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Imaging the Moon’s interior with fiber-optics

Using Distributed Acoustic Sensing technology, scientists deployed fibre-optic cables across the lunar surface to detect seismic waves generated by moonquakes, meteorites, and landings. The cables can record signals at a higher spatial resolution than traditional seismic networks.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalEarth and Space Science·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMar 24, 2026

New photonic device, developed by MIT researchers, efficiently beams light into free space

MIT researchers have developed a new photonic device that efficiently beams light into free space, enabling advanced displays, high-speed optical communications, and larger-scale quantum computers. The device uses an array of microscopic structures to project detailed, full-color images and precisely control quantum bits, paving the wa...

A dynamic twist of light’s ‘handedness’

The Harvard researchers' new device is elegantly designed to be tunable, with a bilayer design that becomes geometrically chiral and able to 'read' chiral light. By using the MEMS device to continuously vary the twist angle and interlayer spacing, the team showed they could tune the device's intrinsic ability to read different chiral l...

IEEE researchers achieve low-power ultrashort mid-IR pulse compression

A team of researchers from SASTRA Deemed University demonstrates a fiber-based method for compressing mid-infrared laser pulses into ultrashort, low-noise bursts efficiently. The system reduces input power from kilowatts to 80 watts, improving energy efficiency and thermal stability.

SourceInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers·JournalIEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMar 11, 2026

HKU engineers discover new physics principle to break sound absorption barriers in ventilated spaces

A research team from HKU has identified a fundamental physical principle called duality symmetry that governs the absorption bandwidth of ventilated systems. This breakthrough leads to the design of a new type of ventilated structure that can absorb over 86% of sound across a wide range of frequencies.

SourceThe University of Hong Kong·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 10, 2026

Molecular ‘catapult’ fires electrons at the limits of physics

Scientists at Cambridge University observed ultrafast charge transfer happening within a single molecular vibration, occurring on the natural timescale of atomic motion. The discovery challenges long-held theories about how solar energy systems work and reveals a new pathway to designing more efficient light-harvesting technologies.

SourceSt. John's College, University of Cambridge·JournalNature Communications·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMar 5, 2026

Engineering the “golden bridge”: Efficient tunnel junction design for next-generation all-perovskite tandem solar cells

Researchers have developed a new design rule to overcome efficiency bottlenecks in all-perovskite tandem solar cells. By utilizing quantitative Silvaco TCAD simulations, the team has elucidated the fundamental physics of the tunnel junction and identified an optimal work function of 5.1 eV for metals like Gold.

SourceHigher Education Press·JournalFrontiers of Optoelectronics·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 6, 2026

A smarter way to watch biology at work

Researchers have developed a device that cuts sample consumption by as much as 97% while producing high-quality structural data for X-ray crystallography. This innovation enables the study of rare proteins and accelerates drug discovery, unlocking new insights into disease mechanisms.

SourceArizona State University·TypeObservational study·DateFeb 5, 2026

HKU scientists unveil groundbreaking discovery: Natural magnetic materials control light in unprecedented ways

Researchers at The University of Hong Kong have made a major breakthrough in controlling light with natural magnetic materials. They achieved negative refraction, a phenomenon that defies the law of physics, using a thin layer of CrSBr to bend light backward or in unexpected directions.

SourceThe University of Hong Kong·JournalNature Nanotechnology·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 5, 2026

Optimizing robotic joints

Researchers at Harvard University have developed a new design method for optimizing rolling contact joints in robots, which can lead to better grippers, assistive devices, and more efficient robotic movement. The optimized joints performed spectacularly, correcting misalignment by 99% in knee-assist devices.

SourceHarvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 2, 2026

Rice researchers replicating Edison’s 1879 light bulb experiments show graphene may have an been unintentional byproduct

Researchers at Rice University replicated Thomas Edison's 1879 light bulb experiment, discovering that the carbon filament used in his design could have produced turbostratic graphene. This finding sparks curiosity about what other information lies buried in historical experiments and how modern techniques can reveal new insights.

