Researchers at the University of Osaka have synergistically combined three strategies for energy dissipation to enhance the toughness of elastomers. Rotaxane molecules with sacrificial bonds are incorporated into an elastomer. Under increasing external force, three mechanisms become sequentially activated: sliding of the rotaxane molecules, force-induced bond scission in the rings to form linear chains, and entanglement of the resulting chains. A polyurethane elastomer synthesized using this strategy was five times tougher than a conventional polyurethane.

Riverine PFOA presents higher concentrations in the eastern Seto Inland Sea than in the western part. Yodo and Yamato Rivers dominate the PFOA levels in the eastern part. After entering Osaka Bay, most PFOA is transported to the Kii Channel and farther exported to the Pacific Ocean via the upper 20 m. Annual export to the Pacific Ocean from the Japan’s coast is 328.0–348.9 kg, which is largely contributed by the Seto Inland Sea.

The Royal Academy of Engineering is to award the prestigious Princess Royal Silver Medal to Professor Robert Thomson FREng, Professor of Photonics at Heriot-Watt University.

A comprehensive 15-year study published in the Biodiversity Data Journal details the growing threat of extreme weather on White Storks (Ciconia ciconia) in Bulgaria. The research, which is part of the topical collection "Restoration of species of conservation importance," analyzes the admissions and treatment outcomes of injured storks at the Wildlife Rescue and Breeding Centre (WRBC) of the Green Balkans NGO between 2010 and 2025. The researchers found that juvenile storks are exceptionally vulnerable to extreme conditions. Also,  survival rates for fire-related incidents were strikingly low at just 33% (32 out of 97 wildfire recorded cases of collapsed nests, etc.).

POSTECH-KRISO team develops an ultra-light underwater lens for broadband low-frequency sound focusing.

POSTECH Identifies True Cause of Prussian Blue Performance Loss — Surface Oxidation, Not Crystal Water, Is the Key Factor.

A research group has developed “TP-An,” a molecule that enables even low-energy, long-wavelength light to be used more effectively by solar cells and photocatalysts. The molecule can be used even at high concentrations that are difficult for traditional materials, suggesting their usefulness in technology.