AIP has awarded $25,000 to the PhET Interactive Simulations project at the University of Colorado Boulder for the team’s proposed project, “Electricity and Magnetism with PhET Interactive Simulations: A Professional Learning Course and Community for Teachers.” PhET Interactive Simulations is an open educational resource that allows students to simulate science experiments online and hosts more than 170 free interactive simulations in physics, chemistry, biology, earth science, and math.

The development of a new tool for testing the eyesight of children under three could mean more children receive treatment for vision difficulties earlier, leading to positive effects on learning and development.

Children under three struggle with the precise tests used for older children. With that in mind, researchers from the School of Optometry & Vision Science at the University of Waterloo created the Waterloo Differential Acuity Test (WatDAT), a new method for measuring vision equally precisely in younger toddlers.

Blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is essential for non-invasively investigating brain function. However, conventional fMRI methods are limited by low spatial and temporal resolution. This narrative review evaluates recent advancements in deep learning techniques for high-resolution BOLD-fMRI reconstruction, focusing on super-resolution, segmentation, and image registration. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed, IEEE, Scopus, and Web of Science databases for the period 2000–2023. Studies employing deep learning methods, including convolutional neural networks, transformer-based models, and generative adversarial networks for super-resolution, segmentation, and registration of BOLD-fMRI, were included. Deep learning approaches demonstrated significant improvements in spatial resolution, segmentation accuracy, and registration robustness. Convolutional neural network-based models, particularly generative adversarial networks, notably improved image reconstruction quality and detail preservation. Preliminary studies targeting specific brain regions such as the cerebellum and hippocampus showed promise; however, systematic evaluations across broader brain areas and large-scale clinical validations remain limited. While deep learning techniques have led to substantial advancements in high-resolution BOLD-fMRI reconstruction, future research should focus on standardized protocols, multi-center validation, and improving computational efficiency and model generalization to enhance clinical utility.

A review paper by scientists at the Harbin Institute of Technology proposed the signal-enhancing mechanisms of MNMs in single-modal imaging and explored multimodal applications through MNMs-probe design and discusses artificial intelligence-driven intelligent MNMs for precision imaging.

The new research paper, published on Sep. 10 in the journal Cyborg and Bionic Systems, presented recent advancements in their applications for multimodal imaging and integration with artificial intelligence (AI)-driven technologies.

Diverse life forms exist on and within the ocean floor. These primarily consist of microbes, tiny organisms that can cope with extreme environmental conditions. These include high pressures and salinities, as well as extreme pH values and a limited supply of nutrients. A team of researchers has now been able to detect microbial life in two newly discovered mud volcanoes with very high pH values. Their findings have been published in the professional journal Communications Earth & Environment.

AMHERST, Mass. — An app that turns consumer Apple Watches into tools for highly sophisticated sleep stage monitoring was developed by team of researchers led by professor Joyita Dutta at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The researchers say the app and corresponding AI code are convenient and effective alternatives to existing costly and complex sleep study equipment and protocols.