organisms and create optimized microfluidic networks.”

The researchers began by developing a ‘soil’ like mix for plants to grow in, but instead of dirt, they combined growth medium with glass nanoparticles smaller than 1 μm in diameter with hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose as a binding agent. They then seeded this ‘soil’ mixture and waited for the plants to take root. After confirming successful plant growth, the ‘soil’ was baked leaving only the glass with root cavities.

“The process is called sintering, which aggregates fine particles together into a more solid state. It is similar to powder metallurgy in the manufacturing of ceramics,” continues Tsumori. “In this case it is the plant that does the molding.”

Their method was able to replicate the intricate biological structures of a plant’s main roots which can be up to 150 μm in diameter, and all the way down to it root hairs which can be about 8 μm in diameter. Tests with other organisms showed that the method can even replicate the root structure of fungi, called hyphae.

“Hyphae are even thinner and can be as small as 1-2 μm in diameter. That’s thinner than a single strand of spider silk,” says Tsumori.

The team hopes that their new bio-inspired microfluidic fabrication technique could be used in various fields of science and engineering, potentially leading to more efficient microreactors, advanced heat exchangers, and innovative tissue engineering scaffolds.

“In the biological sciences, this technique provides a unique tool for studying the intricate 3D structures of plant roots and fungal networks, which can advance our understanding of soil ecosystems,” concludes Tsumori. “By bridging biological systems and engineering, our research has the potential to pave the way for new technologies and scientific discoveries.”

…

About Kyushu University 
Founded in 1911, Kyushu University is one of Japan’s leading research-oriented institutes of higher education, consistently ranking as one of the top ten Japanese universities in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings and the QS World Rankings. The university is one of the seven national universities in Japan, located in Fukuoka, on the island of Kyushu—the most southwestern of Japan’s four main islands with a population and land size slightly larger than Belgium. Kyushu U’s multiple campuses—home to around 19,000 students and 8000 faculty and staff—are located around Fukuoka City, a coastal metropolis that is frequently ranked among the world’s most livable cities and historically known as Japan’s gateway to Asia. Through its VISION 2030, Kyushu U will “drive social change with integrative knowledge.” By fusing the spectrum of knowledge, from the humanities and arts to engineering and medical sciences, Kyushu U will strengthen its research in the key areas of decarbonization, medicine and health, and environment and food, to tackle society’s most pressing issues.

Here’s a link to and a citation for the paper,

Replicating biological 3D root and hyphal networks in transparent glass chips by Tetsuro Koga, Shota Nakashima & Fujio Tsumori. Scientific Reports volume 14, Article number: 21128 (2024) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-72333-y Published: 10 September 2024

This paper is open access.

Entangling light and sound

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I’ve been quite interested in quantum entanglement but this is the first time I’ve stumbled across light and sound entanglement. From a November 14, 2024 news item on Nanowerk, Note: Links have been removed,

For a wide variety of emerging quantum technologies, such as secure quantum communications and quantum computing, quantum entanglement is a prerequisite. Scientists at the Max-Planck-Institute for the Science of Light (MPL) have now demonstrated a particularly efficient way in which photons can be entangled with acoustic phonons. The researchers were able to demonstrate that this entanglement is resilient to external noise, the usual pitfall of any quantum technology to date.

They recently published their research in Physical Review Letters (“Optoacoustic Entanglement in a Continuous Brillouin-Active Solid State System”).

…

A November 8, 2024 Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light press release (also on EurekAlert but published November 14, 2024), which originated the news item, describes quantum entanglement and how it applies to sound and light,

Quantum entanglement is a phenomenon in which particles become interconnected such that the state of one instantly influences the state of the other, regardless of the distance between them. Entanglement is an important phenomenon for many quantum technology applications because it can lead to secure quantum communications and high-dimensional quantum computing. As photons, quanta of light, can propagate extremely fast while carrying quantum information, the entangling of pairs of photons via nonlinear optics is an established procedure. Scientists at MPL have recently tackled the issue of establishing entanglement between very different entities such as traveling sound waves, phonons, and optical photons. The proposed optoacoustic entanglement scheme is based on Brillouin scattering. It is particularly resilient, suitable for integration into quantum signal processing schemes and implementable at high environmental temperatures.