SourceRice University·JournalACS Nano·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 23, 2026

IEEE study investigates the effects of pointing error on quantum key distribution systems

A new framework models pointing error in QKD optical wireless systems, clarifying its role in degrading secure key generation. The study found that increased beam waist and asymmetrical beam misalignment degrade performance, while increasing receiver aperture size and average photon numbers can improve it.

SourceInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers·JournalIEEE Journal of Quantum Electronics·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJan 19, 2026

An unexpected breakthrough in flat optics

A team from Harvard and University of Lisbon found that silica, a low-refractive index material, can be used for making metasurfaces despite long-held assumptions. They discovered that by carefully considering the geometry of each nanopillar, silica behaves as a metasurface, enabling efficient design of devices with relaxed feature sizes.

SourceHarvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences·JournalNano Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 14, 2026

Quantum physics: new state of matter discovered

Scientists have found a way to describe topological states in materials where the particle picture breaks down. The discovery sheds light on a new type of behavior, exhibiting spontaneous Hall effect and quantum-critical fluctuations. This finding opens up possibilities for storing quantum information and developing novel sensors.

SourceVienna University of Technology·JournalNature Physics·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 14, 2026

JBNU researchers propose hierarchical porous copper nanosheet-based triboelectric nanogenerators

Researchers at Jeonbuk National University propose hierarchical porous copper nanosheet-based triboelectric nanogenerators, demonstrating efficient energy harvesting and multifunctionality. The devices achieve a remarkable 590% increase in electrical output while maintaining stability over 100,000 repeated mechanical cycles.

Synchronising ultrashort X-ray pulses

Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute have successfully implemented mode-locking to generate coherent trains of X-ray pulses with unprecedented temporal structure. This achievement enables attosecond science and opens up new experimental possibilities, including precise timing of phenomena in gases, liquids, and solids.

SourcePaul Scherrer Institute·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 7, 2026

Single device enables complex information processing: Memristive oscillators break computational bottlenecks at the edge of chaos

Researchers developed a locally active memristive oscillator using vanadium oxide that exhibits rich dynamic behaviors and exceptional frequency-domain information processing capabilities. The device operates at the edge of chaos, amplifying small fluctuations to generate self-oscillations and producing complex responses.

SourceScience China Press·JournalNational Science Review·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 6, 2026

Superradiant spins show teamwork at the quantum scale

Researchers have discovered a new method for generating highly stable and precise microwave signals through self-induced superradiant masing. This phenomenon produces long-lived bursts of microwave emission without external driving, paving the way for technological advances in fields like medicine, navigation, and quantum communication.

SourceOkinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) Graduate University·JournalNature Physics·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 2, 2026

A physics-constrained AI framework enables accurate thermal field inversion for chiplet-based packaging with sparse data

Researchers developed a physics-constrained, data-efficient AI framework that accurately reconstructs temperature fields from limited sensor data in chiplet-based packaging. The approach achieves high accuracy and generalization without excessive noise, enabling reliable thermal characterization.

SourceELSP·JournalAI & Materials·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateDec 29, 2025

Chonnam National University researchers propose innovative voltage-loop control for power factor correction

Researchers from Chonnam National University propose a novel delay-compensated control strategy that eliminates current sensors in boost PFC converters. This simplifies circuitry, reduces hardware failure points, and enhances power quality, leading to smaller, more efficient, and cost-effective power adapters.

SourceChonnam National University, The Research Information Management Team, Office of Research Promotion·JournalIEEE Transactions on Consumer Electronics·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 18, 2025

AI learns to build simple equations for complex systems

A new AI framework uncovers simple, understandable rules governing complex dynamics in nature and technology. The AI generates equations that accurately describe complex systems, revealing hidden variables that govern their behavior. This approach offers scientists a new way to leverage AI for understanding complex systems.

SourceDuke University·Journalnpj Complexity·DateDec 17, 2025