A joint study by the EHU-University of the Basque Country and the BC3 research centre reveals that EVs are concentrated in households with high incomes, higher levels of education and located in urban areas, which highlights a social divide in accessing them. The study concludes that current government grant schemes do not address this inequality, and proposes linking grants to income levels.

International researchers have improved an ultrasonic phased array system, making it possible to see hidden defects in aging concrete infrastructure and potentially strengthening the efficiency of infrastructural maintenance. 

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) research team has developed a groundbreaking wastewater treatment technology that integrates a mesh bioreactor with an ultrasound-induced transient cavitation cleaning mechanism. The system can complete mesh cleaning within 3.8 seconds under anaerobic conditions and achieves 10-20 times higher flux than conventional membrane bioreactors (MBRs). The technology operates efficiently with substantially lower energy consumption, produces treated effluent surpassing international and local discharge standards, and reduces the cost of treating each cubic metre of wastewater to 50% of conventional MBRs, offering a sustainable solution for both municipal and industrial wastewater treatment.

Atomically engineered nanozymes (AENs) combine precise nanotechnology with catalytic functions to enhance immune regulation through atomic-level control. AENs represent a promising frontier for personalized medicine and immune engineering

A team led by researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, has succeeded in identifying biomarkers for Parkinson’s disease in its earliest stages, before extensive brain damage has occurred. The biological processes leave measurable traces in the blood, but only for a limited period. The discovery thus reveals a window of opportunity that could be crucial for future treatment, but also for early diagnosis via blood tests, which could begin to be tested in healthcare within five years.

Paper-based packaging is widely regarded as a sustainable alternative to petroleum-derived plastics, yet its poor resistance to water and oil has long limited real-world applications. In a recent study published in Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts, researchers report a lignin nanoparticle–stabilized Pickering emulsion coating that simultaneously enhances barrier performance, mechanical strength, recyclability, and biodegradability of paper. By combining polyvinyl alcohol, stearic acid, and lignin nanoparticles into a single emulsion system, the coated paper achieves water and oil resistance comparable to plastic-coated paper while remaining fully degradable and easily recyclable. The work highlights the potential of biomass-derived nanomaterials to advance sustainable packaging technologies.