Einstein called it “spooky action at a distance”. Entanglement has historically been fascinating at many different levels, as it strongly connects to our understanding of the fundamental laws of nature. Quantum correlations among particles can persist even when separated by large distances. At the practical level, quantum entanglement is at the heart of many emerging quantum technologies. In the optical domain, entanglement of photons is fundamental to secure quantum communication methods or quantum computing schemes. Photons, however, are volatile. Therefore, feasible alternatives are being sought for certain applications, such as quantum memory or quantum repeater schemes. One such alternative is the acoustic domain, where quanta are stored in acoustic or sound waves.

Scientists at the MPL have now indicated a particularly efficient way in which photons can be entangled with acoustic phonons: While the two quanta travel along the same photonic structures, the phonons move at a much slower speed. The underlying effect is the optical nonlinear effect known as Brillouin-Mandelstam scattering. It is responsible for coupling quanta at fundamentally different energy scales.

In their study the scientists showed that the proposed entangling scheme can operate at temperatures in the tens of Kelvin. This is much higher than those required by standard approaches, which often employ expensive equipment such as dilution fridges. The possibility of implementing this concept in optical fibers or photonic integrated chips makes this mechanism of particular interest for use in modern quantum technologies.

Here’s a link to and a citation for the paper,

Optoacoustic Entanglement in a Continuous Brillouin-Active Solid State System by Changlong Zhu, Claudiu Genes, and Birgit Stiller. Phys. Rev. Lett. 133, 203602 – Published 13 November, 2024 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.133.203602

This paper appears to be open access.

Rémi Quirion has an opinion about US-Canada science and about science diplomacy

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Rémi Quirion is chief scientist of the province of Québec, Canada, chief executive officer of Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ), and president of the International Network for Governmental Science Advice (INGSA), Auckland, New Zealand. His March 13, 2025 editorial about science, collaboration, and US-Canada relations in light of Mr. Donald Trump’s constant assaults against Canadian sovereignty was published in the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science magazine, Note: A link has been removed,

A partnership can be demanding, and as with any couple, can have good days and bad. The United States–Canada relationship is most definitely having a bad one. It’s difficult to fully comprehend all the dimensions of the current threats to one of the world’s strongest, longest, and multifaceted alliances. From contemptuous musings on annexation to a tariff war that could wreak economic havoc on both sides of the border, the insults and aggravations are stoking uncertainty about a relationship that has flourished for decades. …

The number one partner for Canadian science is by far the United States. For the past 5 years, 27% of all Canadian scientific publications were coauthored with American colleagues (according to a Canadian bibliometric database and the Web of Science). And the reverse is true as well. Canadian scientists are prominent international partners of American scientists in published research. Long-standing major programs between the two countries include joint research projects on the Great Lakes, the Arctic, space, health (including global public health), climate monitoring, artificial intelligence (AI), subatomic physics, and data sharing. Despite the uncertainty around tariffs, active partnerships have recently been reconfirmed and even extended between federal funding organizations in both countries. These include interactions between the US National Science Foundation and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada as well as Canada’s Social Science and Humanities Research Council. Such efforts are also strong at the regional level. For instance, research between Massachusetts and Québec focuses on climate change, biotechnology, and transportation, an alliance rooted in enduring cultural links.

… For decades, graduate students in Canada have continued training in the United States as postdoctoral fellows, and some have chosen to stay and forge fruitful collaborations with scientists in Canada. … American fellows coming to Canada to pursue their studies are not as numerous but are particularly interested in AI, quantum computing, clean energy, and environmental studies as well as the life sciences. Considering the current situation, it may be tempting for Canada to use the opportunity to lure both younger and well-established Canadian scientists back to Canada. Indeed, Canada is already receiving inquiries in that regard. …

On both sides of the border, additional collaboration should focus on building capacity to advise elected officials and high-level policy-makers on scientific issues. Going further, the International Network for Governmental Science Advice (INGSA) and its 130 member countries, of which I am chair, aim to take on this challenge globally with three chapters in the Global South (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Buenos Aires, Argentina; and Port Louis, Mauritius) as well as new European (Oxford, United Kingdom) and North American (Montreal, Canada) chapters that will be inaugurated over the next 2 years. A major objective is to increase the ability to offer advice not only at the national level but also to subregional and local officials who often must make critical decisions under emergency conditions.

