The analytical results reveal a clear transition between a regime governed by the snow slab that detaches and another governed by the weak layer, or its interface, along which the fracture propagates. In the presence of a stiffer weak layer or interface, the crack may 'feel' a local stiffness greater than the global one, and therefore appear to propagate at a globally supersonic speed while remaining locally subsonic. This finding at least partially reconciles the different interpretations reported in the avalanche literature and is based on a characteristic energy length previously introduced to explain the two propagation regimes that had already emerged from numerical studies.

A team from the University of São Paulo has developed an algorithm for optimal pruning that makes trees less vulnerable to wind tunnels. The goal is to create an app to guide human work.

The discovery of twisted graphene moiré superlattices has opened new avenues for exploring low-dimensional quantum states of matter. This review summarizes recent experimental and theoretical advances in twisted graphene systems, focusing on electron correlation, unconventional superconductivity, and topological states emerging from moiré flatbands, while highlighting their underlying mechanisms, characterization techniques, key open questions and future research directions.

Osaka Metropolitan University researchers have developed a new model that can explain why increasing ultrasound past a certain point hinders chemical reactions rather than continuing to boost them. Their simulations revealed that the interactions between ultrasound waves and cavitation bubbles create sounds that distort the acoustic field and reduce reaction efficiency.

Professor Xuhua He, Chair Professor in the Department of Mathematics under the Faculty of Science at The University of Hong Kong (HKU), has been elected Vice President of the International Mathematical Union (IMU). At 47, Professor He is the youngest Vice-President to join the Union’s leadership in nearly two decades, and only the second Chinese mathematician to hold this prestigious position since the IMU’s inception. The appointment was formally announced on 21 July at the IMU General Assembly in New York, USA.

As the use of artificial intelligence for mental health conditions grows for both patients seeking support and psychiatrists treating them, West Virginia University researchers put ChatGPT-5 Pro to the test to determine its abilities on the psychiatry educational front. Their research showed human supervision is still a top priority when it comes to ensuring patient safety and ethical use of the tool for medical training.

Cadmium contamination threatens agricultural productivity and food safety worldwide. At the same time, microplastics are becoming increasingly common in farmland soils. A new global meta-analysis shows that when these two pollutants occur together, microplastics can sometimes reduce the harmful effects of cadmium on plants by limiting its uptake and movement through plant tissues.