Researchers have designed and built the first 3D device that can make objects invisible to heat, an advance that could transform how we protect sensitive electronics, manage heat in microchips and shield equipment from thermal detection.

A new study published in Big Earth Data proposes a switching-based pervasive augmented reality (AR) framework that integrates location-based AR (LBAR), deep learning (DL), and context-awareness to improve landmark recognition and cultural heritage engagement in smart cities. Through end-to-end implementation and real-world testing in Tehran, the framework significantly enhanced landmark detection accuracy compared with conventional LBAR systems, while demonstrating high user satisfaction and potential for sustainable urban planning. The dataset used in this study is not shared publicly due to copyright restrictions. However, to support reproducibility, all source code developed for data preprocessing, model training, and evaluation has been made openly available at https://github.com/mhvahidnia/tehran-img-classification-webapp/.

A new study finds a widely-used technique for assessing the health of freshwater streams is not effective at detecting a range of water quality problems, including those related to acidity, oxygen levels, and presence of pathogens.

Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) and Southern Methodist University (SMU) are collaborating to advance solid-state battery technology. Solid-state batteries are safer, longer-lasting, and more efficient alternatives to traditional lithium-ion batteries, offering faster charging and greater energy storage potential. They are especially promising for powering electric vehicles, but current designs are held back by electrodes and interfaces that degrade over time. SwRI and SMU will address this bottleneck and work together to develop a more stable solid-state battery design architecture. 

Inside the cell nucleus, genes must be turned on and off with precision to regulate biological processes. The first models of gene regulation were developed in the 1960s, yet modern science continues to uncover new layers of control. A new study involving researchers from the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), the Institut Pasteur and Princeton University, published in PNAS, now suggests that genes obey an optimal switching principle—random at any given moment, yet precise on average.

Progress in chemistry is often gradual, with some of its most important advances taking years – sometimes decades – to unfold. A case in point is the discovery of a novel ‘ferrocenophane’ from the class of compounds known as ‘sandwich molecules’ – so named because of their particular structure. In a ferrocenophane, the ‘bread slices’ are two carbon rings that enclose an iron atom as the sandwich ‘filling’. A team of chemists at Saarland University has now succeeded in developing a highly unusual bent sandwich molecule that opens up new possibilities for designing iron-containing materials.

Researchers report a new lightweight cast aluminium alloy that is both exceptionally strong and remarkably ductile, making it a promising material for aerospace, automotive, and energy applications.