A team of researchers at the Ming Hsieh Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at USC has created a new breakthrough in photonics: the design of the first optical device that follows the emerging framework of optical thermodynamics. The work, reported in Nature Photonics, introduces a fundamentally new way of routing light in nonlinear systems—meaning systems that do not require switches, external control, or digital addressing. Instead, light naturally finds its way through the device, guided by simple thermodynamic principles. The implications of the new approach extend far beyond the laboratory. As computing and data processing continue to push the limits of traditional electronics, various companies—including chip designers —are exploring optical interconnects as a way to move information faster and more efficiently. By providing a natural, self-organizing way to direct light signals, however, optical thermodynamics could accelerate the development of such technologies. Beyond chip-scale data routing, the framework may also influence telecommunications, high-performance computing, and even secure information processing, offering a path toward devices that are both simpler and more powerful.

A new peer-reviewed study published in Science of the Total Environment sheds light on the persistent chemical contaminants left behind at illegal cannabis cultivation sites, also known as “trespass grows,” on California’s federally managed lands. The research, conducted by scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in partnership with the Integral Ecology Research Center (IERC) and with support from the U.S. Forest Service Law Enforcement and Investigations, provides the most comprehensive look to date at how pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and other organic pollutants linger long after grow sites have been abandoned.

Researchers in China have developed a modified biochar made from biogas residue that can efficiently remove ammonium nitrogen from water, offering a low-cost and sustainable solution to agricultural pollution.

The rapid production and distribution of chemicals in the environment means that regulatory risk assessment can no longer keep pace with their ever-increasing number. This is the conclusion reached by two authors from ETH Zurich and RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau. In their study of global chemical pollution, they provide an overview of particularly problematic chemical groups, such as PFAS and pesticides, and advocate comprehensive changes to address the associated risks to humans and the environment more effectively. The study was published in the 50th issue of the Annual Review of Environment and Resources journal.

Researchers from Shandong Normal University and the Australian National University have developed a new class of metasurfaces that integrate coupled-resonator optical waveguide physics into planar structures. The design produces photonic flatbands with ultrahigh quality factors and enables chiral responses to circularly polarized light, overcoming long-standing challenges in metasurface engineering. Verified through both simulations and experiments, the approach demonstrates multifunctional high-Q metasurfaces that can uniformly trap and control light across wide angles. The findings open pathways for applications in quantum optics, sensing, communications, and flat-optics devices.