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Founded in 1944, the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science develops philanthropic support for the Weizmann Institute in Israel, and advances its mission of science for the benefit of humanity.
Dec 10, 2019...
A “river” of electrons flowing in a graphene channel. The viscosity generated by the repulsion between electrons (red balls) causes them to flow with a parabolic current density, illustrated here as a white foam wave-front
REHOVOT, ISRAEL—December 10, 2019—We often speak of electrons “flowing” through materials, but in fact, they do not normally move like a liquid. However, such “hydrodynamic” electron flow had long been predicted – and now, Weizmann Institute of Science physicists have managed, with the help of a unique technique, to image electrons flowing similarly to how water moves through a pipe. This is the first time such “liquid electron flow” has been visualized, and it has vital implications for future electronic devices.
Jan 22, 2020...
Israeli researchers discovered the unique structure and mechanism of shrimp’s eyes, which allow it to see in the dark seabed, said the Weizmann Institute of Science (WIS) in central Israel on Monday.
The scientists, from the WIS and Ben-Gurion University in southern Israel, said they hope their findings will lead to the creation of new optical coatings and specialized paints in ultra-thin layers.
Feb 24, 2020...
If you’re Jewish and observe kosher dietary restrictions, you likely have never looked into a shrimp’s eye.
However, if you have, you might have noticed that it gleams in low light. That is because the shrimp has a reflector underlying its retina (a “tapetum”) made up of tightly packed nanoparticles that allow the eye to collect more light underwater.
This was discovered by scientists from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, central Israel.
https://weizmann-usa.org/news-media/news-releases/the-self-synthesizing-ribosome/
Apr 20, 2020... REHOVOT, ISRAEL—April 20, 2020—As the cell’s protein factory, the ribosome is the only natural machine that manufactures its own parts. That’s why understanding how the machine itself is made could unlock the door to everything from understanding how life develops to designing new methods of drug production. An intensive research effort at the Weizmann Institute of Science has now demonstrated the self-synthesis and assembly of the small subunit of a ribosome – 30S – on a surface of a chip. The findings were published in Science Advances.
Jul 20, 2020... REHOVOT, ISRAEL—July 20, 2020—Scientists searching for better diagnostic tests, drugs, or vaccines against a virus must begin by deciphering the structure of that virus. And when the virus in question is highly pathogenic, such research can be quite dangerous. Prof. Roy Bar-Ziv of the Weizmann Institute’s Department of Materials and Interfaces; staff scientist Dr. Shirley Shulman Daube; Dr. Ohad Vonshak, a former research student in the Bar-Ziv lab; and current research student Yiftach Divon have an original solution to this obstacle. They demonstrated the production of viral parts within artificial cells.
May 31, 2022... REHOVOT, ISRAEL—May 31, 2022—Ketamine, a well-known anesthetic used in smaller doses as a party drug, was hailed as a “new hope for depression” in a Time magazine cover story in 2017. Two years later, the arrival of the first ketamine-based antidepressant – the nasal spray esketamine, made by Johnson & Johnson – was applauded as the most exciting development in the treatment of mood disorders in decades. Yet the U.S. Food and Drug Administration still limits the spray’s use. It is mainly given to depressed patients who have not been helped by other therapies – in part, because the new drug’s mechanism of action is insufficiently understood, leading to concerns over its safety.
Nov 18, 2022... Dr. Sivan Refaely-Abramson of the Molecular Chemistry and Materials Science department at the Weizmann Institute shares a story about sunlight. She explains how, through the amazing world of materials, the power of the sun can transform quantum particles and be used as a main energy source. Dr. Refaely-Abramson’s research in materials science is dedicated to designing intelligent energy conversion in order to consume energy in a way that is clean, green, and unlimited. “Understanding materials and the way particles interact within them allows for new and smart ways to harness sunlight, leading us to a cleaner greener future.”
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