In the International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing, researchers addressed the challenge of balancing physical resolution and sensing distance in flexible capacitive dual-mode proximity-tactile sensor, a design inspired by the pupillary near reflex of the human eye.

The “Antscan” web platform is the world’s largest digital database of 3D insect data. It is the result of an international and interdisciplinary cooperation initiated by Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) in Japan. The project combines innovative 3D imaging, optimized data processing, and artificial intelligence (AI). The platform is freely accessible to researchers, teachers, and the interested public. Publication in the Nature Methods scientific journal. (DOI: 10.1038/s41592-026-03005-0).

To better understand how microplastics move through the body, researchers at Tokyo University of Science, Japan, have developed fluorescent nano-sized microplastics that can be tracked in real time using deep-tissue imaging. By loading common plastics with a fluorescent dye, they observed how particles of varying shapes and sizes travel through the digestive tract before being excreted in mice. These realistic microplastic models provide a powerful platform for studying their behavior and assessing potential health risks.

Researchers leveraged advanced technologies and artificial intelligence to hasten the process of generating 2,000 3D digital ant images. Now, a class of UMD computer science majors is working to bring the data to life.

Why does a Caribbean angelfish sometimes resemble its Indo-Pacific cousin, even though they have never lived in the same ocean? Why do coral reefs harbour such a wide range of stripes, spots and patterns? A study conducted by the University of Liège reveals that this explosion of colour patterns is not the result of chance. The more species a reef is home to, the more varied the patterns, and fish from different oceans often end up looking alike, guided by the same deep biological constraints.