This unassuming material is capable of capturing or releasing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in response to moisture swings.
Pulling carbon dioxide out of the air using moisture
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A more efficient way to capture fresh water from the air
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Bringing transformative potential to agriculture with a natural technology for ‘dimming’ genes
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Staving off coral reef collapse via a new technique
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TODAY'S DISCOVERIES

This unassuming material is capable of capturing or releasing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in response to moisture swings.
Pulling carbon dioxide out of the air using moisture
A more efficient way to capture fresh water from the air
Bringing transformative potential to agriculture with a natural technology for ‘dimming’ genes
Staving off coral reef collapse via a new technique
Producing energy from evaporating tap or seawater with new nanoscale devices
Setting the stage for regenerative therapy by turning skin cells into limb cells
Robots and cameras of the future could be made of liquid crystals
A new way to alter the DNA of bacterial cells using electricity instead of harsh chemicals to manufacture life-saving medicines
A reprogrammable light-based computer processor
Could this be the key to sustainable foods that have both the ‘right’ texture and require minimal processing?
A 3D printed metamaterial could change how we make everything from medical implants to aircraft or rocket parts
Imagine being able to build an entire dialysis machine using nothing more than a 3D printer
A potential fix for microbial corrosion in marine concrete
AI trains on videos to recognize patterns in human behaviour
University Hospital Bonn
A revolutionary biosensor that can detect skin cancer with exceptional sensitivity
Introducing recyclable water batteries that won’t catch fire or explode
A groundbreaking technology that can recognize human emotions in real time
An antibiotic that could give medicine a new weapon to fight drug-resistant bacteria
An ID tag that can reveal with near-perfect accuracy whether an item is real or fake
A method for capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere powered by clean geothermal energy
AI Computing at Light Speed
Why heat and cool the room when clothing can keep us comfortable?
What if there was a way to extend a dog’s lifespan by years with just a daily pill?
Mimicking the easy instantaneous image processing power of the human eye
Getting green steel from problem toxic red mud
In the future, modern machines should not only follow algorithms quickly and precisely, but also function intelligently – in other words, in a way that resembles the human brain.
New hardware could make future artificial intelligence much more compact and efficient
Low-energy self-regenerative fiber material could recover valuable metals from industrial wastewater
This image illustrates the brain regions in which differences were seen in people at clinical high risk who later developed psychosis. The darker blue areas indicate the more important brain regions for differentiating between the two main groups (healthy and those at clinical high risk who later developed psychosis).
Using AI to predict psychosis before it occurs
Chapman University
Using ChatGPT to design new medicine quickly
CULTURE CLUB: Members of the University of Rochester’s iGEM team used bacteria cultures, pictured here frozen in liquid nitrogen, to make 3D-bioprinted bacteria samples as part of their project to replicate chemicals found in plants. (University of Rochester photo / J. Adam Fenster)
The synthetic creation of plant-based chemicals without the need for actual plants
Space reflectors to power solar farms at dawn and dusk
An effective way to combat loneliness and depression in 8 weeks with psychological care delivered over the phone
Hull York Medical School
“While we significantly cut the cost of media, there is still some optimization that needs to be done to make it industry-ready,” said Andrew Stout. Photo: Alonso Nichols
Cultivated meat production costs could be reduced by up to 90%
Could space elevators transform humanity into a spacefaring civilization?
AI-Guided System for Robotic Inspection of Buildings, Roads and Bridges
Research team launches first-of-its-kind mini AI model with three trillion-token punch
Enabling everyone to carry a “mini ChatGPT” in their pocket wherever they go
Harnessing heat and vibration simultaneously in one energy harvester
Turning tellurite glass into a ‘transparent' light-energy harvester by etching semiconducting patterns using femtosecond laser light. CREDIT EPFL / Lisa Ackermann
Has glass really reached the point of becoming a ‘transparent’ light-energy harvester?
Graphical abstract CREDIT Environmental Science and Ecotechnology
Enabling sustainable wastewater treatment with a new catalytic water self-purification approach
Guangzhou University
Could a coal-based product could replace sand in concrete?
