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Nature’s “master painters”: BGU researchers reveal for the first time how damselflies break optical barriers to create saturated colors

Damselflies break optical barriers to produce vivid, angle-independent colors using structural dispersion and pigment loading. This discovery provides a blueprint for creating sustainable, highly saturated photonic materials that could replace toxic synthetic pigments.

SourceBen-Gurion University of the Negev·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 9, 2026

Thorny issue plaguing lithium-ion batteries laid bare in new study

Researchers directly measured lithium dendrites' mechanical strength, finding they exhibit unexpectedly high strength and brittle behavior under stress. The study provides insights into how dendrites respond to physical stresses within a battery cell, shedding light on the challenge of scale and access that hindered previous research.

SourceRice University·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 12, 2026

Shine a light, build a crystal

Researchers developed a simple and reversible method for forming crystals using light-sensitive molecules, allowing for precise control over particle attraction and repulsion. This enables the creation of adaptable materials with tunable properties, such as reconfigurable optical coatings and adaptive sensors.

SourceNew York University·JournalChem·DateFeb 24, 2026

Researchers develop high-performance vacuum ultraviolet nonlinear optical crystal ABF

The development of fluorooxoborate crystal NH4B4O6F (ABF) resolves the field challenge of meeting all criteria for VUV NLO materials. ABF achieves excellent VUV transparency, a strong NLO coefficient, and substantial birefringence while fulfilling practical criteria such as large crystal size and high laser-induced damage threshold.

Face‑/edge‑shared 3D perovskitoid single crystals with suppressed ion migration for stable X‑ray detector

Researchers have created face-/edge-shared 3D perovskitoid single crystals with suppressed ion migration, providing a new pathway for stable and high-sensitivity X-ray detection. The team's design addresses the long-standing issue of ion migration in traditional perovskites.

SourceShanghai Jiao Tong University Journal Center·JournalNano-Micro Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 8, 2025

The rise of "soft" crystal sponges: a new frontier in smart materials toward applications

Researchers have made significant advancements in soft porous crystals (SPCs) with promising applications in gas storage, separation, catalysis, and devices. The 'dose sensitivity' of SPCs directly affects their economic viability, with high performance and batch consistency crucial for trace or low-dose applications.

SourceIndustrial Chemistry & Materials·JournalIndustrial Chemistry and Materials·TypeLiterature review·DateSep 4, 2025

A colloidal crystal model for controlled polymorph selection

Researchers at Tohoku University developed a colloidal crystal model to control specific polymorph formation, advancing understanding of polymorph control for material fabrication and drug development. The study found that particle additives can effectively control polymorph formation and probability by size and cluster stability.

SourceTohoku University·JournalCommunications Physics·DateApr 22, 2025

Making the physics of glass more transparent

Koun Shirai bridges conventional physics and nonequilibrium materials to provide robust thermodynamic description of glasses. He redefines equilibrium as energy extraction impact, allowing tools of thermodynamics to apply to glasses.

SourceOsaka University·JournalFoundations·TypeObservational study·DateApr 6, 2025

The ticking of thorium nuclear optical clocks

The thorium-229 nuclear optical clock has the potential to achieve a very high-precision time and frequency standard due to its unique properties. Despite significant progress, numerous challenges remain, including temperature sensitivity and the scarcity of the isotope.

SourceScience China Press·JournalNational Science Review·DateApr 1, 2025

Love your neighbor as yourself: Zinc-centered materials serving as calcium-ion host could be well refined by its closest copper neighbor

Researchers developed Cu/Zn solid-solution phase hosts to overcome electrochemical limitations in multivalent metal ion batteries. The material's layered crystal structure and abundant interlayer confined species provide favorable diffusion pathways for charge carriers.

SourceScience China Press·JournalNational Science Review·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 29, 2025

Flexible crystals reveal secrets of elasticity

Australian scientists have identified the origin of the restoring force in elastic crystals, allowing for the design of new hybrid materials. The study found that energy is stored in molecular interactions under compressive and expansive strain, enabling the crystal to return to its original shape.

SourceUniversity of Queensland·JournalNature Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 21, 2025

Aging reactors need a concrete solution

Researchers from the University of Tokyo have verified the impact of neutron radiation on concrete expansion, finding a 'flux effect' that reduces degradation. This discovery may allow nuclear power plants to operate more safely over longer periods.

SourceUniversity of Tokyo·JournalJournal of Nuclear Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 30, 2025

NTU Singapore-led discovery poised to help detect dark matter and pave the way to unravel the universe’s secrets

Researchers from NTU Singapore have developed a new crystal structure that shows naturally existing particles can behave like axions, promising to detect dark matter. The findings could lay the groundwork for understanding cosmic phenomena and uncovering the universe's greatest mysteries.

SourceNanyang Technological University·JournalScience·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 9, 2025

Towards room-temperature superconductivity: Insights into optical properties of bi-based copper-oxide superconductors

A Japanese research team investigates the origin of Bi2212's strong optical anisotropy, finding that increasing lead content reduces incommensurate modulation, enabling accurate measurement of optical activity and circular dichroism. This study contributes to understanding high-temperature superconductivity mechanisms.

SourceWaseda University·JournalScientific Reports·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 12, 2024

Novel quantum materials in the spotlight

German physicist Christian Schneider has been awarded a European Research Council Consolidator Grant to study the optical properties of two-dimensional materials. His team plans to develop experimental set-ups to investigate the unique properties of these materials, which could lead to new applications in quantum technologies.

Dynamics of structural transformation for liquid crystalline blue phases

Researchers have uncovered key insights about how liquid crystals transform between different phases using direct simulation and machine learning. This study provides a clearer understanding of the microscopic-level changes in these materials, which could lead to new possibilities for advanced materials development.

SourceKyushu University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 2, 2024

USTC observes higher-order and fractional DTCs in floquet-driven Rydberg atomic gases

Researchers at USTC observe higher-order and fractional discrete time crystals in floquet-driven Rydberg atomic dissipative systems, exhibiting robustness against perturbations. The team identifies phase transitions between adjacent integer DTCs and discovers fractional DTCs with stability against perturbations.

SourceUniversity of Science and Technology of China·JournalNature Communications·DateNov 30, 2024

Mystery of Uruguay’s amethyst geodes

Researchers from Göttingen University identified the low crystallisation temperatures and groundwater origin of amethyst geodes in northern Uruguay. The study proposes a new model explaining their formation, which could improve exploration techniques and lead to sustainable mining strategies.

SourceUniversity of Göttingen·JournalMineralium Deposita·TypeObservational study·DateOct 2, 2024

Towards the realization of compact and portable nuclear clocks

Researchers from Okayama University successfully controlled the population of the thorium-229 isomeric state using X-rays, a crucial step towards building a compact and portable nuclear clock. This achievement demonstrates the potential for nuclear clocks to advance fundamental physics research and other applications such as GPS systems.

SourceOkayama University·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 13, 2024