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  • Scientists Discover Ordinary Ice Has Extraordinary Electrical Properties

    Scientists Discover Ordinary Ice Has Extraordinary Electrical Properties

    Researchers have discovered that ice can generate electricity when bent or deformed, offering new insight into both nature and technology. Credit: Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona

    Ice can generate electricity when bent, a process called flexoelectricity. The discovery connects to lightning formation and future device applications.

    Ice is among the most common materials on Earth, covering glaciers, mountain ranges, and the polar regions. Despite its familiarity, ongoing research continues to uncover surprising aspects of its behavior.

    A team from ICN2 at the UAB campus, Xi’an Jiaotong University (Xi’an), and Stony Brook University (New York) has demonstrated for the first time that regular ice displays flexoelectricity. This means it can produce an electrical charge when mechanically bent or unevenly deformed. The finding has potential applications in future technologies and may also help clarify natural processes such as the formation of lightning during storms.

    The work, published in Nature Physics, represents a major advance in understanding the electromechanical behavior of ice.

    “We discovered that ice generates electric charge in response to mechanical stress at all temperatures. In addition, we identified a thin ‘ferroelectric’ layer at the surface at temperatures below -113ºC (160K). This means that the ice surface can develop a natural electric polarization, which can be reversed when an external electric field is applied—similar to how the poles of a magnet can be flipped. The surface ferroelectricity is a cool discovery in its own right, as it means that ice may have not just one way to generate electricity but two: ferroelectricity at very low temperatures, and flexoelectricity at higher temperatures all the way to 0 °C,” said Dr Xin Wen, a lead researcher from the ICN2 Oxide Nanophysics Group.

    This dual ability places ice alongside electroceramic materials such as titanium dioxide, which are already employed in advanced technologies like sensors and capacitors.

    Ice, flexoelectricity, and thunderstorms

    One of the most striking outcomes of this research is its link to natural processes. The findings indicate that the flexoelectric behavior of ice may contribute to the buildup of electrical charge in storm clouds, potentially playing a part in how lightning is generated.

    It is known that lightning forms when an electric potential builds up in clouds due to collisions between ice particles, which become electrically charged. This potential is then released as a lightning strike. However, the mechanism by which ice particles become electrically charged has remained unclear, since ice is not piezoelectric — it cannot generate charge simply by being compressed during a collision.

    However, the study shows that ice can become electrically charged when it is subjected to inhomogeneous deformations, i.e. when it bends or deforms irregularly.

    “During our research, the electric potential generated by bending a slab of ice was measured. Specifically, the block was placed between two metal plates and connected to a measuring device. The results match those previously observed in ice-particle collisions in thunderstorms,” explains ICREA Prof. Gustau Catalán, leader of the Oxide Nanophysics Group at ICN2.

    Implications and future applications

    Thus, the results suggest that flexoelectricity could be one possible explanation for the generation of the electric potential that leads to lightning during storms.

    The researchers in the group are already exploring new lines of investigation aimed at exploiting these properties of ice for real-world applications. Although it is still a bit early to discuss potential solutions, this discovery could pave the way for the development of new electronic devices that use ice as an active material, which could be fabricated directly in cold environments.

    Reference: “Flexoelectricity and surface ferroelectricity of water ice” by X. Wen, Q. Ma, A. Mannino, M. Fernandez-Serra, S. Shen and G. Catalan, 27 August 2025, Nature Physics.
    DOI: 10.1038/s41567-025-02995-6

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  • Why Pakistan Did Not Pull Out Of Asia Cup 2025? From $16M Financial Losses, ACC Pressure To India Clash Factor Explained – Zee News

    1. Why Pakistan Did Not Pull Out Of Asia Cup 2025? From $16M Financial Losses, ACC Pressure To India Clash Factor Explained  Zee News
    2. Can Pakistan Cricket Survive The Asia Cup 2025? Questions Raised At Captaincy And Form  News18
    3. Contents of Pakistan’s letter to ICC over handshake row surface | ‘Misconduct caused disrepute to game’ | Inshorts  Inshorts
    4. PCB may lose billions if it withdraws from Asia Cup: report  The News International
    5. Asia Cup 2025: Mohsin Naqvi gives the reason behind playing match against UAE despite boycott threat, Says ‘We believe that…’  news24online.com

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  • Repeated head impacts cause early neuron loss, inflammation in young athletes: study

    LOS ANGELES, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) — Repeated head impacts from contact sports can trigger early and lasting changes in the brains of young to middle-aged athletes, potentially years before the onset of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), according to new research supported by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH).