Strengthening science diplomacy is more urgent than ever in North America and around the world. The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS, the publisher of Science) and the United Kingdom’s Royal Society have just released an updated framework on this topic as did the European Commission. In Québec, the Fonds de recherche du Québec launched a program this year to create new chairs in science diplomacy that will cultivate a network of experts across scientific disciplines throughout the province. The intent is to leverage the network to establish strong international science and policy partnerships.

Canada now has a new prime minister in place, and with the stability of US-Canada relations at stake, scientific partnerships should be upheld by the leaders of both nations. …

Here’s a link and a citation,

Uphold US-Canada science by Rémi Quirion. Science 13 Mar 2025 Vol 387, Issue 6739 p. 1127 DOI: 10.1126/science.adx2966

This editorial appears to be open access.

US science no longer no. 1

Not mentioned in Quirion’s editorial is the anxiety that the American scientific community appears to be suffering from. The days when US science led the world have either come to an end or will shortly depending on what opinion piece you’re reading. What’s not in question is that the days when US science dominated the world scene are over as this January 21, 2022 article by Jeffrey Mervis for the AAAS’s Science Insider makes clear,

A new data-rich report by the National Science Foundation (NSF) confirms China has overtaken the United States as the world’s leader in several key scientific metrics, including the overall number of papers published and patents awarded. U.S. scientists also have serious competition from foreign researchers in certain fields, it finds.

That loss of hegemony raises an important question for U.S. policymakers and the country’s research community, according to NSF’s oversight body, the National Science Board (NSB). “Since across-the-board leadership in [science and engineering] is no longer a possibility, what then should our goals be?” NSB asks in a policy brief that accompanies this year’s Science and Engineering Indicators, NSF’s biennial assessment of global research, which was released this week. (NSF has converted a single gargantuan volume into nine thematic reports, summarized in The State of U.S. Science and Engineering 2022.)

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“It would be the height of hubris to think that [the United States] would lead in everything,” Phillips [Julia Phillips, an applied physicist who chairs the NSB committee that oversees Indicators] says. “So, I think the most important thing is for the United States to decide where it cannot be No. 2.”

At the top of her priorities is sustaining the federal government’s financial support of fundamental science. “If we lead in basic research, then we’re still in a really good position,” she says. But the government’s “record over the last decades does not give me a lot of cause for hope.” For example, Phillips says she is not optimistic that Congress will approve pending legislation that envisions a much larger NSF over the next 5 years, or a 2022 appropriations bill that would give NSF a lot more money right away.

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Falling behind

[Note: The graphic which illustrates the statistics more clearly has not been reproduced here.]

The United States trailed China in contributing to the growth in global research spending over the past 2 decades. China 29% United States 23% South Korea& Japan 9% Other Asia 7% Other 14% European Union 17% Contribution to global R&D growth (Graphic) K. Franklin/Science; (Data) The State of U.S. Science and Engineering 2022/National Science Foundation

…

Canadians certainly. know a thing or two about not being no. 1 and maybe we could offer some advice on how to deal with that reality.

In the meantime, the US looks more and more frantic as it attempts to come to terms with its new status both scientifically and in every other way.

