AI meets physics to redefine seismic imaging
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 11-May-2026 21:16 ET (12-May-2026 01:16 GMT/UTC)
Exciton polaritons are hybrid light-matter quantum states arising from strong coupling, offering a unique platform for exploring macroscopic quantum phenomena. However, how the coherence of external driving laser field is transferred to polaritons has remained an open question. Recently, the team of Prof. Jian Wu at East China Normal University achieved a critical breakthrough in this area. By combining femtosecond angle-resolved spectroscopic imaging with interferometry, they directly observed the transfer of laser coherence to resonantly excited exciton polaritons within hundreds of femtoseconds at room temperature. They further uncovered the physical mechanism by which non-resonant polaritons lose coherence under high pump power due to a decoherence process mediated by the exciton reservoir. These findings have been published under the title "Femtosecond coherence dynamics of exciton polaritons" in National Science Review. Haoyuan Jia, a PhD candidate at East China Normal University, is the first author, with co-corresponding authors including Prof. Jian Wu and Prof. Hui Li (East China Normal University), Dr. Junhui Cao (Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology), and Prof. Tim Byrnes (NYU Shanghai).
An international team of researchers have developed a novel hybrid detection system HALIMA at the Institute of Modern Physics to facilitate the measurement of the sub-nanosecond lifetimes of neutron-rich nuclei produced via fission. This system is composed of eight BGO-shielded HPGe detectors and 20 fast LaBr3(Ce) detectors, each shielded with CsI(Tl), offering high-resolution γ-ray energy and timing capabilities. To enhance event selectivity, two specialized ancillary detector arrays were incorporated: a solar cell detector array for detecting fission fragments (FFs) and a fast plastic scintillator array for β-particle detection. These additions enable advanced coincidence techniques, such as FFs/β-GeLaBr3(Ce)-LaBr3(Ce), significantly improving the spectral quality and peak-to-background, thereby allowing precise lifetime measurements. A commissioning experiment using a 252Cf source was conducted to validate the performance of the HALIMA setup. By applying combined gating to FFs and fast plastic scintillators, the lifetimes of three excited nuclear states in 134Te, 138Ba, and 132Te were measured, covering a range from a few picoseconds to several hundred nanoseconds.The results were in good agreement with the literature values, demonstrating the capability and precision of the HALIMA setup. Furthermore, several excited states with previously unmeasured lifetimes produced by 252Cf fission were identified for the first time, thereby opening new avenues for nuclear structure studies of neutron-rich nuclei.
MIT scientists identified a key atmospheric condition that determines how hot and humid a midlatitude region can get, and how intense related storms can become. The results may help climate scientists gauge a region’s risk for humid heat waves and extreme storms.
Sustainable nitrogen transformation is central to clean energy development, environmental protection, and future chemical manufacturing. This study summarizes major advancements in designing metal–organic framework–nanoparticle (MOF–NP) composite catalysts that accelerate key nitrogen electrochemical reactions under mild conditions. By integrating the structural tunability and porosity of metal–organic frameworks MOFs with the conductivity and catalytic activity of nanoparticles, these hybrid materials significantly improve nitrogen reduction, nitrate reduction, and ammonia oxidation. The analysis highlights how MOF–NP interfaces enhance reaction selectivity, stabilize intermediates, increase Faradaic efficiency, and support strong long-term durability. Together, these performance gains position MOF–NP composites as promising candidates for green ammonia synthesis, nitrate remediation, and next-generation nitrogen-based energy systems.
This review highlights how natural polysaccharide-based microneedles (PMNs) are emerging as a transformative platform for cancer immunotherapy. We report their unique dual role in drug delivery and immune regulation, the innovative use of 3D printing for precision fabrication, and their smart responsiveness to the tumor environment. By integrating biocompatibility, enhanced drug loading, and controlled release, polysaccharide-based microneedles (PMNs) offer a promising strategy to overcome challenges in traditional cancer immunotherapies, potentially supporting the development of more effective and personalized treatments.
A breakthrough design combining a multi-periodic (Pd/Fe/FeO/MgO)4 spin tunnel junction and the coexistence of skyrmions and bimerons has enabled unprecedented control over electron spins. This dual-innovation platform provides cascaded spin filtering and topology-guided electron trajectory control, working in synergy to inject highly polarized spins into a GaN LED, achieving a record 25.3% circular polarization without any external magnetic field.