Information transmission with structured light continues to advance in performance. In a study published in PhotoniX, researchers from Nanjing University have introduced the LightELF system to tackle a key challenge in structured light detection. The team developed and validated an event‑driven method for dynamic singularity detection and topological signal encoding, providing a new technical pathway to overcome the long‑standing challenge of real‑time processing and information transmission using optical topological knots.

Climate change has been driving the rise of extreme weather conditions in recent years, placing immense strain on urban infrastructure such as sewer systems. Compromised sewer systems can lead to leakage, overflow and even flash flooding, threatening public health and safety. To address these vulnerabilities, a research team at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) has developed a multi-tiered model integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT), facilitating more cost-effective and intelligent sewer system management, ranging from predicting exfiltration severity and pinpointing leakage-prone zones to monitoring and forecasting overflow occurrences in high-risk areas. 

We thought it was evolution, but an experiment with pencils shows that tips like teeth and thorns may owe their rounded shape to mechanical wear.

As Earth’s climate systems change, polar sea ice is becoming more granular in structure. University of Utah-led research reveals this type of ice is much less permeable than columnar sea ice, with important implications for geophysical processes. This is because water, heat and nutrients move less readily through granular ice than the ice it is replacing.