Building much more efficient rockets
Computer scientists create simple method to speed cache sifting
Web-cache eviction system can save millions of dollars at each major data center
A supramolecular ink technology could be a game changer for the OLED display industry
Imagine a world where the electrical grid is a living entity, pulsating with neon energy and self-aware, repairing its own veins of power. Robotic arms, like cosmic surgeons, delicately weave through the grid, stitching the fabric of our electric dreams. This is the self-healing grid of the future, a symphony of light and technology, tirelessly working to keep the rhythm of civilization alive and glowing.
The self-healing grid of the future
New Mexico State University
Schematic for a four-channel RFD in single-pass mode with an A/A*, representing electrochemical reactions of redox species dissolved in conducting salts solutions, and channels separated by cation-exchange membrane (CEM) and anion-exchange membrane (AEM).
An entirely new solution to the global water crisis?
The WaterStrider weighs 55 milligrams and can move at 6 millimeters per second (photo by Bob Hubner, WSU Photo Services).
The smallest, lightest and fastest fully functional micro-robots ever known to be created
A powerful new way to programme optical circuits unlocks a massive amount of processing power
A powerful new way to programme optical circuits unlocks a massive amount of processing power
A revolutionary incisionless device treatment for diabetes, liver disease and severe obesity
Sri Aurobindo Medical College
MIT researchers have developed a battery-free, self-powered sensor that can harvest energy from its environment. Credits:Credit: Christine Daniloff, MIT
A new MIT system allows sensors to operate in remote settings without batteries
A view from inside MAPLE, which will demonstrate wireless power transmission in space. This angle shows both the array of flexible, lightweight microwave power transmitters (right side), and the two receivers that they will transmit power to (left side). The top receiver is receiving power in this picture, and it is lit by this wirelessly transmitted power.
A Caltech demonstration proves the ability to beam power wirelessly in space
Implantable, wireless, battery-free tactile sensing system.
A remarkable leap forward in neuroprosthetic technology by developing an implantable tactile sensing system
Working in the lab, Northwestern alumnus Bill Yen buries the fuel cell in soil.
A new fuel cell harvests energy from microbes living in dirt runs forever
With age, the researchers found that the protein Ppp1r17 tends to leave the nucleus of the neurons, and when that happens, the neurons in the hypothalamus send weaker signals. With less use, the nervous system wiring throughout the white adipose tissue gradually retracts, and what was once a dense network of interconnecting nerves (left) becomes sparse (right). Credit: Kyohei Tokizane
When specific brain cells are activated could lifespan be increased?
Behold a futuristic depiction: tiny machines, like miniature robots, in battle against enlarged superbugs. Set in a microscopic world, this scene vividly illustrates the advanced technology utilized in the fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, capturing the dynamic clash between mechanical marvels and biological adversaries. A visual narrative of science's innovative combat against superbugs!
Deadly bacteria and cancers could be halted by the latest advances in medical nanomachines
Lasers were used to straighten out the lab's 4D liquid metal material, which reverts to its pre-programmed shape once the laser is removed.
Laser-controlled liquid metals: Is this is a new era for robotics applications and a gamechanger for additive manufacturing?
A ‘self-eating’ rocket engine capable of flight beyond the Earth’s atmosphere
National Energy Technology Laboratory
Could coal be used to create better microelectronics?
