Researchers at TU Delft (The Netherlands) and Brown University have developed scalable nanotechnology-based lightsails that could support future advances in space exploration and experimental physics. Their research, published in Nature Communications, introduces new materials and production methods to create the thinnest large-scale reflectors ever made. ‘This is not just another step in making things smaller; it’s an entirely new way of thinking about nanotechnology,’ explains Dr. Richard Norte, associate professor at TU Delft. ‘We’re creating high-aspect-ratio devices that are thinner than anything previously engineered but span dimensions akin to massive structures.’

Understanding photogenerated carrier transport in 2D perovskites, especially surface states, is challenging with conventional time-resolved techniques. Scientists at KAUST utilized scanning ultrafast electron microscopy (SUEM) with groundbreaking surface sensitivity to disclose carrier diffusion rates of ~30 cm²/s for n=1, 180 cm²/s for n=2, and 470 cm²/s for n=3, which are notably higher than bulk. This highlights the SUEM’s potential for advancing the understanding of carrier dynamics. Density Functional Theory (DFT) confirms broader carrier transmission channels at the surface, offering key insights for optimizing 2D perovskite optoelectronic devices.

In a paper published in National Science Review, a research team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences investigated impact melt rocks from the Chang'e-6 lunar soils and determined that the Moon's South Pole-Aitken basin formed 4.25 billion years ago. China’s Chang'e-6 mission, launched on May 3, 2024, landed on June 2, and returned on June 25, collecting 1935.3 grams of lunar soil samples – the first ever returned from the Moon's far side.