Researchers measure energy below a zeptojoule–enough for a red blood cell to move a nanometer
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Updates every hour. Last Updated: 7-Jun-2026 20:15 ET (8-Jun-2026 00:15 GMT/UTC)
An international research group recently demonstrated that the antibody NG101 promotes the regeneration of damaged spinal cord tissue. Now, under the leadership of scientists at the University of Zurich and Balgrist University Hospital, the group has revealed for the first time how the therapy actually works. With a boost from this novel antibody, new nerve fibers form functional connections once again, allowing patients to become more independent.
Researchers developed a technique to detect and measure the strength of a phenomenon called Josephson harmonics, which can cause a quantum circuit to perform differently than expected, increasing the error in computations. Their method could be used to design quantum circuits that can compensate for this effect.
Targeted protein degradation has become one of the most promising strategies in modern drug discovery, enabling scientists to eliminate disease-causing proteins instead of merely blocking them. Now, researchers at CeMM, AITHYRA (both Institutes of the Austrian Academy of Sciences), and CeTPD have discovered that a single small molecule can recruit not one, but two independent protein disposal systems at the same time. This dual mechanism introduces a built-in redundancy that could make future degrader therapies more robust and less vulnerable to resistance. The findings, reported in Nature Chemical Biology (DOI: 10.1038/s41589-026-02224-y), expand the design principles of targeted protein degradation and open new avenues for more resilient medicines.
A new study reveals how sulfur compounds are metabolized under oxygen-deficient conditions – and which microorganisms are responsible.
Photocatalytic production of H2O2 from air and water represents a promising green strategy, yet its efficiency is limited by sluggish water oxidation kinetics. Here, three donor–acceptor conjugated polymers were designed to tune water oxidation sites, achieving efficient H2O2 generation in pure water. Notably, the bipyridine-based polymer exhibits a high rate of 6687 μmol g-1 h-1, benefiting from enhanced charge separation and accelerated reaction kinetics. This work provides a molecular-level design strategy for efficient photocatalysts.
Researchers at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics have developed an interface-anchoring strategy for solar thermal storage. By continuously circulating photothermal core-shell phase-change particles, the approach keeps the phase-change front anchored at the irradiated surface and suppresses the thermally resistive liquid layer that limits conventional diffusion-limited systems. Under concentrated solar irradiation, this strategy achieves a solar thermal storage efficiency of 49.7%, a 26-fold improvement over the conventional 1.9%. Published in Science Bulletin, the work opens a viable pathway toward continuous, high-temperature solar thermal energy storage.
The BIPM, RIKEN and Shimadzu Corporation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to begin an exploratory collaboration on optical frequency standards (OFS). The signing took place on 12 May 2026 in Kawasaki, Japan. The MoU establishes a preliminary framework to enable discussions and joint studies on the potential role of transportable optical frequency standards in international time and frequency metrology.