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

Tech & Engineering

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 2-Apr-2026 19:15 ET (2-Apr-2026 23:15 GMT/UTC)

Engineering tiny 3D metallic parts

California Institute of Technology
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Caltech's new multistep process that begins with 3D patterning of hydrogels yields surprisingly strong metal pieces with nanoscale dimensions and complex shapes.

Journal: Nature Communications

Sunscreen produces persistent free radicals when exposed to light, a recent study finds

Arnold School of Public Health

New research from the Department of Environmental Health Sciences explores how common sunscreen ingredients behave under light exposure. Led by associate professor Eric Vejerano, the team tested seven commercially available sunscreens (including four mineral-based formulas) and found that every sample produced persistent free radicals (PFRs) when exposed to artificial light. The study, published in Environmental Science & Technology Letters, provides new insight into sunscreen photochemistry and may help guide future evaluations of product performance and safety.

Journal: Environmental Science & Technology Letters

Popular anti-aging compound causes callosal brain damage

University of Connecticut
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A two-drug combination frequently used in anti-aging research causes brain damage in mice, University of Connecticut researchers report in the March 16 issue of PNAS. The findings should make doctors cautious about prescribing the drug combo prophylactically, but also suggest new ways to understand multiple sclerosis.

Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Novel sensing technology 20 times more responsive, even in liquids

Penn State
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers at Penn State have designed a new type of field-effect transistor that can facilitate responsive and versatile sensing, even in liquid-rich environments like the human body. Sensors built with the team’s transistors were up to 20 times more sensitive to various chemical and biological signals, like hazardous chemicals in water or the levels of dopamine in the brain, than other sensors built with comparable transistor designs.

Journal: npj 2D Materials and Applications

Implantable “charging station” boosts fight against cancer

University of California - Los Angeles
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Chimeric antigen receptor-invariant natural killer T cells, or CAR-iNKT cells, have shown promise in early studies, particularly against solid tumors that traditional CAR-T therapy struggles to treat. However, these cells often lose potency after delivery to a patient’s body. The UCLA team developed a system that functions like a charging station for these immune cells. Once implanted near a tumor, it attracts CAR-iNKT cells that have been engineered to recognize cancer. In the preclinical study, the platform demonstrated promising biocompatibility. The team is continuing to refine the system and explore how it could support additional cancer immunotherapies.

Journal: Nature Biomedical Engineering
Funder: California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, U.S. Department of Defense

New model to forecast space weather on way

Aberystwyth
Business Announcement

New efforts to forecast space weather with greater accuracy and reliability are being led by Aberystwyth University academics.

Major collaboration launched to protect Lake Erie and Rouge River

Wayne State University - Office of the Vice President for Research
Grant and Award Announcement

A research team led by Wayne State University was awarded a $473,566, three-year grant from the Great Lakes Water Authority (GLWA) for a major collaborative initiative focused on enhanced phosphorus removal at the nation’s largest single-site wastewater treatment facility. The collaboration aims to improve local water systems and will provide critical training for Wayne State students to become experts in wastewater treatment and environmental protection.

Funder: Great Lakes Water Authority