Hydrogels developed at MIT can be used to remove micropollutants from water. Credits:Photo: Sebastian Gonzalez Quintero/MassArt
Revolutionary Zwitterionic Molecules Continuously Eliminate Micropollutants Without Losing Effectiveness
Significant Li plating capacity from Si anode. a, Li discharge profile in a battery of Li/graphite–Li5.5PS4.5Cl1.5 (LPSCl1.5)–LGPS–LPSCl1.5–SiG at current density 0.2?mA?cm–2 at room temperature. Note that SiG was made by mixing Si and graphite in one composite layer. Inset shows the schematic illustration of stages 1–3 based on SEM and EDS mapping, which illustrate the unique Li–Si anode evolution in solid-state batteries observed experimentally in Figs. 1 and 2. b, FIB–SEM images of the SiG anode at different discharge states (i), (ii) and (iii) corresponding to points 1–3 in a, respectively. c, SEM–EDS mapping of (i), (ii) and (iii), corresponding to SEM images in b, where carbon signal (C) is derived from graphite, oxygen (O) and nitrogen (N) signals are from Li metal reaction with air and fluorine (F) is from the PTFE binder. d, Discharge profile of battery with cell construction Li-1M LiPF6 in EC/DMC–SiG. Schematics illustrate typical Si anode evolution in liquid-electrolyte batteries. e, FIB–SEM image (i) of SiG anode following discharge in the liquid-electrolyte battery shown in d; zoomed-in image (ii). Credit: Nature Materials (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41563-023-01722-x
Solid state battery design charges in minutes, lasts for thousands of cycles
An innovative stapled lipopeptides nasal spray could block Covid 19
Caption:MIT engineers have designed diagnostic particles that can be aerosolized and inhaled. At bottom is a scanning electron micrograph of the particles, which are coated with nanosensors that interact with cancer-associated proteins in the lungs. Credits:Credit: Courtesy of the researchers
Inhalable sensors could make lung cancer screening more accessible worldwide
a, Traditional activation method of PS-AOPs technology. b, Mechanism of piezoelectric/PS-AOPs. c, Annual number of publications concerning piezoelectric/PS-AOPs. CREDIT Environmental Science and Ecotechnology
Piezoelectric-activated persulfate: A major new way to treat water and control pollution using renewable energy and being kind to the environment
A Wright brothers moment? The world’s first functional semiconductor made from graphene
A modeling tool developed by scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory shows the progression an asteroid being broken up by a theoretical nuclear device detonated near the the surface of the near-Earth object. Graphic illustration courtesy of Mary Burkey.
Planetary defense against asteroids using nuclear deflection
Engineers at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, conduct a successful, 251-second hot fire test of a full-scale Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine combustor in fall 2023, achieving more than 5,800 pounds of thrust. NASA
A 3D-printed Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine Fires Successfully
A barley seedling grows within the eSoil, an artificial electronic soil that makes seedlings grow faster. Thor Balkhed
Electrically conductive “soil” for hydroponics can increase barley growth by 50 percent
Two cameras record a psychotherapy session. The AI analyses the video sequences. (Image zvg)
No facial expression can escape AI
Schematic image of NK cell-engaging nanodrones (NKeNDs). CREDIT UNIST
A remarkable breakthrough in cancer treatment: Revolutionary nanodrones enable targeted cancer treatment
Given the alarming impact of microplastic pollution in nature, it is important to understand how this toxic waste alters the environment. However, there is a paucity of research on how microplastic litter in soil impacts the quality of soil. To this end, researchers led by Prof. Yong Sik Ok, applied machine learning models to find that microplastic characteristics, such as its type, size, shape, and dosage can significantly change soil properties, including pH, organic carbon, phosphorus, nitrogen, and acid phosphatase enzyme activity. CREDIT Hillary Daniels from Flickr Image Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/51763198@N00/12140848366
Predicting the influence of microplastics on soil properties with artificial intelligence
The high-performance computing facility at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) has helped researchers to run realistic simulations using enormously large data sets. They used the simulations to develop hardware to cut computer program runtimes. Credit: NTNU
Drastic cuts in data processing power consumption possible with new super smart hardware
A new hybrid computing system combines electronic hardware with human brain organoids
In a universe where time dances to the rhythm of our DNA, imagine an AI that can predict the lifespan woven into our genetic tapestry. It's a tale of science and wonder, where the cosmic and the microscopic merge in a symphony of potential. Let's ensure this power is a melody for good, guiding us to a brighter, more informed future. - ChatGPT Cosmic DDream
How to ensure that a new AI model that can predict human lifespan is used for good
Exposure to women’s tears leads to less revenge-seeking behavior and lower aggression-related brain activity in men
An artistic interpretation of brain-like computing. Image by Xiaodong Yan/Northwestern University
