EurekAlert! News by Subject: Tech & Engineering - News by Subject: Tech & Engineering

Tech & Engineering

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 14-Apr-2026 03:15 ET (14-Apr-2026 07:15 GMT/UTC)

Starquakes and the archaeology of stellar magnetism

Institute of Science and Technology Austria
Peer-Reviewed Publication

New theoretical models, published in Astronomy & Astrophysics, connect, for the first time, the magnetism at the surface of long-dead stellar remnants (white dwarfs) with recent evidence of magnetism at the cores of their dying progenitors (red giants). The team, led by astrophysicists at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), argues that these magnetic fields might originate early in the stars’ lives, and survive their entire evolution, emerging as ‘fossil fields’ at the surfaces of older remnants. A better understanding of these processes can also help to better understand our own Sun’s future.

Journal: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Funder: European Research Council, Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften

The weight of wheat

Osaka Metropolitan University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

An Osaka Metropolitan University-led research team observed that when mice were allowed to freely consume bread, wheat flour, and rice flour alongside their standard chow, they stopped eating the regular food almost entirely due to a strong preference for the carbohydrates. As a result, their body weight and fat mass increased even though their total caloric intake did not rise significantly.

Journal: Molecular Nutrition & Food Research
Funder: Sugiyama Sangyo-Kagaku General Incorporated Foundation, Public Foundation of Elizabeth Arnold-Fuji, Tojuro Iijima Foundation for Food Science and Technology, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science

Making eco-friendly disinfectants from discarded wood! KIST develops high-efficiency carbon catalyst

National Research Council of Science & Technology
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A research team led by Dr. Lee Young Jun of the RAMP Convergence Research Group at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST; President Oh Sang-rok), in collaboration with research teams led by Professor Yun Hongseok of Hanyang University and Professor Kang Junhee of Pusan National University, focused on lignin-a wood byproduct discarded in the timber industry-to overcome these limitations. The research team designed and developed a carbon-based catalyst capable of selectively generating hydrogen peroxide through electrochemical reactions using lignin, and demonstrated hydrogen peroxide production with a selectivity exceeding 95% under experimental conditions.A research team led by Dr. Lee Young Jun of the RAMP Convergence Research Group at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST; President Oh Sang-rok), in collaboration with research teams led by Professor Yun Hongseok of Hanyang University and Professor Kang Junhee of Pusan National University, focused on lignin-a wood byproduct discarded in the timber industry-to overcome these limitations. The research team designed and developed a carbon-based catalyst capable of selectively generating hydrogen peroxide through electrochemical reactions using lignin, and demonstrated hydrogen peroxide production with a selectivity exceeding 95% under experimental conditions.

Journal: Applied Catalysis B Environment and Energy
Funder: Ministry of Science and ICT

Generative AI paves new way for semantic communication in 6G networks

Higher Education Press
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Curious about how AI is reshaping 6G communication? A new Engineering study explores generative AI’s role in semantic communication, moving past traditional bit transmission to focus on semantic meaning. It tests an LLM-powered system with huge efficiency gains and spotlights real-world uses, while tackling key tech challenges for future 6G rollouts.

Journal: Engineering

Language-model-guided robotic boxes advance perovskite solar cell discovery

Higher Education Press
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Materials research suffers from trial-and-error synthesis and fabrication, while the resulting numerical datasets fail to provide feedback for semantic recipe optimization. Therefore, the integration of a recipe language model (RLM) with robotic boxes enables the RLM and robotics continuously improve one another, as a physical AI for the materials intelligence.

Journal: Engineering

Turning invasive plants into crop protectors: biochar and nanotechnology team up to reduce cadmium risks in wheat

Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University

A new study reveals an innovative and sustainable way to protect crops from toxic heavy metals by transforming invasive plants into powerful biochar filters and combining them with advanced nanomaterials. The research shows that this dual strategy can significantly reduce cadmium contamination in wheat while improving plant growth and resilience.

Journal: Biochar

Modified biochar boosts pollutant removal by unlocking hidden free radicals

Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University

A new study reveals how engineered biochar can dramatically improve the removal of toxic pollutants from water by harnessing the power of persistent free radicals. The research offers a promising pathway for developing low cost, high efficiency materials for environmental cleanup.

Journal: Biochar

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