Synchrotron infrared nanospectroscopy (SINS) was used to study the behavior of phonon polaritons in ultrathin crystals of hexagonal boron nitride. The results pave the way towards engineering infrared-light photonic nanodevices and expand our understanding of polariton behavior in low-dimensional nanomaterials. Read more »
Science Highlights
Binding Behavior of Dopamine Transporter Key to Understanding Chemical Reactions in the Brain
Scientists working at the ALS recently solved the crystallographic structures of several amine transporters in an effort to better understand why the human brain responds to chemicals like dopamine and serotonin. What they found will help in the design of drugs to treat many neurological diseases, and may also lead to a better understanding of how addiction to abused drugs such as cocaine can be managed. Read more »
Watching a Liquid-Crystal Helix Unwind
For the first time, researchers have directly measured the helical pitch of twisted liquid crystals composed of achiral bent-core molecules. The work opens the door to understanding the interplay between structure and property in important organic materials, including liquid crystals, lipid tubules, and peptoids. Read more »
Weyl Fermions Discovered After 85 Years
Weyl fermions, elusive massless particles first theorized 85 years ago, have now been detected as emergent quasiparticles in synthetic crystals of the semimetal TaAs. The discovery could allow for the nearly free and efficient flow of electricity, as well as the realization of many fascinating topological quantum phenomena.
X-Ray Microscopy Reveals How Crystal Mechanics Drive Battery Performance
Recent findings at the ALS show that small crystal size is key to maintaining a battery’s performance and establish soft x-ray ptychography as an essential tool for studying chemical states in nanoparticles.
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A Designed Protein Maps Brain Activity
A team of scientists designed and validated via x-ray crystallographic studies a fluorescent protein (CaMPARI) that allows the permanent marking of active brain cells. The protein was then used to study live changes via fluorescence in the active nerve cells in brains of fruit flies, zebrafish, and mice. Read more »
Signal Speed in Nanomagnetic Logic Chains
A time-resolved x-ray imaging technique directly observes signal propagation dynamics in nanomagnetic logic (NML) chains. The technique can assess NML reliability on fast time scales and help optimize chain engineering for this promising ultralow-power computing architecture. Read more »
Carotenoid Pigment Is the Key to Photoprotection
A technique newly available at the ALS has enabled the discovery of a surprising key event in photosynthetic systems. A protein shifting from an “orange” light-absorbing state to a “red” photoprotective state turns out to be an unanticipated molecular priming event in photoprotection. Read more »
Ancient Proteins Help Unravel a Modern Cancer Drug’s Mechanism
The cancer drug Gleevec is extremely specific, binding and inhibiting only the cancer-causing tyrosine protein kinase Blc-Abl, while not targeting homologous protein kinases found in normal, healthy cells. Researchers at the ALS have uncovered exactly why that is the case, pointing to novel methods of drug discovery. Read more »
Tracking the Elusive QOOH Radical
For the first time, researchers directly observed QOOH molecules, a class of highly reactive molecules at the center of the web of ignition chemistry reactions. The data generated will improve the fidelity of combustion models used to create cleaner and more efficient cars and trucks. Read more »
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