EPFL researchers have developed a new way to use holograms for 3D printing, enabling much faster, more precise, and energy-efficient fabrication than existing methods. The innovation shows promise for supporting affordable, biocompatible volumetric printing for biomedical and microengineering applications.

Inspired by insect compound eyes, Prof. Ji Chen’s team from Southeast University proposes a bioinspired motion detector based on planar metalens arrays. It realizes an ultra-wide 135° field of view and achieves high-precision perception of moving targets’ velocity and direction. The design effectively detects tiny and slow-moving objects in complex backgrounds and enables intelligent motion trajectory prediction. Featuring high integration and lightweight structure, it provides solid technical support for autonomous perception, industrial early warning and unmanned intelligent systems.

Inspired by insect compound eyes, Prof. Ji Chen’s team from Southeast University proposes a bioinspired motion detector based on planar metalens arrays. It realizes an ultra-wide 135° field of view and achieves high-precision perception of moving targets’ velocity and direction. The design effectively detects tiny and slow-moving objects in complex backgrounds and enables intelligent motion trajectory prediction. Featuring high integration and lightweight structure, it provides solid technical support for autonomous perception, industrial early warning and unmanned intelligent systems.

The rare and endangered tree species Phoebe zhennan (commonly known as "golden-thread nanmu") is a unique timber tree of the family Lauraceae endemic to China. It is naturally distributed in Chongqing, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Sichuan, and Yunnan. The wood is highly valued for its golden luster, fragrance, and durability. However, due to historical over‑harvesting and habitat loss, its wild resources have sharply declined. It is now listed as a second-class nationally protected wild plant in China and as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Previous genetic studies mostly relied on low‑throughput markers such as SSR and AFLP; although these revealed some population structure, they had insufficient resolution. Recently, chromosome‑level genome assemblies have become available, but conventional non‑haplotype‑resolved assemblies cannot distinguish allelic variation from haplotype‑specific structural variants, hindering in‑depth analyses of evolutionary and adaptive mechanisms.

Human microbiome research has long focused on barrier surfaces such as the gut and skin. However, a neglected class of "invisible inhabitants" lurks within the body's internal tissues and circulating cells. Though small in number, they may have a profound impact on health and disease. Recently, in a new review published in Immunity & Inflammation, Professor Chen-Yu Zhang's team at Nanjing University systematically proposed the novel concept of “Persistent Intracellular Extraintestinal Microbes” (PIEM). This expands the scope of microbiome research from external surfaces to the body's interior, opening a new direction for understanding the long-term symbiotic relationship between humans and microbes and the pathogenesis of numerous complex diseases.

A PtIn nanoalloy catalyst supported on Sn MFI zeolite was designed, which exhibits remarkable performance in the selective oxidation of glycerol to lactic acid under base-free conditions. Notably, the PtIn/Sn-MFI catalyst shows a faster initial reaction rate than its monometallic Pt/Sn-MFI counterpart. The synergy between electron-rich PtIn alloy and Lewis acid Sn sites enables remarkable stability and activity, offering a sustainable route for glycerol valorization.

Hybrid nanomaterials (HNMs) have become more interesting to researchers for various optoelectronic and biological applications. In response, this investigation focuses on the impact of loading ratios of (0, 1 %, 3 %, and 5 %) of HNMs from graphene oxide (GO) and silicon nitride (Si₃N₄). HNMs are utilized to reinforce blended polymers, including polyethylene oxide (PEO), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), and nano-polyaniline (PANI) to fabricate (PEO_100K–CMC–PANI/GO–Si₃N₄) using the developed sol–gel-ultrasonic procedure. X-ray diffraction revealed semi-crystalline behavior among all samples, while Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed strong physical interfacial interactions among the sample components. Meanwhile, field emission scanning electron and transmission electron microscopies showed a fine dispersion and a homogeneous matrix with significant changes. The optical absorption behavior revealed continuous high absorption peaks at 200–280-nm wavelengths, which strongly impacts (GO–Si₃N₄). Increases in concentration also strongly impact (GO–Si₃N₄), which results in an improved optical energy gap for the allowed and forbidden transitions from 3.5 eV for the blended polymer to 3 and 2.9 eV by increasing the HNM content. The contributions of HNMs notably enhance the ability to reduce the zones of the bacteria, especially Escherichia coli, from 18 to 26 mm. In effect, HNMs with a concentration higher than 5 % assist in inhibiting the growth of lung cancer (A549) cells. As such, these NCs present good optical behavior for multi-applications, such as biosensors and biological and optoelectronic devices.

Carbohydrate-based vaccines are an effective means for combating bacterial infections, particularly in the face of rising antibiotic resistance. This perspective provides an overview of carbohydrate vaccine against bacterial infections, from the earliest polysaccharide formulations to the latest synthetic constructs, and highlights the full engineering continuum encompassing carbohydrate antigen production, epitope mapping, conjugation chemistry, formulation, preclinical and clinical evaluation, and regulatory approval. By introducing the integrative framework of carbohydrate-based vaccine engineering (CVE), a unified perspective is provided to support both the optimization of current vaccine platforms and the rational design of next-generation glycoconjugate vaccines.