Living bacteria can bond sand and other loose grains together into a solid material by forming calcium carbonate, the mineral that makes up limestone

The process is seen as a promising, less energy-intensive alternative to cement. Previously, it has primarily been used to stabilise soils, moulded tiles, and in research. 

An ETH Zurich researcher has now shown that bacteria and digital manufacturing can also be used to build free-form architectural elements.

An international research team led by Kumamoto University examined how AI can be responsibly integrated into education. A Delphi study involving 70 professionals from 18 countries identified five priorities: AI competencies, automated assessment and feedback, evolving teacher roles, trustworthy and explainable AI, and equal access. The study shares strategies of AI integration that requires coordinated action of policy makers, researchers and practitioners with attention to pedagogy, policy, infrastructure and equity.

JST, together with the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, will hold the "1st ASEAN-NEXUS Symposium" and the "1st ASEAN-NEXUS Networking Forum" in Tokyo, Japan, on December 7-8, 2026. The symposium will showcase NEXUS achievements, facilitate the exchange of ideas across research fields, and feature insights from Japanese Nobel laureates on international collaboration. The forum will build on discussions, deepen researcher-to-researcher connections, and explore new opportunities for collaboration.

- Professor Kyung Min Kim’s team in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering implemented both long-term and short-term memory in a single semiconductor device

- The team used gradual changes in electric current to develop encryption in which information can be read only after a set amount of time has passed

- The team also demonstrated a method in which the correct information appears only at a specific time, showing potential for use in cloud security

The "Fast Tech" boom is fuelling e-waste: 78% of Europeans bought cheap electronics last year, but millions end up in bins or drawers. And with annual Black Friday and holiday shopping sprees approaching, International E-Waste Day 2026 aims a spotlight on the booming trade in “Fast Tech” – USB adapters, mini fans, LED lights, electronic toys and other small, inexpensive gadgets. Research shows that in the UK alone, for example, roughly 16 small Fast Tech electrical items being purchased every second, more than half a billion a year. Says one IEWD organizer: “A tiny battery-powered gadget tossed into a household bin may seem inconsequential. Multiply that by millions of products and it becomes a serious problem, both in lost resources and in fire risks for the people and facilities handling our waste.”

Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory developed Motor Decide, a Super Intelligence-driven platform that helps manufacturers compare electric motor technologies based on performance, material availability, supply chain stability, technology maturity and resilience to changing market conditions.

Announcing a new publication from Opto-Electronic Technology; DOI 10.29026/oet.2026.260019.