Foliar application of ZnO nanoparticles at booting outperforms ZnSO₄ in direct-seeded rice, simultaneously raising polished grain Zn, spikelets per panicle and 1000-grain weight while lowering amylose and chalkiness. Transcriptomics links these gains to upregulated α-amylase genes (OsAmy1C, OsRAmy1A) and suppressed cytokinin-degrading OsCKX2, revealing a nano-specific transcriptional rewiring that breaks the yield–quality trade-off.

STMicroelectronics and the National University of Singapore officially launched the ST–NUS HELIX Corporate Lab on 24 August 2026. This is a four-year strategic research initiative focused on advancing the next generation of edge AI technologies. HELIX, which stands for Hardware for Embodied Low-power Intelligent Xcceleration, will enable new generative and embodied AI use cases at the edge through system-to-silicon innovation.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection lacks widely available antiviral therapies. In this study, researchers established a CHIKV replicon particle-based high-content screening platform and identified three antiviral compounds, MDL-12330A, bazedoxifene acetate, and anidulafungin. These compounds displayed distinct antiviral profiles by targeting different stages of the CHIKV life cycle, providing new insights into host–virus interactions and potential antiviral strategies.

Technology Developed to Control Microbial Communities in Activated Sludge at Nitrogen Removal Treatment Plants

Kyoto, Japan -- For more than two decades, silicon carbide -- SiC -- has been promoted as the key to developing extreme-environment electronics. Yet despite its promise, the field has remained stuck at the stage of basic research, so far failing to result in the development of practical devices. Now, a team of researchers at Kyoto University has set about to change that.

"We believe the lack of development is because the research community has been trying to apply silicon-era thinking to a fundamentally different material," says first author Mitsuaki Kaneko.

The team focused on junction field-effect transistors, also known as JFETs. Previous research has suggested that complementary JFETs, based on SiC JFETs, can be applied to low-power integrated circuits for operation in extreme environments. However, the JFETs that the researchers created previously -- which had conventional top-gate structures fabricated in semi-insulating SiC substrates -- suffered from low controllability and large leakage currents at high temperatures. This motivated the team to set their sights on solving these two issues, which they knew would be essential for practical use.

Researchers from Institute of Engineering and Rural Technology & Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology Allahabad, Prayagraj, India, have developed and experimentally evaluated a filament extrusion system for converting waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) into filament suitable for fused filament fabrication 3D printing. The study demonstrates a practical route for giving discarded PET a second life as a material for additive manufacturing.

The recycled PET filament was prepared from the post-consumer PET waste using the developed extrusion system. For reference material, PLA pellets were also taken to produce filament. The resulting filaments were then used to produce 3D printed specimens for mechanical testing.

The recycled PET specimens demonstrated competitive mechanical performance compared with PLA, highlighting the potential of recycled PET as a feedstock for filament-based 3D printing.

OUS students developed a hands-on supply chain workshop using LEGO bricks to introduce high school students to Toyota’s Lean concepts, including Kanban, Kaizen, and waste reduction. Through a competitive manufacturing simulation, participants experienced how reducing inventory, improving communication, and responding to demand can increase supply chain efficiency. The workshop also gave OUS students an opportunity to translate business theory into an engaging learning experience for the next generation.

A new purple cooling fabric developed by Chinese and Australian researchers could help people stay cooler during scorching summer days without having to resort to wearing white.

-  Joint research team led by Professor Kang Taek Lee and Professor EunAe Cho uses a 3D digital twin to reveal localized degradation mechanisms during fast charging

- Study shows how the spatial distribution of binder and pore phase affects fast-charging performance and battery degradation

-  Findings provide a new electrode design strategy for faster-charging, longer-lasting lithium-ion batteries