Researchers have successfully demonstrated a spectrometer that is orders of magnitude smaller than current technologies and can accurately measure wavelengths of light from ultraviolet to the near-infrared. The technology makes it possible to create hand-held spectroscopy devices and holds promise for the development of devices that incorporate an array of the new sensors to serve as next-generation imaging spectrometers.

MIT physicists performed an idealized version of the double-slit experiment, stripping it to its quantum essentials. They confirmed that light exists as both a wave and a particle but cannot be observed in both forms at the same time.

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are widely used in consumer electronics, electric vehicles, and renewable energy systems, making efficient recycling crucial for sustainability. A research team led by Prof. Dan TSANG, Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), has revealed a previously unrecognized atomic-scale mechanism that obstructs efficient LIB recycling. This breakthrough challenges long-standing assumptions and sets the stage for cleaner, high-yield recovery of critical metals used in LIBs.

Alumina (Al₂O₃) ceramics represent a crucial category of advanced structural engineering materials due to their excellent physicochemical properties and relatively low cost. However, their broader application has been limited by low fracture toughness, making toughening a key research focus for Al₂O₃ ceramics. Silicon carbide whiskers (SiC_w) are among the most effective toughening agents for Al₂O₃ ceramics, but recent studies have primarily focused on optimizing SiC_w introduction methods and sintering processes. Departing from conventional approaches, the present research has pioneered a novel strategy—designing a core-shell composite structured SiC_w as the toughening phase for Al₂O₃ ceramics, thus offering a new perspective for Al₂O₃ ceramic toughening studies.

An international study led by researchers at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) shows how iNaturalist, the global technology platform through which everyday people share wildlife photos via a website and an app, is doing far more than connecting users with nature. 

It’s rapidly becoming a cornerstone of scientific research.

Though scientists have long understood how lightning strikes, the precise atmospheric events that trigger it within thunderclouds remained a perplexing mystery. The mystery may be solved, thanks to a team of researchers led by Victor Pasko, professor of electrical engineering in the Penn State School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, that has revealed the powerful chain reaction that triggers lightning.