Urban organisms: 3 ArtSci Salon events with Kaethe Wenzel in Toronto, Canada during March and April 2025

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From a March 10, 2025 ArtSci Salon notice (received via email and visible here as of March 13, 2025), Note: I have reorganized this notice to put the events in date order and clarified for which event you are registering,

The ArtSci Salon (The Fields Institute) in collaboration with the NewONE program (U of T [University of Toronto]) are pleased to invite you to 3 engagements with Berlin-based interdisciplinary artist Kaethe Wenzel

Urban Pictograms Workshop
March 20, 2025, 2:30-4:00 pm [ET[
William Doo Auditorium,
45 Willcocks street [sic]

A workshop to challenge the urban rules and cultural stereotypes of street signs

This workshop is part of the programming of the NewONE: learning without borders, New College, University of Toronto. Throughout the academic year, our classes have been exploring important issues pertaining to social justice. During this workshop, we invite students and members of the community to work together to create urban pictograms (or urban stickers) that challenge inequalities and reaffirm principles of social justice. A selected number of pictograms will be displayed on the windows of the D.G Ivey New College Library and will be launched on April 3 [2025] at 4:30 pm [ET].

Register here to participate in the March 20, 2025 workshop

Public talk: Urban organisms. Re-imagining urban ecologies and collective futures
March 27 [2025], 5 pm [ET], Room 230
The Fields Institute for Research in Mathematical Sciences
222 College Street

After all, the world is being produced collectively, across the borders of time and geography as well as across the boundaries of the individual. 
–Kaethe Wenzel

Join us in welcoming Berlin-based interdisciplinary artist Kaethe Wenzel. Wenzel has used a diverse variety of media and material such as textiles, found items, animal bones, plants, soil and other organic material, as well as small electronics to produce urban interventions and objects of speculative fiction at the intersection of art, science and technology. Wenzel challenges the notion of the artwork as an object to be observed in a gallery or museum, and the gallery as a constrained space with relatively limited interactions. Her extensive body of work extends to building facades, billboards, entire neighborhoods and the city, translating into urban interventions to explore the collective production of culture and the creation and negotiation of public space.

Public launch of Urban Pictograms 
Thursday, April 3, 2025, 4 pm [ET] onwards
Windows of D.G Ivey Library,
20 Willcocks Street,
New College, University of Toronto

Register here to participate in the March 20, 2025 workshop

Enjoy!

For anyone curious about the NewONE program, you can find more here at the University of Toronto.

Move your body and charge your phone

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These researchers are working to bring a device than can harvest bioenergy to market, from a November 20, 2024 University of Waterloo (Ontario, Canada) news release (also on EurekAlert),

A new technology that can generate electricity from vibrations or even small body movements means you could charge your laptop by typing or power your smartphone’s battery on your morning run. 

Researchers at the University of Waterloo have developed a tiny, wearable generator in response to the urgent need for sustainable, clean energy. It is also scalable for larger machines. 

“This is a real game changer,” said Dr. Asif Khan, the project’s lead researcher and a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Waterloo. “We have made the first device of its kind that can power electronics at low cost and with unprecedented efficiency.” 

The device uses the piezoelectric effect, which generates electrical energy by applying pressure to materials like crystal and certain ceramics. Piezoelectric materials are currently used in various sensing technologies including sonar, ultrasonic imaging and microwave devices.  

“Those older materials are brittle, expensive and have a limited ability to generate electricity,” said Dr. Dayan Ban, professor and researcher at the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology. “The materials we’ve created for the new generator are flexible, more energy-efficient and cost less.” 

In addition to Khan and Ban, the research team includes two other Waterloo professors, one professor from the University of Toronto, and their research groups.  

The researchers have filed a patent and are working with a Canadian company to commercialize their generator for use in aviation, specifically to power the systems on planes that monitor the status of safety equipment.  

Caption: The new generator contains materials that are flexible, energy-efficient and relatively less expensive. Credit: University of Waterloo

Here’s a link to and a citation for the paper,

Breaking dielectric dilemma via polymer functionalized perovskite piezocomposite with large current density output by Asif Abdullah Khan, Avi Mathur, Lu Yin, Mahmoud Almadhoun, Jian Yin, Majid Haji Bagheri, Md Fahim Al Fattah, Araz Rajabi-Abhari, Ning Yan, Boxin Zhao, Vivek Maheshwari & Dayan Ban. Nature Communications volume 15, Article number: 9511 (2024) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-53846-6 Published: 04 November 2024

This paper is open access.

