Researchers at Rice University, UTHealth School of Dentistry, and The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center have developed a smartphone-based imaging system, mDOC, to help dental professionals identify patients who may need referral for oral cancer evaluation. The device captures white light and autofluorescence images of the mouth and uses a machine learning algorithm to assess risk. In a study of 50 patients at community dental clinics, the system demonstrated 60 percent sensitivity and 88 percent specificity in identifying lesions requiring expert review—outperforming standard clinical exams. The technology offers a fast, low-cost tool to support early detection and timely referral in routine dental care settings.

For the first time, researchers from Florida International University (FIU), working in collaboration with the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, have detected a dozen different “forever chemicals” known as PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) within the Miccosukee Indian Reservation in the Everglades. The findings, published in Environmental Research, raise new questions about potential impacts to water quality, ecosystem health and ongoing Everglades restoration efforts.

A team from the the Universitat Jaume I (UJI) has developed an innovative robotic platform, powered by artificial intelligence, that promises to revolutionize the design of sustainable chemical processes. The system, named Reac-Discovery, makes it possible to optimize in just a few days what previously could take months or even years of work in a traditional laboratory, thanks to its high level of integration and automation.

In the search for eco-friendly alternatives to synthetic herbicides, researchers from Kyushu University, Japan, have identified a potent, weed-inhibiting compound in the leaves of the Manchurian walnut tree (Juglans mandshurica Maxim.). The discovery of the compound, 2Z-decaprenol, and its unique mode of action on plants could lead to the development of more sustainable herbicides. The study was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

A team of researchers at the Departments of Physical Chemistry and Organic Chemistry of the University of Malaga and The Biomimetic Dendrimers and Photonic Laboratory of the research institute IBIMA Plataforma BIONAND has achieved a breakthrough with Malaga signature that combines materials science and biomedicine. They have developed a new family of fluorescent molecules with promising applications in the study of living cells and the medicine of the future.

Single-photon sources are key components of quantum communication technologies. However, conventional designs use decoupled single-photon emitters and photon transmission methods, resulting in high transmission loss, limiting practical applicability. Now, researchers from Japan have developed a new method, where a single rare-earth ion is used to generate and guide single photons directly within an optical fiber at room temperature. It is low cost and can become a key component of upcoming quantum communication technologies.