{
  "id": 10556174,
  "title": "Two-color glowing molecule could make wind tunnel tests more accurate",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/28/two-color-glowing-molecule-could-make-wind-tunnel-tests-more-accurate",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-28T23:20:02.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Phys.org",
    "slug": "phys-org",
    "url": "https://phys.org/news/2026-09-molecule-tunnel-accurate.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A new molecule could improve the accuracy of wind tunnel testing for aircraft by simultaneously measuring air pressure and temperature. Most existing sensors can detect only one property at a time, so engineers typically use two separate instruments—an added cost and complexity. Researchers at The University of Manchester have created a unique molecule that glows in two colors: red and blue.\n\nThe red light emitted by the molecule is sensitive to both pressure and temperature changes, while the blue light is only affected by temperature. By measuring these two colors simultaneously, engineers can correct temperature-related errors in pressure-sensitive paints without needing a separate temperature sensor. The molecule is embedded in a paint applied to aircraft models in wind tunnels. A camera captures both red and blue light emissions, and the ratio of the two signals automatically corrects for temperature interference.\n\nDr. Alexander Romanov, senior research fellow in chemistry at Manchester, explained that the molecule's design uses a gold atom bonded to a ring-shaped compound. The position of the gold atom within the structure determines whether it emits red light (sensitive to pressure and temperature) or blue light (sensitive only to temperature). The team's work, published in Advanced Optical Materials, demonstrates how the molecule's unique chemistry allows for built-in self-correction of temperature errors.\n\nDr. Mark Quinn, reader in mechanical and aerospace engineering, noted that temperature correction is a major challenge in wind tunnel testing. The dual-emitting molecule provides a more elegant and practical solution, eliminating the need for additional instruments that can complicate real-world test conditions. The research is part of a broader effort at Manchester to enhance pressure-sensitive paint for aerospace applications, with another study recently published in ACS Applied Engineering Materials addressing temperature sensitivity from a different angle.",
  "summary": "Most sensors can measure only one thing at a time, like a thermometer for temperature or a pressure gauge for pressure. Measuring two properties accurately from the same surface at the same moment usually means using two separate instruments—adding cost and complexity to the process.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}