Supernovae appear to our eyes—and to astronomical instruments—as brilliant flashes that flare up in the sky without warning, in places where nothing was visible just moments before. The flash is caused by the colossal explosion of a star. Because supernovae are sudden and unpredictable, they have long been difficult to study, but today, thanks to extensive, continuous, high-cadence sky surveys, astronomers can discover new ones almost daily.

It is crucial, however, to develop protocols and methods that detect them promptly; only in that way can we understand the events and celestial bodies that triggered them. In a pilot study, Lluís Galbany of the Institute of Space Sciences (ICE-CSIC) in Barcelona and his colleagues present a methodology that can obtain the earliest possible spectra of supernovae—ideally within 48 hours, or even 24 hours, of the “first light.” The results have just been published in the Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics (JCAP).

Dual-comb spectroscopy (DCS) is a powerful tool for molecular spectroscopy and gas sensing but remains limited by quantum shot noise. Scientists in China have developed a quantum correlation-enhanced DCS technique that surpasses this barrier, enabling the detection of signals previously hidden beneath noise. Compatible with various spectroscopic platforms, this breakthrough holds promise for ultra-sensitive trace gas detection, precision metrology, and chemical analysis, pushing the limits of what’s possible in modern spectroscopy.

Biological tissues like skin, arteries, and cartilage have a non-linear strain-stiffening relationship. Some biomimetic hydrogel scaffolds have been successful in effectively replicating this behavior. However, achieving structural complexity in such strain-stiffening hydrogels has been difficult. A recent Research study has demonstrated an innovative and efficient technique, immersion phase separation 3D printing, to fabricate structurally complex tissues with strain-stiffening properties. These hydrogel scaffolds can pave the way for biomimetic, patient-specific implants in the future.

A research team reported in International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing has created a “smart” hydrogel-coated surface that can instantly switch its properties to separate oil and water with remarkable precision. By combining laser-etched micro–nano structures with a dual-component hydrogel, the surface achieves record-breaking separation speeds—up to 17,750 liters per square meter per hour—while maintaining over 99% efficiency and resisting fouling.

Researchers from The University of Osaka used electricity to drive a reaction to form a novel hetero[8]circulene consisting of five hexagons and three pentagons (called a dioxaza[8]circulene). The dioxaza[8]circulene is unsymmetrical, unlike existing hetero[8]circulenes. The novel molecule can be produced from commercially available materials by a two-step method that simultaneously forms six new bonds with only water as a byproduct. The dioxaza[8]circulene may have potential as a photocatalyst, and be used to speed up reactions triggered by light.

A new study, led by University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa oceanographers, revealed that the ocean is acidifying even more rapidly below the surface in the open waters of the North Pacific near Hawai‘i. 

More trees will cool the climate and suppress fires, but mainly if planted in the tropics, according to a new UC Riverside study.