US Army researchers look at nanotechnology for climate solutions

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It’s been a few months since I first flagged this item for publication and things have changed somewhat in the US. It’s hard to be certain since webpages disappear sometimes but given the current frenzy to cut down on US government costs and the utter indifference (hostility?) the current president (Mr. Donald Trump) and his cohorts have shown towards environmental issues, it’s hard not to infer a message when a webpage hosting a commentary about US Army researchers working on nanotechnology solutions to climate change goes missing.

Luckily, articles about the commentary from the researchers were published elsewhere. From a December 25, 2024 article on statnano.com, Note: Links have been removed,

As part of the Nano4EARTH initiative, a national challenge launched by the White House and the National Nanotechnology Initiative, researchers are exploring how innovations at the nanoscale can lead to groundbreaking solutions for a more sustainable future.

Climate change poses a significant threat to national security, according to the Army’s published Climate Strategy. The Army has committed to aggressive goals to mitigate its own impact, including a 50% reduction in net greenhouse gas pollution by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050. Nanotechnology is seen as a critical tool in achieving these ambitious targets.

In a recent paper in the journal Nature Nanotechnology, co-author Dr. Mark Griep, a researcher with the DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory, said nano-enabled climate solutions are already transitioning to industrial scale-up, which will help reduce the “green premium” that can be limiting factor for widespread public adoption.

“The climate crisis demands bold, innovative solutions, and nanotechnology offers a unique opportunity to achieve the kind of step-changes needed to mitigate its effects,” Griep said. “By working collaboratively across sectors, we can harness the power of nanotechnology to create a more sustainable and resilient future for the Army and the nation.”

According to Griep, metal organic frameworks, known as MOFs [metal-organic frameworks], are being scaled up for greenhouse gases capture applications and should exceed the Department of Energy’s EarthShot carbon capture costs below $100 per ton and become a cost-effective technology.

Griep said he believes the Army can engineer MOFs with catalytic functions for CO2-to-fuel opportunities.

“This would allow for nano-enabled solutions that not only contribute to decarbonizing the Army fleet but simultaneously enabling operational advantage through new fuel sources,” he said.

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“The Army is in a unique position to be an innovation leader for climate change solutions as the advanced technologies for achieving climate goals go hand-in-hand with increasing combat effectiveness,” Griep said. “Nano-enabled advancements to energy storage, water purification, and advanced structural materials will be game changers in the civilian world but play an even more crucial role in ensuring the Army’s operational resilience and capabilities in future combat environments.”

Other US government agencies were involved in the work including the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Here’s an October 9, 2025 US NIST posting about the paper by Lawrence Goodman written in a Q&A (question and answer) format for the agency’s Taking Measure blog (also on EurekAlert but published as an October 15, 2024 article), Note: Links have been removed,

When we think about the climate crisis, we tend to think big — it’s a global problem that requires global solutions.

But NIST scientists James Warren and Craig Brown also want us to think small, very small. They’re thinking at the nano-level, which is anywhere between 1 and 100 nanometers. That’s about 1,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair.

In a just-published paper they co-authored with other federal government, industry and private foundation researchers, they call for a greater focus on nanotechnology’s potential role in combating climate change. 

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You talk about using nanotechnology on windows to make buildings more energy efficient.

Warren: People are probably familiar with some of the coatings available now that selectively filter different types of sunlight. They work by allowing visible light to pass through while blocking certain wavelengths of infrared light that generate heat inside a house or building.

These are called chromic nanocoatings, and they contain nano-sized particles that can absorb, reflect or transmit different wavelengths of light in much more complicated ways. They can change color or transparency in response to temperature or the amount of sunlight — perhaps darkening to keep the sun out of a house at peak midday heat to keep the people inside cool without having to crank up the air conditioning. A recent research paper said chromic windows controlled by electricity, known as electrochromic windows, have the potential to save up to 40% of energy demand for building heating and cooling.

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Here’s a link to and a citation for the paper,

Nanotechnology solutions for the climate crisis by Maria Fernanda Campa, Craig M. Brown, Peter Byrley, Jason Delborne, Nicholas Glavin, Craig Green, Mark Griep, Tina Kaarsberg, Igor Linkov, Jeffrey B. Miller, Joshua E. Porterfield, Birgit Schwenzer, Quinn Spadola, Branden Brough & James A. Warren. Nature Nanotechnology volume 19, pages 1422–1426 (2024) DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41565-024-01772-5 Published online: 09 October 2024 Issue Date: October 2024

This paper is open access.

