Muons are particles used to study fundamental physics and to image large structures such as volcanoes, bridges and ancient buildings. But despite their apparent benefits to science – and even society more broadly – muons only have a half-life of around one microsecond. Now researchers at the University of Plymouth have suggested a means of overcoming that, using intense laser pulses to reduce the rate of decay and at least double the muon’s lifetime.

Governments, private sector, and experts to explore strategies for protecting vital submarine telecommunications cables during International Submarine Cable Resilience Summit 2026 in Porto, Portugal (2-3 February).

Graphene is a promising material for transparent electrodes in flexible displays, solar cells, and medical devices, but conventional fabrication methods often damage it. Researchers at Chungnam National University have developed a photoresist-free patterning technique, OFP-G, that creates sub-5-micrometer graphene electrodes with low electrical resistance, solving a major fabrication bottleneck. By preserving graphene’s structure and conductivity, the method could lead to advanced, flexible, high-performance electronic and bioelectronic devices.

Organic semiconductors are useful materials for both electronic displays and solar cells, but combining efficient light emission and power generation in a single device has been difficult. In a recent study, researchers from Japan addressed this challenge by precisely tuning energy states at the interface of advanced optoelectronic materials. Their approach enables high-efficiency operation and full-color emission, paving the way for multifunctional devices that can both produce and harvest light.

Scientists from the Departments of Inorganic Chemistry and Chemical Engineering of the University of Malaga participate in an international collaboration which has optimized, through artificial intelligence, the process of producing bio-hydrogen from wastewater.