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Printed oxygen "highways" shatter the 2D transistor speed limit

A research team has successfully removed the primary obstacle to post-silicon computing by creating a record-breaking electronic connection for atomic-thin materials. The new GaOx layer enables 'hybrid tunnelling' mechanism, reducing contact resistance and allowing transistors to operate at much lower voltages without sacrificing speed.

SourceInternational Journal of Extreme Manufacturing·JournalInternational Journal of Extreme Manufacturing·DateMay 8, 2026

Room-temperature multiferroic could pave way to low-energy computing

Researchers at Rice University have engineered a new multiferroic material that exhibits orders of magnitude higher performance at room temperature than its parent material. The new material shows a 10-fold increase in magnetization and a 100-fold increase in magnetoelectric coupling, making it promising for low-energy computing.

SourceRice University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 29, 2026

A team from the Universitat Jaume I formulates a biostimulant composition that protects crops from adverse conditions and improves harvest yields

A team from Universitat Jaume I creates a biostimulant composition using proline particles encapsulated in silica, enhancing plant tolerance to drought, high temperatures and salinity. The new compound's production process is scalable, cost-effective and reproducible, with potential for industrial-level application.

From waste to value: Copper-catalyzed method converts CO₂ into high-value polymers under mild conditions

A research team developed an eco-friendly method to transform carbon dioxide into useful high-performance plastics using a simple copper-based catalyst. The process efficiently incorporates CO₂ into polymer materials with diverse functionalities, such as fluorescence, and can be quickly modified to create multifunctional materials.

SourceSongshan Lake Materials Laboratory·JournalMaterials Futures·DateSep 3, 2025

Fans ineffective in heat waves

A recent study found that electric fans provide little cooling relief for older adults indoors during extreme heat due to their limited sweat production. Dr. Fergus O'Connor from Griffith University suggests using air conditioning at a higher temperature in conjunction with a fan to provide effective cooling and reduce operating costs.

SourceGriffith University·JournalJAMA·TypeObservational study·DateJan 30, 2025

New study links home temperature to cognitive function in older adults

A groundbreaking study has identified a significant relationship between indoor temperatures and cognitive performance in older adults, with findings suggesting that even current climate conditions are placing older adults at risk. The study found that older adults reported the least difficulty maintaining attention when their home tem...

SourceHebrew SeniorLife Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research·JournalThe Journals of Gerontology Series A·TypeObservational study·DateJan 13, 2025

How one UIC student is proposing to advance science of superconductivity

A UIC graduate student has proposed three promising new designs for superconducting materials that could achieve high-temperature superconductivity at room temperature. The designs were published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and demonstrate properties needed for very high-temperature superconductivity.

SourceUniversity of Illinois Chicago·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateNov 5, 2024

Toward a quantum electron microscope: a compact pulse hollow cone hybrid TEM/SEM by CityUHK to revolutionize electron microscopy

A team from City University of Hong Kong has designed a compact hybrid transmission and scanning electron microscope that can operate at room temperature, offering high-resolution imaging capabilities without cryogenic temperatures. The new system reduces radiation damage to samples and provides improved image contrast using pulse elec...

Synthesis of a new compound with excellent intrinsic magnetic properties using smaller amounts of rare earth elements

Scientists have successfully synthesized a new SmFe-based magnetic compound, exhibiting superior intrinsic magnetic properties compared to traditional NdFeB compounds. The compound's high magnetization and anisotropy field make it suitable for electric vehicle applications without the need for critical rare-earth elements.

SourceNational Institute for Materials Science, Japan·JournalActa Materialia·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 18, 2024

New technique could help build quantum computers of the future

Researchers have developed a method to create and control optical qubits in silicon with high precision, enabling the fabrication of reliable quantum computers. This breakthrough could advance quantum computing and networking capabilities, paving the way for breakthroughs in human health, drug discovery, and artificial intelligence.

SourceDOE/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 11, 2024

Too much exercise could actually trigger a hot flash

A new study published in Menopause suggests that acute increases in physical activity and temperature may contribute to the experience of hot flashes in midlife women. Researchers found that performing greater amounts of moderate physical activity than usual was related to more subjectively reported hot flashes.

