The Falling Walls Foundation announced the shortlist for the prestigious “Falling Walls Science Breakthroughs of the Year”. The final “Science Breakthroughs of the Year” will be presented in Berlin on 9 November, the anniversary day of the fall of the Berlin Wall, at the Falling Wall Science Summit.

Polymers are usually the go-to material for thermal insulation. Think of a silicone oven mitt, or a Styrofoam coffee cup, both manufactured from polymer materials that are excellent at trapping heat. Now MIT engineers have flipped the picture of the standard polymer insulator, by fabricating thin polymer films that conduct heat — an ability normally associated with metals. In experiments, they found the films, which are thinner than plastic wrap, conduct heat better than ceramics and many metals, including steel.

At the Julius Kühn Institute, the Federal Research Institute for Cultivated Plants in Germany, a young working group is trying to specifically modify the genetic material of plants, through genome editing. In this way, they also want to investigate possible risks of this technology. LAB Worldwide visited the team for one day.

Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, recently unveiled a promising breakthrough for lithium sulphur batteries, using a catholyte with the help of a graphene sponge. Their development results in a higher utilization of sulphur and more environmentally friendly batteries.

The human eye is particularly sensitive to green, but less sensitive to blue and red. Chemists led by Hubert Huppertz at the University of Innsbruck have developed a new red phosphor whose light is well perceived by the eye. This increases the light yield of white LEDs by around one sixth, which can significantly improve the energy efficiency of lighting systems.

Although every dog owner thinks their dog is special and understands them, dogs in general have developed a range of skills for bonding with human beings during the long time they have been evolving alongside us. But whether dogs understand human intentions, or merely respond to outcomes, remains unclear. A recent study found that dogs can differentiate between intentional and unintentional acts.

Designed to be highly reliable and easy to use, the Smart Evaporator C1 from Biochromato is an affordable benchtop system designed to safely and efficiently concentrate or dry single samples directly from both tube and vials.

A spray- or brush-applied fire retardant coating made from nanocellulose is well suited for improving the fire properties of wood-based materials, reports Finland-based company VTT. It reduces the access of oxygen to the surface, thus significantly inhibiting combustion.

Researchers at the German Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the Technical University of Darmstadt have developed a novel sensor for gas molecules.

Labs are always looking for possibilities to increase their productivity and accuracy of their processes. This applies in particular to minimum inhibitory concentrations testing applied in the development of antibiotics. Automated pipetting solutions can help minimize serial dilution errors and increase confidence in the results.