A new strategy for strengthening polymer materials could lead to more durable plastics and cut down on plastic waste, MIT and Duke University researchers report.

Medicinal chemists at Syracuse University have identified a potential new way to help people lose weight without the nausea and vomiting that make most patients stop taking popular drugs like Ozempic.

With the rapid development of multispectral detection technology, the demand for multi-band, multifunctional, and compatible infrared camouflage in complex military environments is becoming increasingly urgent. Traditional infrared camouflage technology mainly focuses on the control of single-band emissivity, and the static design is hard to match with the surrounding environment and actual needs. When the target has a significant difference in emissivity compared to the environment, low-emissivity camouflage may expose itself due to abnormal thermal signals. At the same time, existing technologies often overlook the needs of multispectral compatibility, such as the lack of comprehensive management of heat accumulation, laser stealth, and visible light camouflage when achieving infrared camouflage. The adaptability mechanisms in nature provide new insights, such as the unique spectral characteristics of Rosaceae plants. Their band response patterns offer significant inspiration for the design of tunable and compatible visible light camouflage, as well as infrared and laser stealth. The emergence and application of phase change materials provide a possibility to solve this key problem. The reversible switching between crystalline and amorphous states supports the regulation of optical parameters, enabling multifunctional compatible stealth and camouflage in infrared, laser and visible light bands.

A Dartmouth-led study identifies potentially more that 300 small galaxies orbiting low-mass systems known as dwarf galaxies. If confirmed, these satellite galaxies—which are about one-tenth the size of the Milky Way—could provide new, clearer insight into galaxy formation and its connection to dark matter. The study triples the number of dwarf galaxies that have been surveyed in search of satellite star systems.