    The study suggests these brain changes may occur years before the hallmark features of CTE, which can currently only be confirmed through postmortem brain tissue examination, the NIH said in a release on Wednesday.

    Scientists at the Boston University CTE Center, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System and collaborating institutions analyzed postmortem brain tissue from athletes under age 51, most of whom had played American football.

    Using advanced tools to track gene activity and produce high-resolution images of individual cells, the team identified a wide range of brain changes beyond the well-known molecular signature of CTE: the abnormal buildup of a protein called tau in nerve cells located near small blood vessels deep within the brain’s folds.

    “This study underscores that many changes in the brain can occur after repetitive head impacts,” said Walter Koroshetz, director of NIH’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. “These early brain changes might help diagnose and treat CTE earlier than is currently possible now.”

    The NIH noted that by revealing the earliest cellular warning signs, the research paves the way for developing new methods to detect the effects of repetitive head injuries and could ultimately lead to interventions to prevent the devastating neurodegeneration caused by CTE. Enditem

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  • Medvedev on 'interesting new project in my career' – ATP Tour

    1. Medvedev on ‘interesting new project in my career’  ATP Tour
    2. Former world number one criticizes Daniil Medvedev and claims his real problem is not his coach  The Tennis Gazette
    3. Yevgeny Kafelnikov offers take on Daniil Medvedev’s struggles and warns Russian  Tennis World USA
    4. Daniil Medvedev has been dealt a tough start to life under his new coach  The Tennis Gazette

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  • Goodbye colonoscopy? Simple stool test detects 90% of colorectal cancers

    Goodbye colonoscopy? Simple stool test detects 90% of colorectal cancers

    Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide. If detected early, it can be efficiently treated, but the cost and discomfort of colonoscopies — the main diagnostic method currently in use — often result in delayed diagnosis. Using machine learning algorithms, a team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) identified for the first time all human gut bacteria to a level of detail that makes it possible to understand the physiological importance of the different microbial subgroups. This inventory was then used to detect the presence of colorectal cancer according to the bacteria present in simple stool samples, a non-invasive and low-cost screening tool. The potential applications are vast, ranging from the diagnosis of other cancers to a better understanding of the links between gut microbiota and health. These findings are published in Cell Host & Microbe.

    Colorectal cancer is often diagnosed at an advanced stage when treatment options are limited. This underscores the need for simpler, less invasive diagnostic tools, particularly in the face of a still unexplained rise in cases among young adults. While it has long been known that gut microbiota plays a role in the development of colorectal cancer, translating these findings into clinical practice has proven challenging. This is because different strains of the same bacterial species can have opposite effects, with some promoting the disease and others having no effect.

    “Instead of relying on the analysis of the various species composing the microbiota, which does not capture all meaningful differences, or of bacterial strains, which vary greatly from one individual to another, we focused on an intermediate level of the microbiota, the subspecies,” explains Mirko Trajkovski, full professor in the Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism and in the Diabetes Centre at the UNIGE Faculty of Medicine, who led this research. “The subspecies resolution is specific and can capture the differences in how bacteria function and contribute to diseases including cancer, while remaining general enough to detect these changes among different groups of individuals, populations, or countries.”

    With the help of machine learning

    The first step was to analyse huge amounts of data. “As a bioinformatician, the challenge was to come up with an innovative approach for mass data analysis,” recalls Matija Trickovic, PhD student in the laboratory of Mirko Trajkovski and first author of this study. “We successfully developed the first comprehensive catalogue of human gut microbiota subspecies, together with a precise and efficient method to use it both for research and in the clinic.”

    By combining this catalogue with existing clinical data, the scientists developed a model that can predict the presence of colorectal cancer solely based on the bacteria present in stool samples. “Although we were confident in our strategy, the results were striking,” enthuses Matija Trickovic. “Our method detected 90% of cancer cases, a result very close to the 94% detection rate achieved by colonoscopies and better than all current non-invasive detection methods.”

    By integrating more clinical data, this model could become even more precise and match the accuracy of colonoscopy. It could become a routine screening tool and facilitate the early detection of colorectal cancer, which would then be confirmed by colonoscopy but only in a selected group of patients.

