Category: Science & Technology News

Researchers at The Ohio State University are making groundbreaking progress in addressing environmental challenges related to discarded plastics, paper, and food waste. Their latest study focuses on an innovative technology that converts these common waste materials into syngas—a versatile substance widely used to produce chemicals and fuels like formaldehyde and methanol.

The team, led by Ishani Karki Kudva, a doctoral candidate in chemical and biomolecular engineering, utilized advanced simulations to optimize a method known as chemical looping. This technique, which has proven effective in breaking down waste materials, enables the production of high-quality syngas. Kudva emphasized that increasing the purity of syngas opens up new applications across various industries, offering significant environmental and economic benefits.

An international research team led by the University of Göttingen is making strides in improving cutting-edge technologies like solar cells with a groundbreaking new technique. For the first time, the formation of dark excitons—tiny, challenging-to-detect particles—can now be tracked with unprecedented precision in both time and space. This breakthrough has important implications for the development of future solar cells, LEDs, and detectors. The results are published in Nature Photonics.

Dark excitons are pairs consisting of an electron and the “hole” it leaves behind when it is excited. These particles carry energy but cannot emit light, which is why they are termed “dark.” To visualize an exciton, imagine a balloon (representing the electron) that flies away, leaving behind an empty space (the hole) connected by a Coulomb interaction force. Although these particle states are notoriously difficult to detect, they play a crucial role in atomically thin, two-dimensional structures in special semiconductor compounds.

Researchers at the University of Galway have developed a groundbreaking bioprinting technology that enables the creation of tissue capable of self-organization through cell-generated forces. This innovative approach mimics the natural processes of organ development, offering new possibilities for producing functional, bioprinted organs. The findings were published in the journal Advanced Functional Materials and could pave the way for advancements in disease modeling, drug testing, and regenerative medicine.

Led by the School of Engineering and the CÚRAM Research Centre for Medical Devices, the team’s research focused on replicating heart tissue, with the aim of advancing bioprinted organs that could be used for a variety of medical applications. Their technology employs a unique “bio-ink” that contains living cells and encourages their growth, differentiation, and adhesion, facilitating the development of tissue that is more representative of natural organ function.

In a groundbreaking experiment, researchers in China have successfully created mice with DNA from two fathers—marking a major step in genetic science and our understanding of a curious biological phenomenon called imprinting. This achievement, led by Zhi-Kun Li and his team at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, utilized CRISPR gene-editing technology to bypass the usual genetic limitations of having one father and one mother. While this approach holds promise for advancing the study of imprinting, humans are not yet the focus of this research.

Imprinting refers to a genetic phenomenon where certain genes are expressed differently depending on whether they come from the mother or the father. For healthy development, animals need to inherit a “dose” of these genes from both parents, and both doses must work together. Without the proper balance, the expression of these genes can go awry, leading to abnormal embryos. In the case of creating mice with two fathers, previous experiments failed because both the paternal and maternal genomes contribute to proper gene expression, making the development of a healthy embryo difficult.

In the ongoing battle against PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” bacteria may hold the key to solving one of the most persistent environmental challenges of our time. While traditional remediation methods often focus on containing or capturing these chemicals, a breakthrough discovery by a research team led by the University at Buffalo reveals that certain bacteria can actually dismantle the chemical bonds that make PFAS so indestructible.

The researchers found that a strain of bacteria, Labrys portucalensis F11 (F11), is capable of breaking down and transforming at least three types of PFAS. More impressively, this strain also has the ability to degrade some of the toxic byproducts produced during the breakdown process. Published in Science of the Total Environment, the study demonstrates that F11 can metabolize more than 90% of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) in just 100 days, one of the most widely used and hazardous PFAS compounds. PFOS was officially classified as hazardous by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2022.

In less than a decade, the need for sex to produce a baby could be a thing of the past, opening up possibilities for same-sex couples and even multi-partnered relationships to have biological children. A recent meeting by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) revealed that scientists are nearing a breakthrough in growing human eggs and sperm in the lab. This monumental shift in reproductive science could change the way we think about family, sex, and genetics, but it also raises ethical questions and concerns about its potential societal impact.

At the meeting, HFEA officials discussed the rapid progress being made in the field of in vitro gametogenesis (IVG)—the process of reprogramming stem cells or even skin cells to function like eggs or sperm cells. This revolutionary advancement is already showing success in animals, with the creation of babies from two male mice and even the possibility of a child from two biological fathers. Experts believe that bridging the gap from mice to humans could take as little as two to ten years, potentially opening the door to lab-grown human embryos with the genetic material from multiple parents.

