To build better fiber optic cables, ask a clam

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To build better fiber optic cables, ask a claim. Duke Today, Dec. 2, 2024. Since the first fiber optic cables rolled out in the 1970s, they’ve become a major part of everything from medical devices to high-speed internet and cable TV. But as it turns out, one group of marine mollusks was way ahead of us. A new study reveals that clams called heart cockles have unique structures in their shells that act like fiber optic cables to convey specific wavelengths of light into the bivalves’ tissues. Picked up by New Atlas, Tech Explorist, Interesting Engineering, NPR, Newsweek, Science News, The Economist, WUNC, New Scientist, Spiegel, El Pais, Science News.

Planter of seeds

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Planter of seeds. Duke Today, Nov. 12. 2024. Charlie Welch, who planted a forest in Madagascar, and oversaw Duke’s conservation work there for 35 years, retires.

Laser imaging could offer early detection for at-risk artwork

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Laser imaging could offer early detection for at-risk artwork. Duke Today, April 29, 2024. A bright yellow pigment favored a century ago by Impressionists such as Matisse and Van Gogh is losing its luster. Researchers at Duke University have developed a laser imaging technique that can detect the first tiny signs of the pigment’s breakdown before they’re visible to the eye. The work could help art conservators take earlier steps to make the color last.

Tiny tunable nanotubes

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Tiny tunable nanotubes. Duke Today, March 11, 2024. Too small to see with the naked eye, tiny cylinders of carbon atoms called nanotubes could one day be tuned for use in devices ranging from night vision goggles to more efficient solar cells, thanks to methods developed by researchers at Duke University.