Ultrasound imaging is one of the most widely used diagnostic tools in modern medicine. Behind its non-invasive magic lies a class of materials known as piezoelectric single crystals, which can convert electrical signals into mechanical vibrations and vice versa. Now, in a world-first, a research team from Kumamoto University has successfully visualized how tiny structures inside one of these crystals respond to electric fields in real time—shedding light on the dynamics of nanostructure in materials used in ultrasound probes.

Dust-on-snow is a major threat to water in the Colorado River, yet no snowmelt forecasts integrate dust-accelerated melt. Using pioneering remote sensing techniques, new research is the first to capture how dust impacts the headwaters of the Colorado River system. The new method could help predict the timing and magnitude of snow darkening and impacts on melt rates on snowpacks, in real time.

Researchers from Brazil, Germany and the United States document a multi-faceted global snapshot of the environmental aspects and trends surrounding single-use plastics in a review article titled “Rethinking single-use plastics: Innovations, policies, consumer awareness and market shaping biodegradable plastics in the packaging industry.” The piece was recently published in Trends in Food Science & Technology. The researchers state that the largest area of application for biodegradable plastic materials is the packaging segment, which accounts for about half of single-use plastic production. The director of the Center for Arkansas Foods and Farm also provides input on how plastics are used around the farm.

UVA Engineering mechanical and aerospace students plan to hitch a ride on a NASA rocket this August. They want to see if they can be the first researchers to use low-cost, miniature spacecraft technology to acquire reentry data that could improve future full-scale hypersonic aircraft designs.