Struggling with hysteresis and slow computing in high-speed nano-positioning systems? A new study in Engineering presents a neural-network-based switching controller paired with an FPGA–CPU dual-layer framework to tackle these issues. Designed for piezoelectric nano-stages, the approach stabilizes tracking under switching reference signals and supports reliable nanoscale manipulation. Verified by experiments, it delivers improved precision for precision manufacturing and detection tasks.

Soil salinity threatens global farmland, but a new Engineering study offers a sustainable solution. Researchers found that delivering halotolerant plant growth-promoting bacteria through drip irrigation greatly eases salt stress for jujube trees. This method cuts soil salinity, lifts yield and fruit quality, reshapes beneficial soil bacteria, and boosts plant stress resistance. It’s a practical, low-cost way to support crops in saline soils.

Understanding the Sun’s active regions is crucial for predicting space weather, but scientists have historically lacked continuous, detailed measurements of the Sun's hidden far side. New research by a team of scientists led by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) National Solar Observatory have developed a novel approach to estimate the magnetic configuration of these hidden regions using helioseismic data (sound waves within the Sun). The method relies on crucial helioseismic data including measurements from the NSF-NOAA Global Oscillation Network Group (NSF-NOAA GONG), operated by NSO with support from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This breakthrough paves the way for a more complete, full-Sun map of magnetic activity when combined with observations of the front-side to improve simulations of the solar environment and help forecasters anticipate potentially hazardous solar events.

Researchers developed nitrogen-rich supports that electronically regulate a cobalt phthalocyanine catalyst, enabling selective electrochemical conversion of CO₂ into methanol under neutral conditions. The best catalyst, CoPc/TiN, achieved a methanol Faradaic efficiency of 53.28% at −1.0 V. The study reveals that support-induced electronic tuning stabilizes key intermediates and promotes the methanol pathway.

Professor Lim Chwee Teck, NUSS Chair Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, has been elected an International Member of the US National Academy of Engineering (NAE). This election is one of the highest professional honours accorded to engineers worldwide and recognises individuals who have made outstanding contributions to engineering research, practice, and leadership.

Professor Cheng-Wei Qiu (Provost’s Chair, NUS Electrical and Computer Engineering) has been named the 2026 recipient of the Joseph Fraunhofer Award/Robert M. Burley Prize, one of the highest honours in optical science and engineering, by Optica.