DUET, a dual-color miniature two-photon microscope published in PhotoniX Life, enables stable, low-crosstalk imaging of distinct neuron populations in freely behaving mice. By integrating dual hollow-core photonic bandgap fibers for independent 920-nm/1030-nm femtosecond pulse delivery with pixel-level temporal multiplexing, DUET overcomes motion-induced instability and fluorescence crosstalk. During tail suspension tests, DUET achieved robust dual-color calcium imaging at 8.4 Hz. This advance provides neuroscientists a powerful tool to monitor cell-type-specific neural interactions during natural behaviors.

A newly published review article in Photonix Life provides one of the most comprehensive guides to date on Raman microscopy for biological imaging. Led by researchers at the University of California San Diego, the review systematically covers spontaneous and coherent Raman techniques, bio-orthogonal probes, biomedical applications ranging from cancer to neurodegenerative disease, and emerging frontiers including quantum-enhanced imaging and AI-driven diagnostics. By organizing technical advances along four parallel performance axes and evaluating the trade-offs of each approach, the review offers a practical decision-making resource for biologists considering Raman methods and for spectroscopists seeking impactful biological applications.

Researchers from Tampere University and the University of Helsinki have identified an unexpected chemical process that may influence the formation of air pollution particles in urban environments. The study shows that nitric oxide (NO) – a pollutant primarily emitted by vehicles, power plants and other combustion sources – can promote the formation of aerosol particles, challenging a long-standing assumption in atmospheric science.