Robert Lea

Feature Writer

B.Sc. STEM

Robert is a Freelance Science Journalist with a STEM BSc. He specializes in Physics, Space, Astronomy, Astrophysics, Quantum Physics, and SciComm. Robert is an ABSW member, and aWCSJ 2019 and IOP Fellow.

Articles from Robert

The Future of Cheaper and More Efficient Carbon Nanotube Production

New research suggests a method to improve the large-scale production of single-walled carbon nanotubes vital for increasingly sophisticated electronics.

9 Dec 2020

Nanomesh Pressure Sensors Have That Human Touch

A more sensitive e-skin that can replicate the qualities of our skin could improve the lives of patients with a diverse range of medical issues and boost the performance of machines performing delicate tasks.

8 Dec 2020

How Nanotechnology Helped Create mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines

A COVID-19 vaccine?—?or two?—?is just around the corner, bringing with it the possibility of a return to normalcy for many people. These medical interventions use nanotechnology to mimic nature’s own method of slipping past the immune system to deliver treatment to target cells.

4 Dec 2020

Nanoparticles Imitate Nature to Tackle Plastic Pollutants

New research suggests a revolutionary new way to tackle the planet’s growing plastic problem. A new nanoparticle catalyst that mimics natural processes could ‘down-cycle’ plastics for re-use.

5 Nov 2020

Stacking Graphene Unlocks Quantum Mechanical Effects and New Form of Magnetism

A team of researchers from Columbia University has stacked a monolayer of graphene on top of a bilayer of the same single-atom-thick sheet of carbon allotrope. The scientists discovered that their triple stack system unlocked new quantum mechanical states and a new form of magnetism.

21 Oct 2020

Using Nanoantennas to Control Light

The control of light by a newly developed system of nanoantennas could have important applications in fields as diverse as quantum computing and medicine.

11 Sep 2020

Nanoparticles Could Deliver Heat Stress Relief to Plants

New research suggests that nanotechnology could help protect plants against heat stress caused by soaring temperatures and lengthy heatwaves. The breakthrough is the next step in a field provisionally referred to as ‘plant therapeutics’ that could revolutionize agriculture.

26 Aug 2020

New Phenomenon Could Lead to ‘Made to Order’ Materials

The discovery of a new quantum phenomenon in nano-sized nickelate materials that urges components to act in unison could have significant benefits to energy-demanding electronics and the development of ‘made to order’ materials.

25 Aug 2020

Nanotechnology and the Fight Against COVID-19

As the quest for a COVID-19 vaccine continues, researchers working in other areas of science such as nanotechnology have joined the battle against the virus.

7 Aug 2020

Newly Developed Graphene-based Material for Longer-lasting Fuel Cells

In order to make hydrogen fuel cells a viable energy source for the future, material scientists must find a way to integrate this technology with graphene. Until now several hindrances have hampered this union, but new research could be about to change that.

23 Jul 2020