A research team at the College of Science, National University of Defense Technology has proposed a compact way to generate and manipulate relativistic mid-infrared light using transversely magnetized plasma. Their studies demonstrated that a magnetized plasma can function as a relativistic waveplate, enabling both frequency conversion and polarization manipulation within a single laser-plasma interaction process. The advance points to a new class of plasma optical components capable of operating in regimes far beyond conventional optical devices.

The Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS, President Dr. Lee Ho Seong) has developed an ultra-sensitive immunoassay-based analytical platform that can detect and quantify trace amounts of “Small Excised Damaged DNA (sedDNA)” fragments generated during cellular DNA repair. This technology enables highly sensitive detection with quantification down to the level of several thousand molecules, measuring up to 22 times more DNA fragments than conventional methods. It provides a new analytical foundation for comparing DNA repair capacity between individuals and studying cellular responses to anticancer drugs and carcinogenic agents.

Seoul National University College of Engineering announced that a research team led by Prof. Seung Hwan Ko of the Department of Mechanical Engineering has developed an artificial skin technology that enables robots to sense temperature and pressure simultaneously, similar to human skin.

This review examines how indigenous water-harvesting systems have helped dryland communities manage scarce water for centuries. It shows that many are now declining due to groundwater pumping, migration, climate change, policy shifts, weak maintenance, urbanization and natural disasters. The authors argue that revitalizing these systems can improve water access, agriculture, livestock production, groundwater recharge and flood control, while preserving traditional knowledge. Combined with appropriate modern technologies and supportive policies, these systems can strengthen water resilience in arid and semi-arid regions.

Medical advancements over the last several decades have made great strides in the treatment of HIV. Pharmaceutical treatments are able to contain and reduce a patient’s viral load to the point where it is nearly undetectable. But a cure remains frustratingly elusive due to the virus’s ability to evade the immune system. Researchers from Drexel University and the University of Pennsylvania, who specialize in modulating immune responses, have offered a new approach — one that’s likely familiar to anyone who has dealt with pest removal: setting a trap.

The Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS, President Dr. Lee Ho Seong) has developed a toxicity assessment system that automatically measures and analyzes the heart rate of the Daphnia magna. Capable of processing heart rate data from approximately 150 individuals per hour, the system can assess the toxic effects of pollutants at low concentrations more sensitively than conventional methods that rely on average values from a small number of specimens. The technology is expected to help detect early warning signs of hazardous nanomaterials and environmental pollutants before more visible effects appear.