A new study by Queen Mary University of London mathematician Professor Ginestra Bianconi proposes a new perspective on one of the deepest questions in modern physics: how can the Universe become increasingly structured and complex while still obeying the second law of thermodynamics? 

Researchers at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) have developed two new processes: Using hydrodynamic cavitation and cold atmospheric plasma combined with gas dispersion, they are looking to break down per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), industrial chemicals that are extremely resistant to chemical degradation. To support this effort, experts from the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) ran analyses that confirmed the degradation of PFAS and the release of fluoride. Once they reach market maturity, these processes could be used in industry, significantly reducing the release of PFAS into bodies of water (DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-57490-6; DOI: 10.1016/j.ceja.2026.101046).

Herbularyo gets players acquainted with both organic chemistry and traditional Filipino medicine in as little as five to ten minutes of gameplay. The scientifically-grounded traditional Filipino remedies found in the game are based on real research from the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC).

Helical carbon nanotubes (HCNTs) offer unique geometrical characteristics and capabilities; however, their properties, functionalization, and applications have not been sufficiently explored, compared to the straight CNTs that have different crystallinity and structural characteristics. The coil-shaped geometries of HCNTs can substantially increase their mechanical entanglement/interlocking with solidified host-resins and the microfiber-reinforcements in fiber-reinforced composites.

 

Lead is a highly toxic and persistent heavy metal that poses serious risks to human health. The detection of lead ions in water is therefore essential not only for balancing economic and environmental priorities, improving public services, and ensuring agricultural safety, but also for preventing lead poisoning, promoting health equity, and safeguarding international trade in the context of global health. Conventional detection methods are often limited by expensive instrumentation and complex procedures, whereas surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has emerged as a promising alternative due to its high sensitivity and operational simplicity.

High entropy alloys (HEAs), namely multi-principal element alloys, are a novel class of multi-component materials. HEAs have drawn widespread attention in materials science due to their unique mix of features, which include great mechanical properties, good wear and corrosion resistance, acceptable soft magnetic performance, and stability at high temperatures. However, the role of rare-earth (RE) elements on the microstructure and various performances of multi-principal element amorphous alloys (MPEAAs) is still vague.

Hydrogel materials possess unique physicochemical properties, including high water absorption, strong moisture retention, biocompatibility, tunable mechanical properties, environmental responsiveness, biodegradability, and a three-dimensional network structure. These characteristics endow them with significant practical value and broad application prospects in fields such as tissue engineering and biomedicine.

The issue of environmental pollution has got worse due to the quick expansion of manufacturing, industry, and human society. Among different pollutants, the emission impact of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) has been steadily expanding, posing a significant challenge to human health. Gas sensors are devices that convert gas concentration from chemical to electrical signals and play a central role in real-time gas detection system.

Contact-free and object-agnostic 3D rotation at the micro/nanoscale is playing an increasingly important role in advanced imaging, biology, and microrobotics. Towards this goal, Scientist in Germany developed an opto-thermoviscous micromanipulation strategy that enables robust out-of-plane spinning and sheathless focusing in highly viscous media. The technique opens new avenues for all-optical manipulation-enabled multiview 3D microscopy and advanced biological imaging.