Synthetic dyes in industrial wastewater can threaten aquatic ecosystems and human health. Researchers at Doshisha University, Japan, developed a green, single-step co-pyrolysis method that converts bullrush agricultural waste into a zero-valent copper nanoparticle-enhanced bullrush activated carbon (ZVCu@BAC) composite. The material removed both cationic and anionic dyes in laboratory tests, while its preliminary production cost of ~¥1,800 JPY/kg and regeneration performance highlight its potential for sustainable wastewater treatment.

The National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) has discovered molecular mechanism of synaptic facilitation, instantaneous strengthening of synaptic transmission, which may be physiological basis of instantaneous memory. Synaptic facilitation has been known for a long time and studied by major physiologists. However, its mechanism and its biological meaning still remain ambiguous. This study revealed that intramolecular interaction of a calcium binding protein, Synaptotagmin 7 (Syt7) functions for synaptic facilitation, and the interaction between Syt7 domains is required for memory. This study using a fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, which is a model animal for genetic analysis, provides an insight for general mechanism of memory, which may suggest new designs of future ICT. Since this is the first elucidation of molecular mechanism of Syt7, this study has the potential in the future to be applied to diseases, which has been reported to be related to Syt7.

This achievement appeared in the “Calcium sensing by C2A domain of Synaptotagmin 7 is required through the linker for both synaptic facilitation and memory”, in Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America on September 21, 2026.

-  Professor Jemin Hwangbo's team in the Department of Mechanical Engineering completes the full 42.195 km marathon with RAIBO2 without a battery swap, capturing 4 hours and 19 minutes of real-world running data

-  Optimizes mechanical, electrical, and control systems as a single integrated system, presenting design principles for long-distance operation that reduce energy loss while maintaining locomotion performance

-  First Korea-based robotics research published in the main journal of Nature, to be extended into industrial products and mass-production technology through Raion Robotics

Biomass from agricultural residues, forestry waste, and other renewable sources contains abundant carbon that can be converted into fuels and valuable chemicals. Yet breaking down its complex lignocellulosic structure often requires high temperatures, substantial energy input, or intensive chemical treatment. A new review published in Sustainable Carbon Materials examines an emerging alternative: piezocatalysis, a process that converts mechanical energy directly into chemical driving forces for biomass conversion.

Understanding how pollutants move underground is difficult because aquifers are far from uniform. Water can travel quickly through some zones and slowly through others, while most of these hidden structures cannot be directly observed. Researchers have now developed an artificial intelligence framework that can represent this three-dimensional complexity more efficiently and use monitoring data to improve predictions of PFOA movement in groundwater.

The Optica Foundation is pleased to announce the recipients of several of its 2026 prizes and fellowships. These programs provide support and recognition for the next generation of optics and photonics leaders.