SAN ANTONIO — October 13, 2026 — A Southwest Research Institute (SwRI)-led team has developed an improved model for predicting solar events that incorporates activity on the far side of the Sun. The team studied near-simultaneous maps of the whole solar surface from 2010 to 2014, combining Earth observations with data from space-based assets showing the opposite side. The resulting framework constructs surface flux transport (SFT) models that are more complete and accurate than any previous model.

The drug could offer a "second honeymoon" for patients for whom the existing gold-standard Parkinson's treatment has stopped working.

As oceans warm, some corals may hold the key to reef survival. New research reveals that heat tolerance varies not only between coral species, but also among populations living in different environments. One Hawaiian coral species from cooler, wave-exposed waters withstood significantly more heat stress than its counterparts, while another showed similar tolerance across locations. The findings reveal why understanding coral diversity and environmental history is critical to identifying resilient corals and guiding restoration efforts as marine heat waves intensify.

A PPPL researcher has developed a faster way of finding the best diamond-based materials for quantum computers. The new approach treats qubits, the basic units of information in quantum computers and the key components of quantum sensors, as isolated molecules. It has already identified promising materials for practical quantum devices. The new research also shows that qubits can be understood through chemistry, enabling scientists to design and build qubits the way a chemist designs custom molecules for a new medication.

Researchers at Friedrich Schiller University Jena and the University of Regensburg (Germany) have developed a method for determining, using light, a quantum property of electrons that has hitherto been difficult to access. The focus is on what is known as Berry curvature—a quantity that describes certain geometric properties of the quantum mechanical states of electrons. The researchers measured it in a layer of the semiconductor tungsten diselenide, just one atomic layer thick, using ultrashort laser pulses. The results have been published in the latest issue of the journal »Nature Photonics«.

Researchers at the Paul Scherrer Institute PSI have been examining the cladding tubes of nuclear reactor fuel rods using a new 3D imaging technique. They were able to determine with extremely high precision how the quality of the cladding changes over time as a result of corrosion and radiation exposure. The oxide layer on the tubes proved to retain its density even after years in operation. The new method allows this to be checked in great detail.

Scientists at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) have developed a “light-powered brain” that can recognise hidden information in complex patterns of light, potentially paving the way for faster communications systems.

As demand for rechargeable batteries grows across electric transportation, grid-scale energy storage and consumer electronics, the search for electrode materials that combine high performance with lower environmental impact has become increasingly important. In a review published in the Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts, researchers assess the potential of biomass-derived carbon produced from agricultural residues, forestry by-products and other renewable resources. The article compares thermochemical and emerging conversion routes, summarizes reported performance across lithium-, sodium- and potassium-based batteries, and considers techno-economic assessment, life-cycle impacts and technology readiness. The review identifies biomass-derived carbon as a promising materials platform, while emphasizing that feedstock variability, electrode performance limitations and scalable manufacturing must be addressed before broader deployment.