Previously, EMBL scientists developed a new microscope based on Brillouin scattering – a phenomenon where light interacts with naturally occurring thermal vibrations within materials, from which their mechanical properties can be deduced. This method has since been used for non-invasive and live-imaging applications in biology, and that advance was selected as one of The Guardian’s 10 biggest science stories of 2022. In a new paper, the same scientists have now succeeded in substantially further advancing Brillouin microscopy, making it approximately a thousand times faster and more efficient. Simultaneously, the new microscopy method expands the swath of material it can view – from a 100-pixel line to a ~10,000-pixel full plane, capturing  3D images quickly enough for live-organism observation.

In a pioneering study, researchers have successfully realized valley vortex states in water wave crystals, drawing parallels with phenomena observed in photonic crystals. This achievement advances the understanding of valley states in the classical wave domain and opens new avenues for potential applications in ocean energy extraction, marine engineering, and the development of coastal infrastructures.

Osaka Metropolitan University researchers have succeeded in establishing a method for producing recycled liquid fertilizer that contains high concentrations of phosphorus.