What’s the key to growing resilient crops that can survive tough conditions? Researchers at the University of Missouri are getting to the root of it — literally.

A recent study unveils the molecular mechanisms explaining why some ‘stealth’ drug coatings fail to evade the immune system, as reported by researchers from Institute of Science Tokyo. Using single-molecule atomic force microscopy, they measured how individual antibodies bind to poly(ethylene) glycol, showing that hydration and terminal chemistry strongly influence immune recognition. Their findings pave the way for novel drug coatings that stay effective longer by avoiding unwanted immune responses.

A research team led by Professor William Mitch of Stanford University and Prof. Yong Sik Ok and Dr. Yoora Cho of Korea University, in collaboration with Prof. Jay Hyuk Rhee of Korea University Business School and the International ESG Association, has introduced a new framework to curb greenwashing in ESG reporting. Published in Nature Water, the study presents the Water Sustainability Index, a transparent, quantitative metric designed to strengthen corporate water accountability worldwide.

Efficient generation and reliable distribution of quantum entangled states is crucial for emerging quantum applications, including quantum key distribution (QKDs). However, conventional polarization-based entanglement states are not stable over long fiber networks. While time-bin entanglement offers a promising alternative, it requires complex infrastructure. In this study, researchers explore how stable time-bin entangled states can be generated and distributed using commercially available components, paving the way for practical quantum communication networks.

The European Union has set the target of reducing the production of fossil-based plastics by 20% and microplastic emissions into the environment by 30% by 2030. The persistent accumulation of plastics leads to the release of microplastics and toxic substances that contaminate soil and threaten ecosystems. In this respect, plastics currently used in agriculture are a particularly relevant example, as they are in direct contact with the environment and their recovery is not always feasible, meaning they may ultimately be released. In recent years, bio-based and biodegradable materials have emerged, but further research is needed to improve their performance so that they can become a real alternative to conventional plastics. Likewise, it is essential to analyse the environmental impact of these new materials and compare it with that of existing ones to confirm that they represent a genuine improvement.

The INSOIL project, which brings together 16 centres from eight European countries and is coordinated by the Institute of Packaging, Transport and Logistics Technology, with the participation of the Universitat Jaume I of Castelló, addresses pollution caused by plastics, fertilisers and plant protection products in agriculture. It does so through the development of three families of fully bio-based, safe and soil-biodegradable plastic products—mulch films, seedling protectors and coatings for controlled-release fertilisers—aimed at contributing to more sustainable agricultural production.

To create these new products, INSOIL will make use of six types of second- and third-generation bio-based raw materials (biogenic CO₂ emissions, waste from the pulp and forestry industry, by-products from agriculture and food processing, and microalgal and microbial biomass) and will develop functional prototypes of plastic products. These products will be validated under real conditions with end users, namely leading fruit and vegetable producers in southern and northern Europe.

Insulin resistance — when the body doesn't properly respond to insulin, a hormone that helps control blood glucose levels — is one of the fundamental causes of diabetes. In addition to diabetes, it is widely known that insulin resistance can lead to cardiovascular, kidney and liver diseases. While insulin resistance is tightly associated with obesity, it has been difficult to evaluate insulin resistance itself in the clinic. For the first time, researchers including those from the University of Tokyo applied a machine learning-based prediction model of insulin resistance to half a million participants from the UK Biobank and demonstrated that insulin resistance is a risk factor for 12 types of cancer. 

Despite being riddled with impurities and defects, solution-processed lead-halide perovskites are surprisingly efficient at converting solar energy into electricity. Their efficiency is approaching that of silicon-based solar cells, the industry standard. In a new study published in Nature Communications, physicists at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) present a comprehensive explanation of the mechanism behind perovskite efficiency that has long perplexed researchers.