A new study led by a pair of researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst turns long-held conventional wisdom about a certain type of polymer on its head, greatly expanding understanding of how some of biochemistry’s fundamental forces work. The study, released recently in Nature Communications, opens the door for new biomedical research running the gamut from analyzing and identifying proteins and carbohydrates to drug delivery.

As global demand for electric vehicles and renewable energy storage surges, so does the need for affordable and sustainable battery technologies. A new study led by researchers from the Department of Materials Science and NanoEngineering at Rice University, along with collaborators from Baylor University and the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Thiruvananthapuram, has introduced an innovative solution that could impact electrochemical energy storage technologies. The research was recently published in the journal Advanced Functional Materials.

In Physics of Fluids, researchers have developed a foolproof recipe for cacio e pepe, based on their findings studying the physics of mixing cheese in water and determining the mechanism that causes the cheese sauce to go from creamy to clumpy. The team found that a 2%-3% starch-to-cheese ratio produced the smoothest, most uniform sauce; they recommend using powdered starch, rather than relying on an unknown amount of starch in pasta water.

The state-of-the-art digital detector array, developed by the Institute of Modern Physics offers a high - precision measurement tool for the study of exotic nuclei decay. This system demonstrates unique advantages in accurately measuring rare decay processes such as β-delayed proton emission, α decay, and direct proton radioactivity. Verified by experiments on the radioactive isotope ³²Ar and its neighboring nuclei, the system achieves excellent timing and energy resolution, promoting our understanding of nuclear structure and astrophysical processes.

A research paper by scientists at University of Rome Tor Vergata represented proof of principle of the use of optically-induced dielectrophoresis (ODEP) analysis for the classification of patient-derived endometrial stromal cells, which could be exploited to help clinicians to stratify patients experiencing reproductive failure.

Fraunhofer IAF has developed a monolithic bidirectional switch with a blocking voltage of 1200 V using its GaN-on-insulator technology. The switch contains two free-wheeling diodes and can deliver performance and efficiency benefits in bidirectional chargers and drives for electric vehicles as well as in systems for generating and storing renewable energy. The results will be presented together with other developments in power electronics from May 6 to 8, 2025, at PCIM Europe in Nuremberg.