A new study published in New Contaminants reveals that black carbon formed during wheat straw burning can significantly reduce the spread of antibiotic resistance genes in soil and soybean crops, offering a promising strategy for safer and more sustainable farming in regions burdened by plastic mulch debris.

To understand the aerodynamics of a dental drill, which can contribute to odontophobia, Tomomi Yamada and her collaborators used Japan’s flagship supercomputer to conduct large-scale aeroacoustics simulations. They analyzed the internal and external airflow of the dental drill, which can generate high-pitched sounds reaching nearly 20 kilohertz, and tested its psychological effects with children and adults. Now, Yamada and her colleagues are working on optimizing the blade geometry and exhaust port of the drill to minimize the noise while maintaining the performance.

To a human, microplastics are very small at less than 5 millimeters (mm) wide. But to an insect, microplastics might be the same size as the food they usually eat. Researchers reporting in ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology have shown that crickets can and will consume polyethylene microplastics if their mouth is larger than the plastic particle. The study suggests that crickets — and likely many other insects — cannot distinguish plastic from food.

Addressing the staggering power and energy demands of artificial intelligence, engineers at the University of Houston have developed a revolutionary new thin-film material that promises to make AI devices significantly faster while dramatically cutting energy consumption. 

SAN ANTONIO — December 2, 2025 — Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has upgraded its High-Viscosity Flow Loop (HVFL) to meet increased demands in the oil and gas industry. The expanded and upgraded facility now enables SwRI to offer more comprehensive, efficient, and cost-effective heavy oil testing.

Within tissues, cells are embedded in complex, three-dimensional structures known as the extracellular matrix. Their biomechanical interactions play a crucial role in numerous biological processes. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Light (MPL) have now developed a novel lab-on-a-chip system based on intelligent hydrogel structures, which enables precise pressure forces to be applied to cellular microenvironments. The recently presented method could find future applications in medical diagnostics for mechanical disorders in living tissues.

Project developed in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, allows for the highly efficient extraction of aromatic and bioactive compounds, reducing logistics costs and increasing beer quality.

TU Wien researchers have uncovered a quantum twist to the paths particles take through spacetime — one that could finally reveal which theory of quantum gravity fits nature. Their new “q-desic” framework predicts large-scale effects that might be detectable in future astrophysical observations.