Sunbeams contain a lot of energy. But current technology for harvesting solar power doesn’t capture as much as it could. Now, in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, researchers report that gold nanospheres, named supraballs, can absorb nearly all wavelengths in sunlight — including some that traditional photovoltaic materials miss. Applying a layer of supraballs onto a commercially available electricity converter demonstrated that the technology nearly doubled solar energy absorption compared to traditional materials.

A research paper by scientists at Tianjin University presented a novel rolling driving principle (RDP) inspired by the rack-and-pinion mechanism.

The research paper, published on Jan 9, 2026 in the journal Cyborg and Bionic Systems.

Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) and the mobility technology company Magna have unveiled one of the most sophisticated driving simulators in the world at the new Advanced Driving Simulation Center on Campus Inffeldgasse. The simulator reproduces an extremely realistic driving experience in a unique way. Research and development teams can use the simulator to realistically test and optimise different vehicles, chassis and tyre set-ups as well as various advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). Magna covered the acquisition and installation costs, while TU Graz is financing the ongoing running of the Advanced Driving Simulation Center.

Researchers at AppliedPhysics.org report early evidence that cells respond selectively to mathematically structured sound, not just acoustic power. In an exploratory Biosystems study, Fibonacci based acoustic signals triggered distinct responses across different cell types, suggesting sound can be tuned to cellular size and mechanics rather than applied as brute force.

The findings point to a potential new direction for cancer research: using low intensity, physics driven acoustic design to target physical differences between cancer and healthy cells. While preliminary and based on model organisms, the work opens the door to a future of more precise, less invasive, mechanically selective therapies.