A new study suggests that dark matter may consist of particles with different masses. By introducing a two-component self-interacting dark matter model, the researchers show that both the low-density cores of dwarf galaxies and the unexpectedly dense substructures seen in strong gravitational lensing can be explained within a single framework, offering new insight into the nature of dark matter.

Recent experiments on twisted MoTe₂ have observed the fractional quantum anomalous Hall effect in the absence of an external magnetic field. Now, a theoretical study employing a real-space lattice model and precision many-body calculations presents a comprehensive ground-state phase diagram and elucidates the finite-temperature and dynamical behaviors of the system. The work reveals competing phases, including fractional Chern insulators and quantum anomalous Hall crystals, and identifies experimentally testable energy scales.

Researchers have developed a novel capillary slit self-assembly method to produce freestanding graphene laminate films with high areal capacitance and exceptional cycling stability, offering a promising solution for more efficient and durable supercapacitors.

A new perspective article outlines a roadmap for harnessing light emission from individual molecules. By precisely controlling currents through a single molecule, researchers can generate light with unparalleled spatial precision. This “single-molecule electroluminescence” technology, controlled via nanocavity plasmon, interface engineering, electric-field modulation, and molecular design, could lead to ultra-efficient quantum light sources, molecular-scale LEDs, and programmable optoelectronic chips for future computers.

Bacteriophages are viruses that can kill bacteria through highly specific interactions. While this property can be beneficial in selected applications, bacteriophages represent a serious threat to laboratories and industries that rely on bacterial cultures for production. Their selective inactivation remains a major challenge. Recently, researchers from the Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences in Poland, demonstrated an innovative solution that enables targeting the surface of bacteriophage through electrostatic interactions as a promising strategy for their inactivation without adversely affecting bacterial strains or eukaryotic cells.

A research team led by Prof. Kenward VONG, Assistant Professor from the Department of Chemistry at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has recently achieved a significant breakthrough by bioengineering a new type of glycan-targeting system known as “lectin-directed protein aggregation therapy (LPAT)”. Using this technology, they developed a therapy capable of preventing the onset and growth of metastatic breast cancers in mouse models.

A newly developed ceramic material shows record-high proton conductivity at intermediate temperatures while remaining chemically stable, report researchers from Japan. Efficient hydrogen-to-electricity conversion is critical for hydrogen-based clean energy technologies, but few materials combine chemical stability with efficient proton conductivity. Thanks to an innovative donor co-doping strategy, the proposed ceramic material features increased proton concentration and mobility, realizing exceptional conductivity and stability under CO₂, O₂, and H₂ environments.