SEALSQ, a Swiss semiconductor company, is making waves in the world of cybersecurity by unveiling what it claims to be the “world’s first” quantum-resistant secure hardware. This breakthrough represents a significant leap forward in post-quantum cryptography, providing a future-proof solution to secure sensitive data in the era of quantum computing.

Specializing in integrated semiconductor solutions, PKI (Public Key Infrastructure), and provisioning services, SEALSQ has been at the forefront of developing both hardware and software designed to withstand quantum attacks. With quantum computing advancements on the horizon, current encryption methods face the risk of being rendered obsolete. Traditional cryptographic systems, such as RSA and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC), could eventually be broken by powerful quantum computers, putting sensitive financial transactions and personal data at risk.

A British startup, Deep, is setting out to revolutionize ocean exploration with its innovative approach to developing underwater habitats designed for long-term human presence on the seafloor. By enabling scientists to live and work on the ocean floor for weeks or even months, this groundbreaking initiative could unlock new opportunities for marine research and significantly enhance our understanding of the Earth’s vital marine ecosystems.

Despite the vastness of the world’s oceans, only a small fraction has been thoroughly explored. The majority of marine life—estimated to be 90%—resides in the deep sea, yet current diving technology severely limits researchers’ access to this underexplored environment. Traditional scuba diving restricts scientists to shallow depths and short excursions, while submersibles and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) only provide fleeting glimpses of the ocean’s depths. In order to truly comprehend and protect our oceans, researchers need a way to immerse themselves in these environments for extended periods.

Researchers at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering have created an innovative class of nano-architected materials that are as strong as carbon steel yet as light as Styrofoam. Published in Advanced Materials, the research, led by Professor Tobin Filleter, highlights how machine learning was used to design nanomaterials with remarkable properties—high strength, low weight, and the ability to be customized for various applications. This breakthrough could revolutionize industries such as automotive and aerospace, where materials must balance strength and lightness.

Nano-architected materials, composed of tiny repeating units just a few hundred nanometers in size, are structured into complex 3D shapes known as nanolattices. These materials take advantage of the “smaller is stronger” principle, where nanoscale designs achieve superior strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight ratios compared to conventional materials. However, traditional lattice shapes often have sharp intersections and corners, creating stress concentrations that lead to premature failure.

In a groundbreaking development, researchers have designed a prototype rechargeable battery that functions in saltwater environments, offering a promising new energy source for oceanic and sea-based applications. This innovative saltwater-conductive yarn battery is not only flexible and durable but can also be integrated into fabrics or nets, providing power to marine devices such as safety equipment, fishing nets, and life vests.

Traditional batteries are highly sensitive to water, especially saltwater, due to the potential for damage and malfunction. However, this new design cleverly utilizes seawater as an electrolyte, turning its naturally occurring sodium, chloride, and sulfate ions into a functional energy source. This approach transforms seawater, typically a threat to conventional electronics, into a key component for generating power.

A glove-like robotic exoskeleton hand is helping pianists improve their playing skills without the risk of injury from overpractice. Drawing inspiration from traditional music teaching methods, a team at Sony Computer Science Laboratories in Tokyo has developed a device that moves individual fingers to guide complex hand motions. This innovation promises to support musicians in overcoming skill plateaus and enhancing their performance safely. According to researchers, just a single 30-minute session with the robotic exoskeleton can lead to measurable improvements in finger speed for trained pianists.

Achieving mastery in music, especially on an instrument like the piano, often requires countless hours of practice. However, research suggests that mere repetition isn’t always the key to further improvement. In fact, training alone accounts for less than half of skill development. As individuals reach a high level of proficiency, they often encounter a “ceiling effect,” where progress slows or stalls despite continued practice. This phenomenon challenges the idea that more practice automatically leads to greater skill.

SolidddVision smartglasses, developed by Soliddd Corp, are offering an innovative solution to people suffering from macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness. Inspired by the eyes of a fly and powered by cutting-edge virtual reality (VR) technology, these glasses are changing the way we think about vision correction. First unveiled at CES 2025, they represent what is being called the “first true vision correction” for macular degeneration—a condition that causes central vision to blur as the macula, the part of the retina responsible for sharp central vision, deteriorates.

SolidddVision smartglasses blend augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) to create a groundbreaking way of restoring sight to individuals with damaged retinas. The glasses use a unique system of projecting multiple images onto healthy parts of the retina, a method inspired by the structure of a fly’s eye. This design allows the glasses to send light in parallel rays, simulating a complete visual picture by engaging the visual cortex. The result is an enhanced image that bypasses the damaged areas of the retina, helping users see more clearly.