    A new world of applications

    A first clinical trial is being set up in collaboration with the Geneva University Hospitals (HUG) to determine more precisely the cancer stages and the lesions that can be detected. However, the applications go beyond colorectal cancer. By studying the differences between subspecies from the same bacterial species, researchers can now identify the mechanisms of action by which the gut microbiota influences human health. “The same method could soon be used to develop non-invasive diagnostic tools for a wide range of diseases, all based on a single microbiota analysis,” concludes Mirko Trajkovski.

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  • Repeated head impacts cause early neuron loss, inflammation in young athletes: study-Xinhua

    LOS ANGELES, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) — Repeated head impacts from contact sports can trigger early and lasting changes in the brains of young to middle-aged athletes, potentially years before the onset of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), according to new research supported by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH).

    The study suggests these brain changes may occur years before the hallmark features of CTE, which can currently only be confirmed through postmortem brain tissue examination, the NIH said in a release on Wednesday.

    Scientists at the Boston University CTE Center, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System and collaborating institutions analyzed postmortem brain tissue from athletes under age 51, most of whom had played American football.

    Using advanced tools to track gene activity and produce high-resolution images of individual cells, the team identified a wide range of brain changes beyond the well-known molecular signature of CTE: the abnormal buildup of a protein called tau in nerve cells located near small blood vessels deep within the brain’s folds.

    “This study underscores that many changes in the brain can occur after repetitive head impacts,” said Walter Koroshetz, director of NIH’s National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. “These early brain changes might help diagnose and treat CTE earlier than is currently possible now.”

    The NIH noted that by revealing the earliest cellular warning signs, the research paves the way for developing new methods to detect the effects of repetitive head injuries and could ultimately lead to interventions to prevent the devastating neurodegeneration caused by CTE. ■

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  • MinterEllison CEO Virginia Briggs uses M365 Copilot for every task, every day 

    MinterEllison CEO Virginia Briggs uses M365 Copilot for every task, every day 

    When Virginia Briggs first worked at MinterEllison, she was only 14 years old and her job was to file paper updates in loose- leaf binders of law reports. Today, she is the Australian law firm’s chief executive officer, tackling her heavy workload with the help of Microsoft 365 Copilot. 

    An early adopter of the generative AI powered assistant since September 2023, Briggs now finds it indispensable.  

    “I do use it for every task, every day,” she said. 

    This is no mean feat. As CEO, Briggs sets the course for some 2,500 employees across six offices in Australia.   

    Briggs relies on Copilot, and its more insightful Researcher agent, for a variety of tasks. These range from researching a potential client ahead of a meeting and producing an immediate transcript of that discussion, to advising how to have a better conversation or strategize messaging for a town hall.

    She recalled using Researcher to prepare for a meeting with an executive from a company she knew little about. After keying in the scant details she had, Researcher suggested looking at how MinterEllison and this company might collaborate. Briggs agreed with that suggestion. 

    “It came back in a very short period of time with a whole script and very strategic approach to how I would have the conversation with this person,” she said. “It was just very tailored, very content rich, very strategic. And I think he – the executive – thought I was very well prepared for the meeting.” 

    Copilot also helps her when she’s spent her whole day in meetings. She often returns to a mountain of emails and uses Copilot to summarize the messages, flag priorities and suggest next steps.  

    “It really has changed my life,” she said. 

    And like any new convert, she’s spreading the word. Especially among MinterEllison’s more than 250 partners. 

    “It’s no longer a viable excuse to say that you don’t have time to learn the tool. My message is: This will save you time. You need to make it part of your everyday,” she said. 

    She uses every opportunity to demonstrate Copilot Researcher’s capabilities in real time, including in the MinterEllison boardroom. And the results are showing. 

    Recently, a board member had to advise a client over a weekend and used Researcher to quickly prepare the foundation of his advice, enhanced and verified by the depth of his skills. Later he told Briggs: “I don’t know how I could have delivered the timeliness of the advice without Researcher.” 

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  • Measures urged to prevent refusals in HPV vaccination drive – Pakistan

    Measures urged to prevent refusals in HPV vaccination drive – Pakistan

    ISLAMABAD: While the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination campaign is targeting 13 million girls aged nine to 14, former health minister Dr Nadeem Jan has suggested steps to avoid refusals.

    He also urged parents and young girls to come forward and get vaccinated against cervical cancer. He said the vaccine was scientifically proven, tested and in use across the globe.

    It is worth mentioning that Dr Jan, during his tenure as caretaker health minister, initiated efforts to introduce the HPV vaccine and engaged the international vaccine alliance Gavi.

    “It is great that finally our efforts and struggle have paid off. The plant we had sown at the cost of our seat and pains has started bearing fruit, as the HPV vaccine has been launched,” he said.

