Study reveals secrets of ‘fluid-like’ heat flow in solid semiconductor at nanoscale; findings important for design of new devices Purdue University researchers have visualized temperature changes produced by ultra-small heat sources, gold strips formed on top of the semiconductor indium gallium arsenide. The work has potential implications for the design of high-speed transistors and lasers. This image (a) depicts the device structure and experimental setup, an optical image (b) of the fabricated device and (c) an experimental thermal image. Learn More
A popular tool for drug discovery just got 10 times faster Researchers at Purdue University just made high throughput screening, a process often used in drug discovery, 10 times faster than previous methods. Learn More
New C-BRIC center will tackle brain-inspired computing Purdue University will lead a new national center to develop brain-inspired computing for intelligent autonomous systems such as drones and personal robots capable of operating without human intervention. The Center for Brain-inspired Computing Enabling Autonomous Intelligence, or C-BRIC, is a five-year project Learn More
Study: Hormone keys plant growth or stress tolerance, but not both Plants that grow well tend to be sensitive to heat and drought, and plants that can handle those stresses often have stunted growth. A Purdue University plant scientist has found the switch that creates that antagonism, opening opportunities to develop plants that exhibit both characteristics. Learn More
Fast-moving electrons create current in organic solar cells Researchers at Purdue University have identified the mechanism that allows organic solar cells to create a charge, solving a longstanding puzzle in physics. Learn More
Babies stir up clouds of bio-gunk when they crawl When babies crawl, their movement across floors, especially carpeted surfaces, kicks up high levels of dirt, skin cells, bacteria, pollen, and fungal spores, a new study has found. The infants inhale a dose of bio bits in their lungs that is four times (per kilogram of body mass) what an adult would breathe walking across the same floor. As alarming as that sounds, lead researcher Brandon Boor of Purdue University is quick to add that this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Learn More
Study uncovers distinctions in major crop genome evolutions Damon Lisch, associate professor in the Department of Botany and Plant Pathology, and Jianxin Ma, professor in the Department of Agronomy, studied tthe ways in which genomes duplicate – creating multiple copies of genes – and how those genomes change over time. Learn More
‘Holostream’ allows high-quality wireless 3-D video communications A new platform enables high-quality 3-D video communication on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets using existing standard wireless networks. Learn More
Inkjet-printed thermite deposits energetic materials safely Researchers have developed a method to deposit tiny amounts of energetic materials (explosives, propellants, and pyrotechnics) using the same technology as an inkjet printer. Learn More
Study suggests new targets for improving soybean oil content Scientists working to increase soybean oil content tend to focus their efforts on genes known to impact the plant’s seeds, but a Purdue University study shows that genes affecting other plant parts deserve more attention. Learn More
Fruit fly breakthrough may help human blindness research For decades, scientists have known that blue light will make fruit flies go blind, but it wasn’t clear why. Now, a Purdue University study has found how this light kills cells in the flies’ eyes, and that could prove a useful model for understanding human ocular diseases such as macular degeneration. Learn More
Faculty members receive Showalter funding Three faculty members have been designated Showalter Faculty Scholars for 2017. The researchers were selected in partnership with the university faculty scholars program. The Executive Vice President for Research and Partnerships Office nominated university faculty scholars in consultation with academic units and the Office of the Provost, and an external committee made the final selections. Each of the new Showalter Scholars will receive funding for five years: an annual award of $5,000 from the trust, matched at 100 percent by the Provost. Learn More