Researchers funded by the US Air Force are developing a new type of device that can invite comparisons to a weapon used by a Batman villain. Scientists, including Patrick Hopkins from the University of Virginia in the US, are working on a new device to be used for on-demand surface cooling for electronics inside spacecraft and high-altitude jets. The device may seem similar to the freeze gun used by Batman villain Mr Freeze to “ice” his enemies. “A lot of electronics on board heat up, but they have no way to cool down,” said Dr Hopkins, whose lab has been granted $750,000 over three years to develop the technology. On Earth, electronics in military craft can rely on nature to cool themselves, but in space, this may be a challenge, scientists said. Citing an example, researchers said the Navy uses ocean water in its liquid cooling systems while flying jets can rely on air that is dense enough to help keep components chilled. “With the Air Force and Space Force, you’re in space, which is a vacuum, or you’re in the upper atmosphere, where there’s very little air that can cool,” Dr Hopkins said. “So what happens is your electronics keep getting hotter and hotter and hotter. And you can’t bring a payload of coolant onboard because that’s going to increase the weight, and you lose efficiency,” he explained. In such extra-terrestrial environments, a jet of plasma, the fourth and most common state of matter in the universe, can be used in the interior of a craft. “This plasma jet is like a laser beam; it’s like a lightning bolt. It can be extremely localized,” Dr Hopkins explained. One of the strange qualities of plasma is that while it can reach temperatures as hot as the surface of the Sun, it chills before heating when it strikes a surface. In the new research, published recently in the journal ACS Nano, scientists fired a purple jet of plasma generated from helium through a hollow needle encased in ceramic, targeting a gold-plated surface. When researchers turned on the plasma, they could measure temperature immediately at the point where the plasma hit, and could see that the surface cooled first and then heated up. “We were just puzzled at some level about why this was happening, because it kept happening over and over,” Dr Hopkins said. “And there was no information for us to pull from because no prior literature has been able to measure the temperature change with the precision that we have. No one’s been able to do it so quickly,” he said. The strange surface-cooling phenomenon, according to scientists, was the result of blasting an ultra-thin, hard-to-see surface layer, composed of carbon and water molecules. Researchers compare this to a similar process that happens when cool water evaporates off of our skin after a swim. “Evaporation of water molecules on the body requires energy; it takes energy from body, and that’s why you feel cold. In this case, the plasma rips off the absorbed species, energy is released, and that’s what cools,” the researchers explained. Using the method, scientists could reduce the temperature of the setup by several degrees for a few microseconds. While this may not be dramatic, they said it is enough to make a difference in some electronic devices. Now, thanks to the Air Force grant, researchers are looking at how variations on their original design might improve the apparatus. “Since the plasma is composed of a variety of different particles, changing the type of gas used will allow us to see how each one of these particles impact material properties,” researchers said. Read More Scientists discover 3,000-year-old arrowhead made of ‘alien’ iron Carcinogens found at nuclear missile sites as reports of hundreds of cancers surface India’s moon rover confirms sulphur and detects several other elements near the lunar south pole China’s ‘government-approved’ AI chatbot says Taiwan invasion likely Russian cyber-attacks ‘relentless’ as threat of WW3 grows, expert warns How new bike technology could help cyclists tell drivers not to crash into them

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Declan Rice and Gabriel Jesus fired Arsenal to a stunning 3-1 stoppage-time victory against Manchester United as a thrill-a-minute clash came to an unforgettable conclusion. Last year’s Premier League runners-up hosted the side that finished third on Sunday afternoon as these teams looked to kick on from more unconvincing starts than their respective points tallies suggested. Marcus Rashford brilliantly put Erik ten Hag’s United ahead in the first half at the Emirates Stadium, only for Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard to impressively level 110 seconds later. The match looked set to end in an absorbing draw after a penalty for a foul on Kai Havertz was overturned following a pitchside review, before the VAR ruled out substitute Alejandro Garnacho’s late winner for narrowly straying offside. United’s wholehearted celebrations were cut short and there was still time for more drama in a jaw-dropping ending. A deep corner found Rice to slam home his first Arsenal goal off the heel of Jonny Evans in the sixth minute of stoppage time, before substitute Jesus coolly added gloss for Mikel Arteta’s men. United left the capital shell-shocked at the end of an afternoon that began with their fans chanting for the Glazers to sell and their team surviving a scare. Havertz failed to get away a clean shot when Diogo Dalot’s headed clearance deflected off team-mate Anthony Martial, with Lisandro Martinez’s quick thinking then denying Eddie Nketiah. Arsenal looked emboldened by that moment. Rice headed over from a corner that followed some important interventions by under-the-cosh United, who did not manage a shot until the 27th minute. It proved worth the wait. Christian Eriksen cut out a pass from Havertz deep in United territory and burst forwards through the middle, before picking the perfect time to pass through to Rashford. The United forward showed skill and composure to cut inside away from Arsenal defenders and hit a right-footed drive that Aaron Ramsdale could only tip onto the inside of the post. Andre Onana celebrated wildly in front of the away end, but United’s goalkeeper was calling for calm after Arsenal struck straight back. Gabriel’s ball forwards was flicked on by Gabriel Martinelli, who continued down the left and got the ball back before cutting back for Odegaard to slam home from 16 yards. The Emirates erupted and it felt like a wild end to the half would unfold, yet it petered out as both sides had efforts without seriously threatening. Arsenal returned brightly from the break but United nearly scored against the run of play in the 54th minute, with Martial seeing a shot saved before Rashford’s follow-up was blocked. Arsenal appeared to have the ideal chance to capitalise on that let-off when referee Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot five minutes later. Havertz hit the deck as Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Casemiro closed in on him, but the decision was overturned after Taylor reviewed the pitchside monitor on the VAR’s advice. Ten Hag turned to summer signing Rasmus Hojlund for his debut as he looked to change the flow of the game, which was further altered when Martinez was hurt fouling Nketiah. The Argentina international was booked before being replaced by Harry Maguire, whose name was chanted by Arsenal fans as he came on for the visitors. Martinelli fizzed a first-time struck narrowly wide and Bukayo Saka fired straight at Onana, with Rashford and Hojlund causing a headache for Arsenal. Casemiro’s threaded ball put Garnacho in to coolly strike past Ramsdale and spark wild celebrations that eventually turned to nerves during a VAR review that ended up in an offside call. It was a gut punch for a United side that would soon be left reeling from a knockout blow. Saka’s deep corner was picked up at the far post by an inexplicably free Rice, who saw a drive go in via a slight Jonny Evans touch as Arsenal fans celebrated a killer blow in the sixth minute of stoppage time. The cherry on the cake was provided by Jesus in the 101st minute. The substitute run through on goal, cut away from a sliding Dalot and turned the ball past Onana. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Jurgen Klopp: Liverpool’s stance on keeping hold of Mohamed Salah will not waver He has got better and better – Roy Hodgson lauds improving Odsonne Edouard England need 203 to beat New Zealand at Edgbaston and wrap up T20 series

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