EurekAlert! News by Subject: Tech & Engineering

Tech & Engineering

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 29-Oct-2026 07:15 ET (29-Oct-2026 11:15 GMT/UTC)

18-May-2026

Observation of a photocurrent reflecting magnetic states in an atomically thin magnetic material

Institute for Solid State Physics, the University of Tokyo
Peer-Reviewed Publication

In recent years, atomically thin materials—crystals only a few atoms thick—have attracted growing attention because they can exhibit physical properties that do not appear in conventional bulk materials. Among them, atomically thin magnetic materials are particularly intriguing, as they can host unconventional magnetic states and offer new possibilities for spin-based electronic technologies.

Journal: Nature Materials
Funder: JSPS KAKENHI, JST FOREST, JST CREST

18-May-2026

Photonic wireless transmission reaches 112 Gbps at 560 GHz using soliton microcombs

Institute of Post-LED Photonics, Tokushima University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers at Tokushima University have demonstrated single-channel wireless transmission at 112 Gbps in the 560 GHz band using soliton microcombs, marking a significant step toward next-generation 6G communications.

Journal: Communications Engineering
Funder: Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Cabinet Office of the Government of Japan, Tokushima Prefecture, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science

18-May-2026

Policing plagiarism of ideas in generative AI-assisted research writing

Northwestern University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A new commentary written by researchers at Northwestern University and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that will publish May 18 in Nature Machine Intelligence weighs various options on how to define plagiarism in research manuscript writing in the ever-evolving world of GenAI.

The commentary argues plagiarism in manuscript writing harms the research environment by eroding trust among scientists, misrepresenting the origin and authenticity of scholarly work, and discouraging innovation and original inquiry.

Journal: Nature Machine Intelligence
Funder: Intramural Research Program

18-May-2026

Full fossil fuel phase-out by 2050 would require up to 80% more electricity generation

International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis
Peer-Reviewed Publication

New research by an international team of scientists finds that fully phasing out fossil fuels worldwide by 2050 would require global electricity generation to expand by roughly 60 to 80% beyond the levels projected in conventional 1.5°C climate pathways. The study also shows that eliminating fossil fuels could significantly reduce dependence on CO₂ removal technologies and underground carbon storage.

Journal: Nature Communications

18-May-2026

Virtual reality headsets open a window into the mind

King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST)
Peer-Reviewed Publication

AI models can use data from motion sensors to infer what users perceive, but the research reveals privacy risks.

18-May-2026

SKKU research team reveals chemical pathway for next-generation infrared III–V nanocrystals

Sungkyunkwan University External Affairs Division (PR team)
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Metal–amide chemistry provides a rational approach to controlling heavy-pnictogen reduction, paving the way for safer and more scalable semiconductor quantum dots.

Journal: Journal of the American Chemical Society

18-May-2026

Bringing bacteria into better focus

Osaka Metropolitan University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers have developed an optical fiber that uses laser-induced heating and bubble-driven convection to rapidly concentrate bacteria and nanoparticles in liquid samples. The method collects thousands of targets in 60 seconds with over tenfold higher efficiency than conventional approaches. This approach allows for faster and more sensitive detection in biomedical and environmental applications.

Journal: Communications Physics
Funder: Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, NEDO Intensive Support for Young Promising Researchers, AMED Moonshot Research and Development Program, Key Project Grant Program of the Osaka Prefecture University, 2025 Osaka Metropolitan University Strategic Research Promotion Project

17-May-2026

AI tool for radiotherapy can support the global effort to eliminate cervical cancer

University College London
Reports and Proceedings

An AI technology is effective at planning the delivery of life-saving radiotherapy for cervical cancer and prostate cancer, according to results from a large international trial led by researchers at University College London (UCL) and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM).

Funder: Medical Research Council, Rising Tide Foundation

17-May-2026

Bioinspired cellulose aerogel mimics white beetles for passive daytime cooling

Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers have developed a bioinspired cellulose-based cooling aerogel capable of reflecting nearly all incoming sunlight while efficiently releasing heat through the atmospheric infrared window. Inspired by the optical structure of white beetles, the material integrates nanocellulose and hygroscopic metal-organic frameworks to construct a hierarchical photonic scattering network spanning nanoparticles, microfibers, and macropores. The resulting aerogel achieved a solar reflectance of 95.8% and an infrared emissivity of 95%, enabling subambient daytime cooling of up to 7.1 °C under outdoor sunlight. The biodegradable material also demonstrated strong UV durability and the potential to reduce annual cooling energy consumption in buildings by more than 40% in hot regions of China.

Journal: Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts