The cherry harvest wrapped up months ago. But in Michigan, some growers are already anticipating the spring resurgence of a tiny raptor that could benefit next season’s crop. As birds of prey, American kestrels deter smaller birds that like to snack on farmers’ fruit. New research shows they reduce the likelihood of cherry damage more than tenfold. But the study suggests that these winged security guards may have an additional benefit: food safety.

Researchers from The University of Osaka developed mirror-image semiconductor polymer molecules for organic solar cells. The new acceptor molecules prevent recombination of electrons and holes by generating currents with spin-polarization of about 70% in which one electron spin dominates. Solar cells containing the new acceptors showed three times higher efficiency than the non-mirror-image version. Using mirror-image acceptor molecules provides a new way of increasing efficiency in clean energy technology.

A research team at Kumamoto University (Japan) has unveiled a new mathematical framework that makes it possible to accurately model systems using multiple sensors that operate at different sensing rates. This breakthrough could pave the way for safer autonomous vehicles, smarter robots, and more reliable sensor networks.

As the semiconductor industry enters the era beyond Moore's Law, the drive for atomic-scale precision in surface planarization becomes more critical than ever. Recognizing this challenge, researchers from Tsinghua have reported a comprehensive review outlining the recent advances, inherent challenges, and future directions of atomic-scale chemical mechanical polishing (CMP). Their work synthesizes the interdisciplinary efforts necessary to transcend existing limitations in materials processing and manufacturing precision, paving the way toward the next frontier of semiconductor device fabrication.

An interdisciplinary research team lead by Harbin Institute of Technology has developed a multifunctional biphasic bone scaffold featuring a "steel-cement" structure using eggshells waste. This scaffold integrates a rigid lattice (biosteel) with a bioactive hydrogel (biocement) loaded with composite drug-releasing particles, facilitating anti-infective and osteogenic functions. With adjustable mechanical properties, biodegradability, and intelligent responsiveness, this scaffold demonstrates significant potential for precise, sustainable, and dynamic bone regeneration.

This study not only demonstrates the high-value transformation of waste biological resources but also provides new ideas for advancing bone regeneration toward intelligent and personalized therapeutic paradigms.

Researchers at the University of Sydney have cracked a long-standing problem in microchip-scale lasers by carving ‘tiny speed bumps’ into the devices’ optical cavity in their quest to produce exceptionally ‘clean’ light. This exquisitely narrow spectrum light could be used in future quantum computers, advanced navigation systems, ultra-fast communications networks and precision sensors.