A theoretical framework predicts the emergence of non-reciprocal interactions that effectively violate Newton’s third law in solids using light, report researchers from Japan. They demonstrate that by irradiating light of a carefully tuned frequency onto a magnetic metal, one can induce a torque that drives two magnetic layers into a spontaneous, persistent “chase-and-run” rotation. This work opens a new frontier in non-equilibrium materials science and suggests novel applications in light-controlled quantum materials.

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is central to gene regulation, but accurately simulating its folding is a long-standing challenge in computational biology. In a recent study, Associate Professor Tadashi Ando from Tokyo University of Science rigorously evaluated state-of-the-art molecular dynamics simulation tools. By testing 26 diverse RNA stem loops, he achieved highly accurate folding predictions and outlined areas for improvement, marking a major step toward RNA-based drug discovery and design.

Researchers have confirmed the true ferrielectric state in a single-phase material, (MV)[SbBr₅]. This new polar order exhibits a unique combination of a switchable net polarization, asynchronous dipole switching, and polar-to-polar structural transitions, while enabling unprecedented electric-field control of spin-orbit coupling and circular photogalvanic effects, opening new avenues for next-generation electronics.

A new study suggests that nuclear waste, traditionally viewed as a liability, could be repurposed to generate hydrogen on an industrial scale.

Geiger-mode avalanche photodiodes (APDs) are capable of detecting single photons by harnessing a process called avalanche multiplication. 4H-SiC APDs have demonstrated high sensitivity in the deep ultraviolet range. However, at higher wavelengths of light, APDs require advanced architectures to improve their unity-gain quantum efficiency to maintain single-photon sensitivity. Optimizing avalanche photodiodes for high wavelength operation brings several design challenges. Researchers have now created a numerical model with a calibrated 4H-SiC material library for designing avalanche photodiodes for near-ultraviolet photodetection.

Beyond the disruption to Ukraine’s food exports, the war is jeopardising the country’s long-term ability to remain the ‘breadbasket of Europe’, because its soils are gradually losing vital crop nutrients. That is the warning issued by researchers from the UK, Ukraine and the Netherlands who say more nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium* are now being removed from soils via harvested crops than added back in. This is due to reduced access to fertilisers during the war and inefficient farming practices. Military activity has also exacerbated existing degradation and erosion of soils across Ukraine.

A unified strategy using aggregation-induced emission fluorogens (AIEgens) is developed to monitor multiscale material dynamics. Their high-contrast fluorescence enables the correlation of molecular motions, microscopic particle coalescence, and macroscopic drying within a single optical framework. This overcomes limitations of multi-platform methods, offering a generalizable approach for holistic process analysis in complex systems like polymer emulsions.