Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are ubiquitous, accumulate in the environment and are difficult to break down. They are known as "forever chemicals". PFAS can compromise the immune system and thus, human health. In their current study, researchers from the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) show that high PFAS exposure has a negative effect on the cellular immune response to the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. The scientists suspect that people exposed to high levels of PFAS may have a suboptimal immune response to vaccination. The study was conducted in close cooperation with the Norwegian Institute of Public Health in Oslo. It was published in the scientific journal Environment International.

A research team at Nagoya University in Japan has discovered a surprising phenomenon that could revolutionize how we think about signal amplification. Just two tiny vibrating units can, when connected with a delay, amplify their combined vibrations by 100 million times. Their findings have applications for communication technology, suggesting that small, simple devices could be used to transmit clear signals over long distances. 

To help reduce the United States’ reliance on foreign sources of critical materials, the U.S. Department of Energy is investing $17 million into 14 projects focused on strengthening the domestic supply chain through safe, sustainable, and cost-effective solutions. Among the selected projects is a collaboration led by Texas A&M University researchers who are developing a new way to pull rare earth elements out of old electronics like tablets, phones and circuit boards.

Using a thermal sensor smaller than a grain of sand, engineers have measured the vibrations, or phonons, within individual molecules.