A team of Lehigh University researchers has successfully predicted abnormal grain growth in simulated polycrystalline materials for the first time—a development that could lead to the creation of stronger, more reliable materials for high-stress environments, such as combustion engines. A paper describing their novel machine learning method was recently published in Nature Computational Materials.

With the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), predictive medicine is becoming an important part of healthcare, especially in cancer treatment. Predictive medicine uses algorithms and data to help doctors understand how a cancer might continue to grow or react to specific drugs—making it easier to target precision treatment for individual patients. Now, researchers at the Institute for Genome Sciences at the University of Maryland School of Medicine set a foundation in two commentaries out this week for going beyond AI to find the best treatments for patients, as well as ethically data sharing to promote reproducible science.

 

Previous research has suggested the potential of copper-based fungicides to control ASR, inconsistent results left many growers uncertain about the products’ reliability. Now, a decade-long study provides conclusive evidence that copper fungicides offer a dependable solution.

An international team of researchers has developed an optical device that mimics the behavior of both black and white holes. The device can either absorb or reject light completely: the first ever demonstration of broadband coherent perfect absorption. Due to the novel geometry, the optical black hole acts by converting light falling on it into a standing wave and absorbs it deterministically in a thin absorber; for the optical white hole, light is rejected. Experimental demonstrations show the device functions as an optical black hole or optical white hole, offering potential applications in energy harvesting, detection systems, and stealth technologies. This breakthrough opens new possibilities for controlling and utilizing light across the electromagnetic spectrum.

A new study from Umeå University has revealed that the trees’ circadian clock guides their growth and the timing of seasonal events like the appearance of leaves in spring. The researchers investigated the growth of genetically modified poplars in greenhouse and field conditions, combining statistical learning and plant biology methods. Their findings suggest that adjusting clock-associated genes could help trees better synchronize with changing climates, offering new opportunities for forestry.

The researcher Markel Perez has analysed the most frequent situations faced by football goalkeepers. The aim is to compile data to facilitate the design of more effective training. The work stresses the importance of practising the deflections and first touch shots that are produced. The study, carried out together with the Eibar football club, is innovative in the academic field.