DDT soil pollution is still a major problem in many parts of the world. Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, have developed a new method to manage ecological risks from the toxin by binding it with biochar. When they mixed biochar into contaminated soil at a former tree nursery, DDT uptake by earthworms in the soil was halved. This method may enable the growing of certain crops on land that is currently considered unusable due to the environmental risks.

Paper-thin optical lenses simple enough to mass produce like microchips could enable a new generation of compact optical devices. A team with researchers at the University of Tokyo and JSR Corp. fabricated and tested flat lenses called Fresnel zone plates (FZPs), but did so for the first time using only common semiconductor manufacturing equipment, the i-line stepper, for the first time. These flat lenses currently lack the efficiency of in-production lenses, but have the potential to reshape optics for industries ranging from astronomy to health care and consumer electronics.

Why are people in some regions happier and healthier than in other regions? For the first time, an international team of historians, psychologists, and economists has linked ancient Roman borders to today’s differences in personality, health and well-being across regions. ‘Our study shows how historical events from thousands of years ago can leave long-lasting psychological effects on populations today,’ says lead researcher Martin Obschonka from the University of Amsterdam.

Genetic changes are a significant cause of infertility, impacting over 15% of the global population. TLE6, a major protein involved in early embryonic development, is known to affect female fertility. In this study, researchers unravel its role in male fertility using a novel Tle6-deficient mouse model. Abnormal sperm morphology with a marked reduction in sperm count and motility highlighted the role of Tle6 in sperm function and production, and its potential association with male infertility.

An estimated 800 million people's food and income are threatened by rapidly spreading cassava diseases. But in good news for cassava breeders and farmers, breakthrough research has established the pathogens and the first diagnostic tests for two diseases: Cassava Frogskin Disease and Cassava Witches’ Broom Disease. This achievement can revolutionize cassava disease management across Latin America and the Caribbean as well as Southeast Asia, where farmers and researchers have been working side-by-side to fight the spread of these diseases for decades.

In an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary study, an international team led by the University of Vienna and the Danish Technical University/Umea University examined the social risks for Arctic regions associated with thawing permafrost. They identified five key risks related to infrastructure, transport and supply, water quality, food security and health. The scientists found that the thawing permafrost posed an increased risk of exposure to infectious diseases and release of contaminants, and interruptions of supply routes. The study has been published in the renowned journal Communications Earth and Environment.