Researchers from the 4th Physics Institute of the University of Stuttgart and the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT) in Milan have demonstrated a new mechanism for directing light in a naturally hyperbolic van der Waals material without the need for conventional nanofabricated waveguides. The discovery opens new possibilities for integrated photonics, on-chip optical communication, and future quantum technologies. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41565-026-02243-9

A force-responsive molecular system that reversibly switches circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) on and off at the single-molecule level has been developed, as reported by researchers from Japan. The team designed a platform consisting of a supramolecular mechanophore embedded in a polymer network gel, whose CPL emission is switched via swelling with a solvent. This approach provides an accurate way to evaluate force-induced CPL and expands the possibilities for next-generation mechanically responsive optical materials.

The rapid progress in electric vehicles and high-power electronics has increased the demand for ultra-fast charging lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries. However, during fast charging, current Li-ion rechargeable batteries suffer from severe degradation in power and potential catastrophic failure, increasing safety risks. This is mainly due to electrochemical instability that occurs at the anode-electrolyte interface, causing hazardous Li metal plating on their surface and poor thermal stability.

For decades, scientists have asserted that the leakage of warm, salty Indian Ocean water south of South Africa into the Atlantic is a major contribution to the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), a component of the global ocean conveyor system. New research led by an international team from the Netherlands, USA, China and UK suggests that the mechanism linking leakage of Indian Ocean water and deep-water formation was and is not as straightforward as previously thought. This research contributes to a better understanding of the AMOC, a key regulator of the Earth’s climate.

Robust single-mode operation is highly desirable for compact semiconductor lasers. Here, researchers demonstrate a robust single-mode laser by leveraging merging bound state in the continuum (BIC), enabling lasing up to 80 times the threshold power. They further realize an ultra-compact photonic crystal laser by combining BIC modes with edge engineering, achieving a 5×5 periodic array with a patterned area smaller than 15 μm². These results provide a promising pathway toward high-performance, miniaturized lasers for integrated photonics.

Researchers find that soil aging of polyethylene microplastics has only a limited effect on their interactions with organic contaminants. Scientists have long worried that aging microplastics in soil could become increasingly effective at interacting with organic contaminants. But a new study shows that this may not be the case for all plastic types. Researchers found that while polyethylene microplastics modify as they age in soil, those changes have little effect on how they interact with various organic contaminants.

Researchers have developed a greener plasma-based method to create multifunctional nanocomposite films with smart optical and antibacterial properties. The approach enables simultaneous control of vanadium oxide structures and in situ formation of gold nanoparticles, producing materials with temperature-responsive infrared modulation and efficient photothermal antibacterial activity. This work provides a sustainable route toward advanced smart coatings and functional materials.