Physicists at Umeå University, in collaboration with researchers in China, have developed a laser made entirely from biomaterials – birch leaves and peanut kernels. The environmentally friendly laser could become an inexpensive and accessible tool for medical diagnostics and imaging.

Exploring topological singularities in non-Hermitian photonic systems has recently become a frontier in modern physics and engineering. Towards this goal, researchers in China have experimentally realized the transition from a bound state in the continuum (BIC) to an exceptional point (EP) in a terahertz metasurface by tuning the incident angle. Optical pumping modulates silicon’s carrier concentration, enabling dynamic EP switching and THz beam deflection for compact sensing and non-Hermitian photonic applications.

Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) announced on August 29 that the physical layer transmission method for Brazil’s next-generation broadcast standard (DTV+) has been finally selected by Brazilian Presidential Decree. It is a transmission technology that combines ATSC 3.0-based multiple input and multiple output (MIMO) and layered division multiplexing (LDM), and was officially adopted as the ATSC 3.0 physical layer international standard in September 2024.

Wearable ultrasound devices represent a transformative advancement in therapeutic applications, offering noninvasive, continuous, and targeted treatment for deep tissues. These systems leverage flexible materials (e.g., piezoelectric composites, biodegradable polymers) and conformable designs to enable stable integration with dynamic anatomical surfaces. Key innovations include ultrasound-enhanced drug delivery through cavitation-mediated transdermal penetration, accelerated tissue regeneration via mechanical and electrical stimulation, and precise neuromodulation using focused acoustic waves. Recent developments demonstrate wireless operation, real-time monitoring, and closed-loop therapy, facilitated by energy-efficient transducers and AI-driven adaptive control. Despite progress, challenges persist in material durability, clinical validation, and scalable manufacturing. Future directions highlight the integration of nanomaterials, 3D-printed architectures, and multimodal sensing for personalized medicine. This technology holds significant potential to redefine chronic disease management, postoperative recovery, and neurorehabilitation, bridging the gap between clinical and home-based care.

A research team from Queensland University of Technology has developed an effective strategy to enhance sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) by using lignin, a natural polymer, as sustainable precursor for hard carbon anodes. Lignin, which is a by-product of processing biomass, has chemical treated to eliminate its hemicellulose. The purified lignin was used to make hard carbon (HC) with improved structural properties, like short-range graphitic layers, fewer defects, and a better pore structure that facilitates sodium storage. Their findings demonstrated that removing hemicellulose significantly boosts the initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE, 76.1%) and the reversible capacity of the hard carbon (277.5 mAh g^-1) , along with 86.1% capacity retention after 250 cycles. This study highlights that hemicellulose removal is a crucial first step in improving the electrochemical performance of lignin-derived HC.

University of Sydney and startup Dewpoint Innovations have developed paint-like substance that reflects 97 percent of sunlight and can cool the painted surface by up to six degrees below ambient temperature, cooling building and passively extracting water. The innovation could help cool urban heat islands and supplement tank water.

A novel hybrid meta-atom structure, utilizing atomic layer-coated nanoparticle-embedded resin (nano-PER), has been introduced to enable the scalable manufacturing of high-performance metasurfaces. By using TiO₂ nano-PER as a core material and coating it with a thin TiO₂ layer, researchers successfully implemented the optical properties of high-index materials with a printable composite. This approach significantly reduced the meta-atom height by over 27% compared to previous hybrid resin-based structures, mitigating risks like structural bending and collapse during fabrication. This breakthrough, demonstrated through the fabrication of a hyperbolic metalens via Nanoimprint Lithography (NIL) and Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD), paves the way for the practical, high-throughput integration of metasurfaces into various optical applications.

A sweeping new study has uncovered global patterns in how bacteria thrive and interact within lakes and reservoirs, offering new insights into the invisible forces that sustain freshwater ecosystems. The research, led by scientists from Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, analyzed hundreds of samples from around the world to understand how geography, temperature, and nutrients shape bacterial communities in water and sediments.