As the semiconductor industry enters the era beyond Moore's Law, the drive for atomic-scale precision in surface planarization becomes more critical than ever. Recognizing this challenge, researchers from Tsinghua have reported a comprehensive review outlining the recent advances, inherent challenges, and future directions of atomic-scale chemical mechanical polishing (CMP). Their work synthesizes the interdisciplinary efforts necessary to transcend existing limitations in materials processing and manufacturing precision, paving the way toward the next frontier of semiconductor device fabrication.

An interdisciplinary research team lead by Harbin Institute of Technology has developed a multifunctional biphasic bone scaffold featuring a "steel-cement" structure using eggshells waste. This scaffold integrates a rigid lattice (biosteel) with a bioactive hydrogel (biocement) loaded with composite drug-releasing particles, facilitating anti-infective and osteogenic functions. With adjustable mechanical properties, biodegradability, and intelligent responsiveness, this scaffold demonstrates significant potential for precise, sustainable, and dynamic bone regeneration.

This study not only demonstrates the high-value transformation of waste biological resources but also provides new ideas for advancing bone regeneration toward intelligent and personalized therapeutic paradigms.

Researchers at the University of Sydney have cracked a long-standing problem in microchip-scale lasers by carving ‘tiny speed bumps’ into the devices’ optical cavity in their quest to produce exceptionally ‘clean’ light. This exquisitely narrow spectrum light could be used in future quantum computers, advanced navigation systems, ultra-fast communications networks and precision sensors.

In a significant stride towards cleaner water, researchers at the School of Resources and Environment, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China, have developed a novel material that effectively removes harmful pollutants from water. Professors Jianhua Qu and Ying Zhang lead the team behind the study titled "Synthesis of Polyvinyl Chloride Modified Magnetic Hydrochar for Effective Removal of Pb(II) and Bisphenol A from Aqueous Phase: Performance and Mechanism Exploration." This innovative research introduces a powerful new tool in the fight against water pollution.

UBC researchers built a ‘body-swap’ robot to uncover how the brain maintains balance—a breakthrough that could lead to new fall-prevention strategies and assistive technologies for older adults.

Professor Kyu-Jin Cho’s team at Seoul National University announced has developed an interlacing origami structure, called the “FoRoGated-Structure” (Foldable-and-Rollable corruGated Structure), that can be stored in a highly compact rolled form while supporting heavy loads when deployed. Interlacing is a structural design principle in which multiple elements are crossed and interlocked so that they can slide and rearrange in one direction, while locking together in another direction to distribute loads and maintain shape. By applying this principle to an origami-inspired folding structure, the team realized a design that can be folded once and then rolled again for additional compression, yet still maintains high strength and stiffness when extended. Using this structure, the researchers built a tape-measure-like extendable robotic arm and demonstrated its use on a small mobile robot capable of shelf work and on a deployable mobile 3D-printing robot that fabricates structures up to 2.5 meters tall, showing the structure’s potential for a wide range of deployable robotic systems. The study has been published in the prestigious international journal Science Robotics.