It seems that Nano4EARTH is still a functioning part of the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI), which is itself still functioning, as of this writing on March 10, 2025.

Electrodeposition and the creation of nanostructures

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Caption: In-situ liquid-cell transmission electron microscopy electrodeposition of PtNi [platinum-nickel] nanoparticle films on a carbon electrode during cyclic voltammetry. The electron beam (here in green color) illuminated the electrode (here in orange color) submerged in the platinum and nickel salt solution, enhancing the growth of the PtNi nanoparticle film (grey color) on the electrode. The film thickness increases with each cycle and by the fourth cycle reaction-rate limited growth of branched and porous structures were observed. Credit: Designed by: Weronika Wojtowicz: wojtowicz.vika@gmail.com; water background from https://pl.freepik.com.

This work comes from Poland according to a November 13, 2024 news item on phys.org, Note: A link has been removed,

Metallic nanoparticles, consisting of a few to several thousand atoms or simple molecules, are attracting significant interest. Electrodes coated with layers of nanoparticles (nanolayers) are particularly useful in areas such as energy production, serving as catalysts.

A convenient method for producing such layers on electrodes is electrodeposition, the subtle complexities of which have just been revealed by an international team of researchers led by scientists from the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Krakow. Their paper is published in the journal Nano Letters.

Research on nanoparticles is yielding promising results for technologies related to energy, medicine, and electronics. One of the key challenges is effectively controlling the synthesis and growth of nanostructures. An international team of scientists, led by researchers from the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IFJ PAN) in Krakow, conducted an advanced experiment demonstrating the electrodeposition process of a platinum-nickel (PtNi) nanolayer on an electrode. Utilizing state-of-the-art imaging techniques, the researchers had a unique opportunity to observe in real-time how structures form at the atomic level, which is a significant step towards better designing materials with precisely controlled properties.

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A November 13 ,2024 The Henryk Niewodniczanski Institute of Nuclear Physics Polish Academy of Sciences press release (also on EurekAlert), which originated the news item, describes electrodeposition and how this research was conducted,

Electrodeposition is a rapid and convenient method for producing nanostructures. It involves immersing an electrode in a metal salt solution, from which the layer is to be grown, followed by applying an appropriate voltage that causes ions near the electrode surface to reduce, initiating layer growth. To closely examine the process of electrodeposition, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques are essential. TEM allows for imaging materials with sub-angstrom resolution (i.e., less than one ten-millionth of a millimeter) since it uses an electron beam with a much shorter wavelength than visible light. Ideally, it would be possible to observe, in real-time, how nucleation (the initial growth stage where nanoparticle seeds form) and layer growth occur on the electrode. However, TEM imaging comes with certain limitations: the samples need to be as thin as possible and entirely dry. To overcome these challenges and enable the imaging of chemical reactions, the researchers utilized thus a special imaging technique in a liquid cell flow chamber.

“The flow cell consists of two silicon chips equipped with a 50-nanometer-thick SiN [silicon nitride]x membrane. This membrane is electron-transparent, and an additional electrode is placed on its surface. By applying a voltage, the microscope user can observe how the layer grows on the electrode. Experiments using such a cell require a special holder for flow experiments in the TEM”, explains Prof. Magdalena Parlińska-Wojtan, Ph.D., Eng. (IFJ PAN).

Experiments conducted at the Silesian University of Technology using a TEM microscope confirmed that the PtNi layer indeed grows directly on the electrode, providing crucial insights into the fundamentals of the entire process. An alternative mechanism would involve nanoparticles first forming in the electrolyte and then drifting toward the electrode to attach. This effect was also observed, but only in areas illuminated by the beam, due to the fact that the electron beam interacts with water, behaving like a reducing agent. Subsequent ‘dry’ observations revealed that the layer is actually composed of spherical nanoparticles with diameters of several tens of nanometers. Further magnification of TEM images showed that the surface of these nanoparticles consists of densely branched, fine dendritic structures (multiple branching).

