China’s Tsinghua University has achieved a groundbreaking milestone by demonstrating the inherent safety of the first operating commercial pebble-bed nuclear reactor. By shutting off the power and allowing the passive systems to maintain control of the reactor core, the university showcased the advanced safety features of this next-generation technology.

Older nuclear reactors, such as Pressurized Water Reactors (PWR), have a significant design drawback—they require active measures to shut down in an emergency, and their safety systems depend on an external power source to run coolant pumps. These systems can fail catastrophically if the power source is compromised, as seen in the Fukushima disaster of 2011. The plant, based on an outdated 1970s design, was hit by an earthquake and a tsunami that knocked out its backup diesel generators. The resulting chaos prevented emergency crews from intervening in time, leading to a hydrogen explosion and reactor core meltdown.

A tractor beam—a special beam of electromagnetic radiation that draws particles toward it instead of pushing them away—might be a concept straight from Star Trek, but scientists from the Australian Research Council’s Centre of Excellence for Transformative Meta-Optical Systems (TMOS) have recently taken steps toward a more portable way to generate one in real life.

The Melbourne-based research team suggests that this could lead to better, less invasive technology capable of performing biopsies without the cell trauma caused even by the smallest handheld tweezers or needles. The team’s paper is published in the peer-reviewed journal ACS Photonics from the American Chemical Society.

Researchers have developed a groundbreaking method to decompose perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), commonly known as “forever chemicals,” using visible LED light at room temperature. This innovative approach offers a promising solution for sustainable fluorine recycling and PFAS treatment.

PFASs, widely used since the invention of Teflon in 1938, are found in various applications such as cookware, clothing, and firefighting foam. Their stability and resistance to heat and water, while useful, pose significant environmental and health challenges. These chemicals do not break down easily and accumulate in water, soil, and animal bodies, causing carcinogenic effects and hormonal disruptions in humans. Traditionally, decomposing these chemicals requires temperatures exceeding 752°F (400°C), making the process difficult and energy-intensive.