Rubidium could be the next key player in oxide-ion conductors. Researchers at Institute of Science Tokyo have discovered a rare rubidium (Rb)-containing oxide-ion conductor, Rb₅BiMo₄O₁₆, with exceptionally high conductivity. Identified through computational screening and experiments, its superior performance stems from low activation energy and structural features like large free volume and tetrahedral motion. Its stability under various conditions offers a promising direction for solid oxide fuel cells and clean energy technologies.

Dynamic facial projection mapping (DFPM) has reached new heights in speed and accuracy, with the development of a state-of-the-art system with groundbreaking innovations. The first breakthrough involved a hybrid detection technique combining different methods to detect facial landmarks in just 0.107 milliseconds. The researchers also proposed a way to simulate high-frame-rate video annotations to train their models and introduced a lens-shift co-axial projector-camera setup to reduce alignment errors, enabling smoother and more immersive projections.

Chronic stress raises blood pressure. New research from Juntendo University, Japan, reveals that voluntary exercise prevents hypertension (high blood pressure) by restoring STAT3 levels in the amygdala. Using a rat model, the study found that stress lowered Stat3 expression, leading to increased blood pressure, while exercise reversed this effect. This discovery highlights a novel brain-based mechanism behind exercise’s cardiovascular benefits, opening doors for potential new therapies targeting stress-induced hypertension.

Researchers at Kyushu University have found that stars in the early universe may have formed from “fluffy” molecular clouds. Using the ALMA telescope to observe the Small Magellanic Cloud—whose environment is similar to the early universe—they observed that about 60% of the observed clouds had the common filamentary structure, while the remaining 40% had a “fluffy” shape. Thes results could provide new insights into the formation of stars in the universe.