“As part of our collaboration with the Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society in Berlin, we conducted an additional experiment by extending the reaction time and reducing the rate of voltage changes. This allowed us to observe additional effects: the nucleation of individual nanoparticles, which rapidly grow and merge to form a continuous layer. During voltage changes in subsequent electrodeposition cycles, the nanoparticles undergo alternating growth and dissolution. However, growth is a faster process than dissolution, which ultimately results in a stable layer”, explains Prof. Parlińska-Wojtan.

As part of the research, another experiment was conducted in liquid environment using a different, but also unique, apparatus: a scanning transmission X-ray microscope (STXM), available at the National Synchrotron Radiation Center SOLARIS in Kraków. During STXM imaging, X-ray radiation is used. The resulting images do not have as high a resolution as the ones from electron microscopy, but they reveal other properties of the materials under study, such as the oxidation states of atoms in nanoparticles. The result of electrodeposition is not always pure metal; sometimes it is a metal oxide. Depending on whether it is a metal or an oxide (and the oxidation state of the oxide), materials absorb X-ray radiation at different energies. An STXM image taken with the appropriate energy beam allows for a detailed investigation of the produced nanoparticles. The STXM microscope at the SOLARIS center in Kraków also enabled an experiment in a liquid environment using a flow cell nearly identical to the one used in the TEM. The authors thus performed PtNi electrodeposition inside the STXM and, in real time, investigated the range of X-ray absorption by the nanoparticles. In this way, they determined that the layer actually consists of nickel(II) oxide and metallic platinum.

“Conducting an experiment using microscopic techniques in a liquid environment is quite a challenge. Nevertheless, our team succeeded in producing the expected PtNi layer using two different techniques, and the obtained results were complementary”, says Prof. Parlińska-Wojtan, emphasizing: “Such research is important for several reasons. The technical reason is that we are still exploring the capabilities and limitations of relatively new, high-end measurement tools. There was also a more important scientific reason: understanding the fundamental factors that govern the synthesis, growth, and properties of nanostructures. This knowledge may help in the future in the fabrication of nanostructured materials tailored better for applications such as fuel cells or medicine”.

The research results were published in Nano Letters and the journal’s editorial board recognized their work by featuring the accompanying graphic on the cover of one of their issues.

The Henryk Niewodniczański Institute of Nuclear Physics (IFJ PAN) is currently one of the largest research institutes of the Polish Academy of Sciences. A wide range of research carried out at IFJ PAN covers basic and applied studies, from particle physics and astrophysics, through hadron physics, high-, medium-, and low-energy nuclear physics, condensed matter physics (including materials engineering), to various applications of nuclear physics in interdisciplinary research, covering medical physics, dosimetry, radiation and environmental biology, environmental protection, and other related disciplines. The average yearly publication output of IFJ PAN includes over 600 scientific papers in high-impact international journals. Each year the Institute hosts about 20 international and national scientific conferences. One of the most important facilities of the Institute is the Cyclotron Centre Bronowice (CCB), which is an infrastructure unique in Central Europe, serving as a clinical and research centre in the field of medical and nuclear physics. In addition, IFJ PAN runs four accredited research and measurement laboratories. IFJ PAN is a member of the Marian Smoluchowski Kraków Research Consortium: “Matter-Energy-Future”, which in the years 2012-2017 enjoyed the status of the Leading National Research Centre (KNOW) in physics. In 2017, the European Commission granted the Institute the HR Excellence in Research award. As a result of the categorization of the Ministry of Education and Science, the Institute has been classified into the A+ category (the highest scientific category in Poland) in the field of physical sciences.

Here’s a link to and a citation for the paper,

Understanding the Growth of Electrodeposited PtNi Nanoparticle Films Using Correlated In Situ Liquid Cell Transmission Electron Microscopy and Synchrotron Radiation by Magdalena Parlinska-Wojtan, Tomasz Roman Tarnawski, Joanna Depciuch, Maria Letizia De Marco, Kamil Sobczak, Krzysztof Matlak, Mirosława Pawlyta, Robin E. Schaeublin, and See Wee Chee. Nano Lett. 2024, 24, 40, 12361–12367 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c02228 Published: August 15, 2024

This paper is open access.