SourceThe Menopause Society·JournalMenopause·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateMay 29, 2024

Study tallies heatwave deaths over recent decades

A new study published in PLOS Medicine estimates that more than 150,000 people die annually from heatwaves worldwide, with the highest number of deaths in Asia and Europe. The research also reveals regional disparities in heatwave-related mortality, with areas having dry climates and lower-middle incomes experiencing the highest rates.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Medicine·TypeObservational study·DateMay 14, 2024

Spintronics: A new path to room temperature swirling spin textures

Researchers at HZB have developed a new approach to create and stabilize complex spin textures like radial vortices in various compounds. By using superconducting structures to imprint domains and surface defects to stabilize them, they achieve stable magnetic microstructures that can be used for spintronic applications.

SourceHelmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie·JournalACS Applied Materials & Interfaces·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 17, 2024

Rice research could advance soft robotics manufacturing, design

A team of Rice University researchers has developed an analytical model that can predict the curing time of platinum-catalyzed silicone elastomers as a function of temperature. The model could help reduce energy waste and improve throughput for elastomer-based components manufacturing, enabling more efficient soft robotics design.

SourceRice University·JournalCell Reports Physical Science·DateMar 18, 2024

Quantum films on plastic

A research team has discovered a material that exhibits non-linear Hall effect, which could be applied in technologies for controlled use of terahertz high-frequency signals on electronic chips. The thin-layer films can be applied to plastic substrates and control the effect through micro-fabrication.

SourceHelmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf·JournalNature Electronics·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 28, 2024

Positronium laser cooling

Researchers successfully cooled positronium atoms to record-low temperatures of 170 K, significantly reducing their transverse velocity component. This achievement has far-reaching implications for precision spectroscopy and the study of quantum electrodynamics.

SourcePolitecnico di Milano·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeObservational study·DateFeb 27, 2024

Breakthrough in single-photon integration

Researchers from Hebrew University of Jerusalem have successfully integrated single-photon sources onto tiny chips at room temperature using a hybrid metal-dielectric bullseye antenna. This innovation enables efficient back-excitation and front coupling of emission to optical fibers or low numerical aperture optics, promising advanceme...

SourceThe Hebrew University of Jerusalem·JournalNano Letters·TypeExperimental study·DateFeb 8, 2024

Generating stable qubits at room temperature

Scientists achieve room-temperature quantum coherence by embedding a chromophore in a metal-organic framework, enabling the creation of quintet state qubits with four electron spins. This breakthrough could lead to the development of multiple qubit systems at room temperature, revolutionizing quantum computing and sensing.

SourceKyushu University·JournalScience Advances·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 11, 2024

Glass packaging with a mix of thermoelectric in the vias

Researchers have developed a thermal management technique for photonic packages using glass substrates and thermoelectric vias, enabling precise temperature control. The technology, termed SimTEC, combines through glass vias partially filled with copper and thermoelectric materials to reduce thermal resistance between chips.

SourceSPIE--International Society for Optics and Photonics·JournalJournal of Optical Microsystems·DateJan 10, 2024

New transactions of nonferrous metals society of china study uncovers low-temperature deformation mechanism of pure titanium

Researchers investigate grain size and temperature effects on Ti deformation at extremely low temperatures, finding that cryogenic temperatures trigger deformation twinning, boosting strength and ductility. The study proposes a modified Hall-Petch relationship to explain strengthening mechanisms at cryogenic temperatures.

SourceCactus Communications·JournalTransactions of Nonferrous Metals Society of China·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 10, 2024

UCF researcher discovers new technique for photon detection

A new technique for photon detection has been developed by UCF researcher Debashis Chanda, offering ultra-sensitive detection at room temperature. The method uses a phase-change material to modulate the frequency of an oscillating circuit, paving the way for low-cost, high-efficiency uncooled infrared detectors and imaging systems.

SourceUniversity of Central Florida·JournalAdvanced Functional Materials·TypeExperimental study·DateDec 12, 2023

Optical-fiber based single-photon light source at room temperature for next-generation quantum processing

Scientists create a low-cost, room-temperature single-photon light source by doping optical fibers with ytterbium ions, paving the way for affordable quantum technologies. The innovation overcomes cooling system limitations, enabling applications in true random number generation, quantum communication and high-resolution image analysis.

SourceTokyo University of Science·JournalPhysical Review Applied·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 2, 2023