Researchers have developed a nanostructured optical platform that converts surface-bound light into free-space beams with controlled orbital angular momentum. The system combines a dielectric multilayer that supports low-loss Bloch surface waves with a chiral metasurface made of gold nanorods. When surface waves are excited, the metasurface diffracts them into twisted light beams with a well-defined polarization, achieving more than 74 percent polarization selectivity. The results demonstrate a low-loss route to generating structured light and could support future integration with nanoscale and single-photon light sources.

IITGN researchers have proposed the concept of virtual actuation space (VAS) for Tendon-driven Continuum Robots (TDCRs). This framework can handle multiple sections of a robot with ease, significantly reduce computational demands and improve tracking precision. The scalability of this method can unlock potential in applications, such as minimally invasive surgical procedures, industrial automation, and confined-space inspections, like in aircraft engines.

In the vastness of the Universe, any new object with interesting properties can spur the search for similar objects, potentially establishing a new class of stars. In a paper published in Astronomy & Astrophysics and an arXiv preprint, researchers from the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) describe two stellar remnants that share five properties, including X-ray emission, despite being isolated objects. According to the team, these two remnants are sufficient to define a new class of stars.

SAN ANTONIO — March 31, 2026 — A Southwest Research Institute-led study found that protons and heavy ions react differently to solar magnetic reconnection events, revealing a more complex magnetic engine powering the solar wind.

Satellite navigation can fail not only during dramatic space weather events, but also when the ionosphere develops sharp regional structures that standard correction models fail to resolve.

Focusing on the engineering challenge of achieving stable, high-strength welding between rough metals surfaces and transparent materials, this work provides an in-depth elucidation of the femtosecond laser welding mechanism for dissimilar materials under non-optical-contact conditions. Through high-speed in situ imaging techniques, it reveals the dynamic coupling between linear absorption in the metal and nonlinear absorption in sapphire during ultrafast laser irradiation. The study further identifies an active interfacial gap filling effect of molten metal, which proactively regulates the free space region at the interface. It clarifies that the welding strength is primarily limited by cracks induced by thermal stress in sapphire, and demonstrates welding performance exceeding 10 MPa between rough Invar alloy and sapphire. These findings offer theoretical guidance and technical support for high-strength, highly stable welding of dissimilar materials.