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Tech & Engineering

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 10-Jun-2026 14:16 ET (10-Jun-2026 18:16 GMT/UTC)

Fighting superbugs with nets and light switches

ETH Zurich
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A novel water-based gel, also known as a hydrogel, not only fights bacteria but also calms inflammation, thereby actively supporting wound healing.

The material functions like a net, catching bacteria and then killing them when triggered by a light pulse.

The gel has proven highly effective against the antibiotic-resistant MRSA bacteria in animal models while also accelerating wound healing.

Journal: Nature Communications

Security analysis of blockchain-based cryptocurrency

ELSP
Peer-Reviewed Publication

The rapid expansion of the cryptocurrency market has intensified security threats due to inherent technical complexities. While existing literature explores consensus mechanisms and specific defense strategies, a systematic synthesis of evolving attack patterns remains essential. This paper investigates real-world security incidents to extract 15 representative attack patterns, categorizing them into six classes based on standard blockchain architecture layers. We provide a detailed analysis of their execution mechanisms and reproduction methods. Furthermore, the study systematically evaluates current detection and defense strategies, highlighting their respective strengths and limitations. Finally, we discuss future research directions to counter evolving threats, providing a theoretical foundation for enhancing the security and resilience of the blockchain ecosystem.

Journal: Blockchain

Dynamic digital product passports for short-shelf-life food and drink could cut waste and improve safety

University of Surrey
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Dynamic digital product passports – real-time, intelligent digital records that capture the true condition of perishable goods such as food and drink throughout their lifecycle – could dramatically cut waste and improve safety, thanks to a new framework jointly developed by researchers at the University of Surrey and King’s College London.

Journal: Nature Reviews Clean Technology

Qatar and Germany expand deep-tech partnership with the launch of ESMT Berlin DEEP Institute and Creative Destruction Lab in Doha

ESMT Berlin
Business Announcement

In partnership with Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) and Qatar Research Development and Innovation Council (QRDI), the Institute for Deep Tech Innovation (DEEP) at ESMT Berlin has signed a landmark agreement to expand its footprint globally and strengthen the program offering in both Berlin and Doha in areas of technology transfer and innovation.

NTU Singapore unveils locally designed and built eVTOL aircraft at Singapore Airshow 2026

Nanyang Technological University
Business Announcement

Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) has unveiled Singapore’s first locally designed and built full-sized aircraft, an advanced electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) technology demonstrator. This eight-metre wingspan homegrown aircraft prototype, developed over more than three years by researchers and engineers from NTU Singapore, marks a significant milestone in Singapore’s aerospace research capabilities.

Eight lift rotors powered by NTU-designed electric motors are mounted on the wings to enable vertical take-off and landing from any confined space. Once airborne, the proprotor at the back quietly propels the aircraft forward, allowing it to fly like a normal airplane. It was unveiled today at the Singapore Airshow 2026 by NTU Vice President (Industry) Professor Lam Khin Yong, together with other industry partners.

Mediterranean pine needle loss analyzed for more efficient forest management

University of Córdoba
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A study combines climate, field and remote sensing data to identify growth patterns associated with defoliation processes and mortality in artificial pine forests

Journal: Journal of Environmental Management

“A new security technology that locks information with light color and distance” — unhackable metasurface holograms

Pohang University of Science & Technology (POSTECH)
Peer-Reviewed Publication

POSTECH team develops a next-generation secure hologram platform where light wavelength and interlayer spacing act as encryption keys.

Journal: Advanced Functional Materials

AAVLINK: Potent DNA-recombination method for large cargo delivery in gene therapy

Chinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Prof. LU Zhonghua's team from the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and collaborators from Peking University First Hospital developed the AAV with translocation LINKage (AAVLINK), which harnesses Cre/lox-mediated intermolecular DNA recombination to enable in vivo reassembly of large genes.

Journal: Cell

Landmark study to explore whether noise levels in nurseries affect babies’ language development

University of East London
Business Announcement

Nearly two million children in the UK experience early language delays, with rates significantly higher among children from disadvantaged backgrounds. A major new research project led by the University of East London’s Institute for the Science of Early Years, supported by the Nuffield Foundation, will investigate whether background noise in nurseries is a hidden but critical factor affecting early language development. Using wearable technology to track children’s communication in real time, the first-of-its-kind study will explore how everyday nursery sound environments influence learning and test simple, low-cost interventions to improve outcomes. The research aims to inform Early Years practice, nursery design, workforce training, and national policy—helping to give every child the best possible start in life.

Funder: Nuffield Foundation