The newly established Photonics Innovation Award recognizes outstanding scientists whose groundbreaking research has expanded the frontiers of photonics and embodies the innovative spirit of Professor Federico Capasso, founding editor of the journal “Nanophotonics”.

Following a rigorous and unanimous selection process by the award committee, Dr. Charles Roques-Carmes of Stanford University was chosen for his broad and original contributions to the field of photonics.

Quantum computers still face a major hurdle on their pathway to practical use cases: their limited ability to correct the arising computational errors. To develop truly reliable quantum computers, researchers must be able to simulate quantum computations using conventional computers to verify their correctness – a vital yet extraordinarily difficult task. Now, in a world-first, researchers from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, the University of Milan, the University of Granada, and the University of Tokyo have unveiled a method for simulating specific types of error-corrected quantum computations – a significant leap forward in the quest for robust quantum technologies.

The entrepreneurial ecosystems (EE) approach is often promoted for Africa’s growth, but Africa already has many entrepreneurs. Instead of increasing entrepreneurship, researchers argue for strategies drawn from East Asia’s development and Schumpeterian growth theory—both of which oppose EE thinking. These approaches suggest that Africa should focus on building large, productive firms and absorbing existing technologies, rather than relying on start-ups, to achieve long-term, sustainable economic development.

New research reveals a surprising geometric link between human and machine learning. A mathematical property called convexity may help explain how brains and algorithms form concepts and make sense of the world.