Radiation-proof hybrid materials developed at the University of Helsinki work reliably under radiochemical conditions, enabling cleaner separation of rare earth elements — and offering future possibilities for recovery from electronic waste.

Heatwaves are arriving sooner and becoming hotter, with the United Kingdom recording May 25 as its hottest day in May since tracking began more than a century ago, only for the record to break again the next day. While humans can turn to artificial means of cooling, such as air conditioning or swimming pools, plants are left to cope with heat and frequently co-occurring droughts on their own. Sarah M. Assmann, Waller Professor of Biology at Penn State, is working to better understand how plants respond to environmental signals — and is applying that understanding to develop crops more resilient to environmental stress.

At Rice University, a soccer ball can become a lesson in force and motion. A goal post can open the door to engineering design. A robot can help students see the connection between coding, teamwork and play. That is the idea behind Rice STEM-Letics, a summer camp hosted by the university’s Center for STEM Engagement (R-STEM) and Rice Athletics that introduces students in grades three through five to science, technology, engineering and math through sports and hands-on activities. 

Weill Cornell Medicine anesthesiologist Dr. Gunisha Kaur, B.S. ’06, M.D. ’10, has been appointed to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an independent, bipartisan legislative branch agency that globally monitors the universal right to freedom of religion or belief.

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Manufacturing Demonstration Facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have introduced an innovation in additive manufacturing by integrating origami-inspired 3D printing techniques with hybrid composites. By eliminating the need for molds to fabricate a part, this process produces lightweight, cost-efficient structures with faster build times and greater adaptability.

For families, the burden of this treatment is staggering, stretching emotional and financial resources to the breaking point. Yet health experts worldwide agree on one crucial fact: combining sustained blood donation efforts with effective prevention strategies offers the most promising pathway toward reducing the long-term impact of thalassemia.