A new synaptic transistor is capable of higher-level thinking mimics human intelligence
Schematic and experimental design for MV@GEL as an intranasal mask to intercept viral aerosols and entrap virus. a The intranasal mask (MV@GEL) was composed of engineered cell-derived microsized vesicles (MV) with viral receptor and thermosensitive hydrogel with positive charges. It could be sprayed into the nasal cavity at room temperature and quickly transformed from the liquid state to the gel state at body temperature. The viral receptor of vesicles could help vesicles entrap the virus, and the thermosensitive hydrogel could prolong the retention time of vesicles in the nasal cavity. Once the negative viral aerosols were inhaled, the intranasal mask could perform the protective effect in the following steps: Step 1, the positively charged hydrogel could intercept the negatively charged viral aerosols presenting in airflow; Step 2, those viral aerosols could fuse with MV@GEL and release viruses into MV@GEL; Step 3, the embedded MV in MV@GEL could entrap those released viruses. b The protective effect of the intranasal mask was investigated from the following three aspects. 1. Mouse model: MV@GEL conferred strong protection against viral aerosol infection in the mouse nose and downstream lung; 2. Digital human nasal model: based on computerized tomography (CT) images of the human nasal cavity, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation supported that viral aerosols could be intercepted in the human nasal cavity under MV@GEL protection; 3. Human respiratory tract model: connecting a realistic human nasal apparatus with human lung organoids and providing respiratory airflow by the pump; the human respiratory tract model was constructed and utilized to demonstrate the good performance of MV@GEL in protecting the lung organoids from viral aerosols. Credit: Nature Communications (2023). DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44134-w
Protecting the respiratory tract from viral aerosols including Covid with a novel intranasal mask
A team led by quantum expert Mikhail Lukin (right) has achieved a breakthrough in quantum computing. Dolev Bluvstein, a Ph.D. student in Lukin’s lab, was first author on the paper. Jon Chase/Harvard Staff Photographer
A key step toward reliable, game-changing quantum computing
(a) A molecular jackhammer (blue) attaches itself to a cancer cell’s lipid bilayer lining. When stimulated with near-infrared light, it vibrates strongly, causing the cell membrane to tear open. (b) DAPI entering and staining nucleus of the membrane-disrupted A375 melanoma cells visualized by fluorescence confocal microscopy. Scale bar = 25 µm. (Image courtesy of Ciceron Ayala-Orozco/Rice University)
This study is about a different way to treat cancer
Cutting both heating and cooling costs with an innovative passive thermoregulating roof tile
Dr. Sunshin Jung of the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute has developed a technology to effectively control soil pests through penetrative microwave heating. CREDIT Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute
A breakthrough microwave heating technology that effectively eliminates pests without the use of pesticides and protects farms from soil diseases
Photo by Laker
Algae may be an interesting and sustainable alternative to animal-derived protein with respect to maintaining and building muscle
The Tribo-sanitizer is a self-powered device that uses a UVC lamp to inactivate bacteria that cause foodborne illness on fresh produce, food packaging and surfaces. Photo by Fred Zwicky
A self-powered ultraviolet-C device that can inactivate two of the bacteria responsible for many foodborne illnesses and deaths
Solar powered clothing that both heats and cools the body
SEAS researchers have developed a multiscale approach that allows particle-reinforced rubber to bear high loads and resist crack growth over repeated use. Above, cracks grow in the left sample while the cracks in the right sample, made from the multiscale material, remain intact after 350,000 cycles. Credit: Suo Group/Harvard SEAS)
Seriously increasing the longevity of rubber products such as tires
Scientists from Zhongyuan University of Technology developed a novel path to efficiently convert nitrate to ammonia using metal-added polyoxometalate as the catalyst under mild operating conditions. CREDIT Zhihui Ni, Henan Key Laboratory of Functional Salt Materials, Zhongyuan University of Technology
Converting problematic nitrate pollution into valuable ammonia via a new catalyst
Zhongyuan University of Technology
Construction and mechanism of single-dose, dry-powder inhalation vaccine CREDIT Image by MA Guanghui’s group
A novel dry-powder inhaled vaccine platform holds great promise for combating future emerging and epidemic infectious diseases
UTS researcher tests new mind-reading technology. Image: UTS
A portable, non-invasive system that can decode silent thoughts and turn them into text
MIT researchers developed a fabrication process to produce self-heating microfluidic devices in one step using a multi-material 3D printer. Pictured is an example of one of the devices. Credits:Image: Courtesy of the researchers
3D printed self-heating microfluidic devices could someday be used to rapidly create cheap, yet accurate, tools to detect a host of diseases
Could polyethylene waste could be a thing of the past?