About the same time in August 2024 that this paper from the Polish Academy of Sciences was published In Nano Letters there was another electrodeposition paper published by researchers at Northwestern University, which is mentioned in my August 23, 2024 posting, “Electricity (electrodeposition) could help fight coastal (beach) erosion.”

A March 2025 update from the Canadian Science Policy Centre (CSPC)

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Earlier this week on March 5, 2025 I received (via email) a weekly newsletter from the Canadian Science Policy Centre (CSPC). This first excerpt is focused on the upcoming French language editorial and virtual panel,

[Challenges and Opportunities: Scientific Research and Publication in French in Canada [editorial series]

To mark March 20th, the Day of Francophonie, CSPC is excited to announce the launch of its first editorial series in French, celebrating the value of the French language in scientific research in Canada.

The CSPC Commité des francophiles invites you to submit editorials and share your reflections on the challenges and opportunities for conducting and publishing scientific research in French in Canada. We also encourage you to explore potential solutions to enhance the mobilization of scientific knowledge in French. Click the button below to submit an editorial; the deadline is next week, March 12, 2025!

Submit an Editorial

[Strengthening Science Diplomacy in French – A Strategic Asset for Canada virtual panel]

*Please note that this panel will be held in French only.

In a rapidly evolving global landscape, science diplomacy in French is a key tool for Canada and Québec to build international partnerships, drive innovation, and promote multilingual research collaboration. This panel will explore the role of Francophone scientific networks, international collaborations, and Canada’s bilingual advantage in strengthening its diplomatic ties. More speakers will be confirmed soon! Click the button below to register for the upcoming panel.

Register Here

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Here are the rest of my selections from the March 5, 2025 CSPC weekly newsletter,

National Conversation on Canada’s Innovation Strategy 

We are pleased to announce the next phase of this project, exploring how geopolitical uncertainties will impact Canada’s Innovation Strategy. 
 
Add your voice to the conversation by:

  • Sharing your insights in an opinion piece for one of our innovation editorial series. These online series will make up a special digital edition of the CSPC Magazine (submissions will open in March 2025)
  • Participating in sector-based virtual panel series (April – October 2025)
  • Attending the in-person Innovation Strategy Symposium at the 17th Canadian Science Policy Conference (Nov. 19, 2025, at the Westin Hotel, Ottawa) 

We invite you to participate and be part of these important conversations. More information regarding these activities will be shared in the coming weeks. For more information on the project, please visit our website.

National Conversation on Canada’s Innovation Strategy

New SciPol Digest Episode Now Available:
Funding the Future: Canada’s Investment in Research During Critical Times

A new episode of SciPol Digest, Funding the Future: Canada’s Investment in Research During Critical Times, is now available. In it, we analyze last year’s transformative student budget—its impact is still resonating today. Join our experts as they explore how recent changes in funding for students and researchers are shaping the future of education and student life in Canada.
 
Click the button below to listen to the podcast.

SciPol Digest Podcast

Meet the SMP 2025 Delegates and Sponsorship Opportunities!

CSPC is pleased to introduce the delegates of the second iteration of Science Meets Parliament – BC and the delegates of the inaugural round of Science Meets Parliament – ON. Delegates are currently participating in training sessions. The Science Meets Parliament Program for BC has been set for April 28-29, 2025, and Ontario for May 13-14, 2025. For more information, click here for SMP-BC and click here for SMP-ON.

An influential initiative, Science Meets Parliament (SMP) connects Canada’s scientific community with policymakers, offering researchers a unique opportunity to engage with provincial parliamentarians, understand policymaking, and develop crucial science-policy communication skills.  

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Happy International Women’s Day!

At CSPC, we celebrate the strength in every story: the experiences, leadership, and dedication of the incredible women across our volunteers, staff, and broader CSPC network. Their knowledge and skills are essential to our success.

Happy International Women’s Day to our champions!

There you have it.