An international team of astronomers, including researcher from the Department of Physics at The University of Hong Kong (HKU), has uncovered the first decisive evidence that at least some fast radio burst (FRB) sources—brief but powerful flashes of radio waves from distant galaxies—reside in binary stellar systems. This means the FRB source is not an isolated star, as previously assumed, but part of a binary stellar system in which two stars orbit each other.

The study addresses heterogeneous UAV cooperative task assignment under complex constraints via an energy learning hyper-heuristic (EL-HH) algorithm. It designs a three-layer encoded mathematical model, adaptive operator energy adjustment, multiple optimization operators, and task adjustment strategies. Simulations and experiments verify the algorithm’s effectiveness.

The WISE research group (Wearable, Intelligent, Soft Electronics) at The University of Hong Kong (HKU-WISE) have addressed a long-standing bioelectronic challenge: the development of soft, 3D transistors. This groundbreaking work introduces a new approach to semiconductor device design with transformative potential for bioelectronics, which has been featured as the cover story of the prestigious journal Science.

The University of Hong Kong (HKU) and Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings co-hosted "The Nobel Heroes Forum: Shaping Science and Future" today (12 January 2026), convening six Nobel laureates for thought-provoking discussions on how fundamental research drives progress in science, technology, health, and the global economy. Held at the Grand Hall of the Lee Shau Kee Lecture Centre on the Centennial Campus, the forum drew an audience of over 800 participants, fostering interdisciplinary exchange among some of the world’s most distinguished scientific minds.

Researchers have developed a novel data-driven Faraday polarimetric decoupling method, offering a robust technical solution to the challenge of atomic density fluctuations inatomic gyroscopes. The study, published in Defence Technology, introduces a framework that integrates finite-element simulation with neural networks to isolate density disturbances from signal measurements.

A research team led by Professor Yuyu Zhou from the Department of Geography at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) has unveiled a critical “warming paradox” in global urban greening strategies, challenging the universal assumption that vegetation always cools cities and providing a new roadmap for “smart greening” to combat urban heat islands effectively. By analysing high-resolution satellite and climate data from over 700 megacities, the study also demonstrates that in arid regions, urban greenery can actually increase surface temperatures.

Researchers from the Faculty of Engineering at The University of Hong Kong (HKU) have made a significant discovery regarding quantum entanglement. This phenomenon, which has long been viewed as a significant obstacle in classical quantum simulations, actually enhances the speed of quantum simulations and acts as a valuable resource. The groundbreaking findings have been featured as the Cover Story in the prestigious journal Nature Physics in an article titled “Entanglement accelerates quantum simulation”.