Switchable DNA nanostructures for Energy and Data Storage

These illustrations show how a 3-D crystal made from nanoparticles changes between two distinct states via an intermediate structure (top row, middle) when looped (left) versus unlooped (right) double-stranded DNA chains are used to link the particles. The scientists were able to measure the distance between the particles in each structure by recording x-ray scattering …

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Spintronics in Silicon at Room Temperature

Electrical creation of spin polarization in silicon at room temperature Eventual commercialization will mean faster electronics that is far more energy efficient. The control and manipulation of the electron spin in semiconductors is central to spintronics which aims to represent digital information using spin orientation rather than electron charge. Such spin-based technologies may have a …

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General Fusion Raises USD$9 million

An SEC filing reveals that General Fusion has sold US$9 million out of $13.75 million offering. H/T to Xconomy for the details on this fund raising. General Fusion had been award C$13.9 million from the Canadian government. General Fusion is using the MTF (Magnetized Target Fusion) approach but with a new, patent pending and cost-effective …

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DARPA working on Chip-Scale High Energy Atomic Beams and 19 Other Top Projects

1. From Wired, DARPA working on Chip-Scale High Energy Atomic Beams Chip-scale integration offers precise, micro actuators and high electric field generation at modest power levels that will enable several order of magnitude decreases in the volume needed to accelerate the ions. Furthermore, thermal isolation techniques will enable high efficiency beam to power converters, perhaps …

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