How does the Earth generate its magnetic field? While the basic mechanisms seem to be understood, many details remain unresolved. A team of researchers from the Center for Advanced Systems Understanding (CASUS) at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Sandia National Laboratories in the USA and the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) has introduced a simulation method that promises new insights into the Earth’s core. The method simulates not only the behavior of atoms, but also the magnetic properties of materials. The approach is significant for geophysics, but could also support the development of future technologies such as neuromorphic computing — an innovative approach to more efficient AI systems. The team presents its findings in the journal PNAS (DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2408897121).

When analyzing artworks, understanding the visual clarity of compositions is crucial. Inspired by digital artists, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) researchers from the Mechanics and Materials Unit have created a metric to quantify clarity in digital images. As a result, scientists can accurately capture changes in structure during artistic processes and physical transformations.  

This new metric can improve analysis and decision-making across the scientific and creative domains, potentially transforming how we understand and evaluate the structure of images. It has been tested on digital artworks and physical systems. The research is published in the journal PNAS.  

Researchers have conducted a systematic review of conductive hydrogels, examining their electrical and mechanical properties in relation to different types of conductive fillers. They also highlighted recent advancements in applications such as wearable sensors and electrical stimulation, while outlining future directions and strategies for hydrogel-based electronics in health monitoring and therapeutic applications.

Excited state dynamics are essential for understanding fluorescence properties in molecules, impacting their application in technologies. Recent research at Shinshu University explores how molecular structure and geometry influence light emission in aggregation-induced emission molecules. The study reveals that changes in molecular shape affect emission behavior in both solution and solid states. These insights are crucial for advancing applications like organic light-emitting diodes and bioimaging, enabling innovations in material design and energy interactions.

An Osaka Metropolitan University research team has discovered proteins with emulsifying action that can be readily released from yeast cell walls. One of them exhibited emulsifying activity comparable to that of casein, a milk-derived emulsifier.