Welcome to In the Spotlight, where each month we shine a light on something exciting, timely, or simply fascinating from the world of science.
This month, we’re focusing on artificial intelligence (AI), a topic that continues to capture attention everywhere. Here, you’ll find the latest research news, insights, and discoveries shaping how AI is being developed and used across the world.
Latest News Releases
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 3-Nov-2026 07:16 ET (3-Nov-2026 12:16 GMT/UTC)
Scientists use AI to map hidden rules of stretchable electronics
KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Peer-Reviewed Publication
In a major step forward in wearable technology, researchers have used machine learning to reveal how stretching flexible materials impacts their electrical performance. The study shows that pulling a material in one direction can boost conductivity by over 50%, while pulling it in another can hinder it, providing a crucial design guide for future electronic skin and sensors.
- Journal
- Wearable Electronics
- Funder
- MOE Academic Research Fund Tier 1(RT9/23) and Tier 2
Bolstered interfacial field chemistry for deep fast‑charging aqueous zinc metal batteries
Shanghai Jiao Tong University Journal CenterPeer-Reviewed Publication
Deep fast-charging capability has become the core pursuit for practical applications of aqueous zinc metal batteries, yet it is critically impeded by unfavorable interfacial field evolution at the electrode/electrolyte interface under high-current–density conditions. The coexistence of sluggish Zn2+ desolvation, competitive H2O reduction corrosion, uneven electric field, and concentration field collectively leads to poor rate performance. To tackle these issues, a bolstered interfacial field chemistry strategy was developed via sulfosuccinic acid to precisely regulate the physicochemical and electrochemical properties within the inner Helmholtz plane. The tuned interfacial field comprises a homogeneous distribution of interfacial ions and electric fields, promoting fast desolvation and interfacial electron transfer. Consequently, the modified Zn||Cu asymmetric cells deliver an outstanding average Coulombic efficiency of 99.48% over 1600 cycles at 2 mA cm−2 and 1 mAh cm−2. Furthermore, the modified Zn||Zn symmetric cells demonstrate exceptional stability under challenging conditions of 5 mA cm−2, 2 mAh cm−2 (over 1600 h), and 10 mA cm−2, 10 mAh cm−2 (over 675 h, depth of discharge = 17.08%). Impressively, a substantial cumulative capacity of 3500 mAh cm−2 is attained at 10 mAh cm−2 and a 56.93% Zn utilization rate. Besides, the enhanced Zn (10 µm) ||I2 (10.87 mg cm−2) full cell sustains over 1490 cycles at 1 A g−1 with 77.13% capacity retention and a harsh N/P ratio of 2.31. Remarkably, the Zn (10 µm) ||I2 pouch cell achieves over 680 cycles with an ultralow N/P ratio of 2.04.
- Journal
- Nano-Micro Letters
How will AI impact the future of the clinical workforce?
Weill Cornell MedicineReports and Proceedings
Contrary to some predictions, the use of artificial intelligence (AI) agents could lead to more, not fewer, health care professionals working in the United States, according to a new article by a physician and health policy researcher at Weill Cornell Medicine who surveyed economic theory and the history of technology in health care.
- Journal
- New England Journal of Medicine
Researchers from Hainan University use neural network technology to accurately predict the discharge time of seawater metal air batteries
HEP Data Cooperation JournalsPeer-Reviewed Publication
An InceptionTime + PBAP deep time-series regression neural network is proposed to construct a nonlinear mapping relationship between electrochemical performance sequences and discharge termination time, providing a data-driven paradigm for catalyst evaluation and future engineering applications of seawater metal air batteries.
JMIR Publications and ZB MED extend flat-fee unlimited open access publishing agreement through 2028
JMIR PublicationsBusiness Announcement
AI discovers interpretable constitutive laws in solids directly from data
Eastern Institute of Technology, NingboPeer-Reviewed Publication
- Journal
- Science Advances