EurekAlert! News by Subject: Tech & Engineering - Home

Tech & Engineering

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 22-Apr-2026 07:16 ET (22-Apr-2026 11:16 GMT/UTC)

Natto your average food

Osaka Metropolitan University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Osaka Metropolitan University researchers discovered that the concentration of beneficial supersulfides increases significantly during the fermentation process of natto.

Journal: Nitric Oxide
Funder: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Fuji Foundation for Protein Research, Lotte Research Promotion Grant, Kobayashi Foundation, Mishima Kaiun Memorial Foundation, Osaka Metropolitan University Strategic Research Promotion Project for Young Researchers, Osaka Metropolitan University Strategic Research Promotion Project for Young Researchers, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science

SMART and NUS pioneer neural blueprint for human-like intelligence in soft robots

Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART)
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology’s (SMART) Mens, Manus & Machina (M3S) interdisciplinary research group, and National University of Singapore (NUS), alongside collaborators from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU Singapore), have developed an AI control system that enables soft robotic arms to learn a wide repertoire of motions and tasks once, then adjust to new scenarios on the fly without needing retraining or sacrificing functionality.

Journal: Science Advances

DNA provides a solution to our enormous data storage problem

Arizona State University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

In a pair of new studies, ASU researchers and their colleagues show how DNA, the molecule of life, can be harnessed to faithfully store enormous volumes of data and provide powerful encryption.

Journal: Nature Communications

Tropical peatlands are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions

Hokkaido University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

New research from Hokkaido University suggests that the climate impact of tropical peatlands could be significantly higher than previously thought.

Journal: AGU Advances

Innovation at a crossroads: Virginia Tech scientist calls for balance between research integrity and commercialization

Virginia Tech
Peer-Reviewed Publication

As federal policymakers weigh potential changes to how biomedical research is funded and regulated in the United States, a Virginia Tech scientist highlights the importance of preserving the nation’s ability to turn discovery into life‑saving therapies.

Journal: Nature Biotechnology

A mint idea becomes a game changer for medical devices

Flinders University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

After noticing that eating peppermint leaves from his drink significantly relieved his sore throat, Flinders' Professor Krasimir Vasilev decided to explore whether its bioactivity could be converted into a durable coating using plasma technology. His team created a nanoscale peppermint‑oil coating that protects against infection, inflammation and oxidative stress, while remaining compatible with human tissue and suitable for medical materials.

Journal: Small
Funder: National Health and Medical Research Council, ARC

Human-AI relationships in fiction: A theoretical cultural framework of AI representations

University of Tsukuba
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers at University of Tsukuba examined how artificial intelligence (AI) is represented in fictional media, including films, animation, literature, and games. Their analysis indicates that AI is portrayed not only as a technological tool, but also as a supporter, collaborative companion, and, in some cases, an equal partner. These portrayals highlight the diversity and evolution of imagined human-AI relationships across cultural narratives.

Journal: AI & Society

Unraveling the physics behind Kamchatka's 73-year earthquake cycle

University of Tsukuba
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A research team from University of Tsukuba and collaborating institutions has clarified why M9-class megathrust earthquakes recur off the Kamchatka Peninsula with an unusually short cycle of 73 years. By analyzing the rupture process of the 2025 event, the team demonstrated that this earthquake exhibited complex behavior that cannot be explained by conventional seismic-cycle models.

Journal: Seismica

No brain, no problem: What robots can learn from sea stars

University of Southern California
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Sea stars, creatures whose movement involves the coordination of hundreds of tiny tube feet to navigate complex environments – despite the lack of a central “brain.” Now, researchers at USC Viterbi School of Engineering are uncovering the secret behind this decentralized locomotion. This could revolutionize how we design autonomous robots.

Funder: FEDER Prostem Research Project, Interreg France- Wallonie-Vlaanderen, F.R.S.-FNRS Optopattern Project, FNRN