For decades, physicists have approached spin glass like blind men to an elephant. In a seven-year-long study, researchers have now monitored the evolution of spin organization in a well-ordered antiferromagnetic crystal as chemical disorder is gradually introduced, raising the bar for studying exotic magnetism and offering an experimentally verified definition of spin glass, which previously represented a foundational disconnect between theoretical physics and materials science.  

Researchers at Penn State designed a system that can manipulate sound waves so that they are only audible at a precise spot slightly wider than an inch. Despite this tiny focal point, their system can produce high-quality audio, potentially offering listeners a crisp, yet private, sound experience. The team detailed their work in a paper recently published in IEEE Transactions on Ultrasonics.

Wiley today releases the Wiley Registry of Mass Spectral Data 2026, the new edition of one of the world’s largest and most trusted mass spectral reference databases for identifying unknown chemical compounds

Black holes are usually born in violent cosmic events — but theory also allows for microscopic versions emerging from delicate “critical states” of spacetime itself. Researchers from TU Wien and Goethe University Frankfurt have now derived exact mathematical formulas describing these strange spacetime structures, sometimes dubbed “spacetime crystals,” using a surprising trick involving infinitely many dimensions.

A newly developed organic semiconductor device can both generate electricity from light and emit bright visible light, as reported by researchers from Science Tokyo. By carefully designing a material where energy losses are suppressed, the team achieved efficient power conversion and electroluminescence simultaneously, demonstrating a multifunctional platform with potential applications in displays, sensors, and energy-harvesting technologies.

For the first time, therapeutically effective medications are now available for Alzheimer’s disease. Effective symptomatic therapies also exist for Parkinson’s disease. However, a prerequisite for successful treatment is early diagnosis – ideally through a simple blood test conducted as part of a preventive screening, even before clinical symptoms appear. A research team led by Professor Klaus Gerwert from Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, has developed just such a blood test. It is based on the immuno-infrared sensor, a novel platform technology to which the Journal of Physical Chemistry B dedicates its cover story in its issue from April 24, 2026.

EPFL researchers have developed a way to use holograms to guide laser light for ultra-efficient, fast, and precise volumetric 3D printing. The innovation enables cell-compatible, high-resolution 3D printing at scales suitable for biomedical applications.