    “Mindful of the resistance in some areas, it would have been better to have risk-mapped the areas with refusals or hesitation to routine immunisation, and communication and engagement activities should have been undertaken to remove any misgivings. A blanket start could imperil future gains in our quest to ensure 90 per cent coverage. We should encourage modelling this vaccination through our kin, influential figures’ children, and social media activists,” Dr Jan suggested.

    Meanwhile, Federal Health Minister Mustafa Kamal met a Gavi mission to discuss the progress of the HPV vaccination campaign and future immunisation plans.

    The Gavi mission was led by Thabani Maphosa, Chief Country Delivery Officer at Gavi, in the context of the ongoing HPV vaccination campaign against cervical cancer.

    The health minister expressed satisfaction with the launch of the campaign. He emphasised the importance of maintaining momentum to ensure equitable access to lifesaving vaccines for all eligible girls across the country.

    Priority areas and guidelines identified by the minister included holding regular press briefings, drawing on global experiences and best practices, integrating efforts with the Ministry of Education, and managing feedback through helpline 1166, among others.

    Mustafa Kamal also requested support from the visiting Gavi mission members for the introduction of the Hexavalent vaccine and the advancement of indigenous vaccine production in Pakistan.

    The health minister reaffirmed that the HPV vaccination drive would serve as a milestone in reducing the burden of cervical cancer and ensuring a healthier future for the nation.

    Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2025

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  • Kotri Barrage showing rising trend – Newspaper

    Kotri Barrage showing rising trend – Newspaper

    HYDRABAD: Kotri Barrage is showing rising trend ever-since reduction in the river flows was recorded at Guddu Barrage which had passed peak of current floods on Sept 15.

    Kotri Barrage’s inflows were recorded at 304,388 cusecs upstream and 289,098 cusecs downstream at 6pm. The barrage would enter ‘medium flood’ stage once it passed 300,000 cusecs downstream flows. Currently, Kotri Barrage is passing a low flood.

    Guddu Barrage had already passed a peak of 606,489 cusecs downstream on Sept 15 at 10am. However, it was still passing high flood. Its discharge of 551,851 cusecs upstream and 523,842 cusecs downstream was recorded at 6pm. Similarly, Sukkur Barrage remained in high flood with an upstream discharge of 569,890 cusecs and 518,120 cusecs downstream at the same time.

    Meanwhile, Sindh Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro, along with Secretary Irrigation Zarif Khero, Sindh Barrages Improvement Programme (SBIP) Project Director Pritam Das, former Kotri Barrage chief engineer Haji Khan Jamali and Chief Engineer Riaz Shah visited the barrage.

    According to handout, the minister was informed by the irrigation department engineers that Kotri Barrage was likely to receive a peak of 400,000-450,000 cusecs between Sept 19 and 20.

    The minister called for maintaining a close vigil on the barrage.

    He was given a briefing through 3D mapping and LiDAR. He was told that LiDAR technology would ensure correct and modern data about soil profiling and compaction. It would help ensure strengthening of dyke and river flows.

    Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2025

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  • ATC seeks permission from law ministry to conduct PTI founder’s trial – Newspaper

    ATC seeks permission from law ministry to conduct PTI founder’s trial – Newspaper

    ISLAMABAD: The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Tuesday sought permission from the law ministry to conduct a jail trial of former prime minister Imran Khan in cases registered against him, party leaders and workers in connection with the protest cases.

    ATC Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra heard two cases related to the PTI’s 2023 protests.

    In the case registered at Golra police Station, police submitted challans against senior party leader Azam Swati, along with Aamir Mughal and Atif Khan. The court issued summons for the three accused and adjourned proceedings till October 17, while also initiating proceedings to declare absent accused as absconders.

    The judge indicted 11 accused present in court in connection with the November 26 protest in Islamabad.

    All pleaded not guilty. The court ordered 184 accused to be declared proclaimed offenders due to non-appearance. Meanwhile, PTI leadership has been granted interim bail till November 13.

    In a related case registered at the Secretariat Police Station, police submitted a challan against 195 workers of the party. The hearing was adjourned till September 24.

    Separately, Judicial Magistrate Mubashir Hassan Chishti adjourned proceedings in the liquor and weapons case against Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur after no one appeared due to a lawyers’ strike. The court upheld Gandapur’s arrest warrant and adjourned the case till September 23. The case was registered at Bara Kahu police station.

    Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2025

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