GEN-ERIC News

A new theory developed at MIT could lead to “smart” optical microchips that adapt to different wavelengths of light, potentially advancing telecommunications, spectroscopy and remote sensing. Drawn by the promise of superior system performance, researchers have been exploring the concept of microchips that manipulate light instead of electricity. In their new theory, the MIT team has shown how such chips could feature tiny machines with moving parts powered and controlled by the very light they manipulate, giving rise to fundamentally new functionality. “There are thousands of complex functions we could make happen by tinkering with this idea,” said Peter Rakich, an MIT postdoctoral associate who invented the theoretical concept along with postdoc Milos Popovic. The work was described in the cover story of the November issue of Nature Photonics. For example, such chips could one day be used to remotely adjust the amount of bandwidth available in an optical network, or to automatically process signals flowing through fiber-optic networks, without using any electrical power, Rakich said.

Forgers take heed, a simple way to detect fake bank notes using their inks’ unique “magnetic signature” can also be used to authenticate oil paintings, according to the scientists who invented the technique. Some of the inks used to print bank notes around the world are made of ferrofluids, which are magnetic. These generate weak magnetic fields that can be measured using instruments such as superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs). A SQUID can be simply scanned across the note to record a “map” of its magnetic flux. Previously, Paulo Costa Ribeiro of the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and colleagues made magnetic maps of Brazilian bank notes and found that each note has a unique signature that remains stable over time.

They have cracked the genetic code of humans, cats, dogs and chimps. Now, scientists reveal today they have solved the secrets of dandruff. A team of researchers has decoded the complete DNA of a natural fungus to blame for most cases of the flaky skin condition. The findings could lead to more effective shampoos, lotions and medicines for a problem affecting more than half the population. Dr Thomas Dawson, who led the five-year study, said: “We have been able to see how the fungus interacts with the skin, and that opens up all sorts of new targets for medication.” Almost all cases are linked to Malassezia globosa, a yeast that lives on human skin. The fungus feeds off natural oils in the skin and releases a toxic by-product that can irritate the scalp, causing itchiness and clumps of dead skin that are noticeable on hair and clothes.