Single-photon sources are key components of quantum communication technologies. However, conventional designs use decoupled single-photon emitters and photon transmission methods, resulting in high transmission loss, limiting practical applicability. Now, researchers from Japan have developed a new method, where a single rare-earth ion is used to generate and guide single photons directly within an optical fiber at room temperature. It is low cost and can become a key component of upcoming quantum communication technologies.

For children who need braces or jaw correction, timing is everything. If treatment starts before or after a growth spurt, it can be far less effective. But doctors have long struggled to predict exactly when those spurts will happen. Now, a team of South Korean researchers has created an artificial intelligence (AI) tool that can read simple neck X-rays and spot the signs of rapid growth. The technology could give orthodontists a powerful new way to plan care with precision.

Air pollution is dramatically reshaping tropical rainfall patterns. In a new study, scientists found that increasing aerosol concentrations over the Maritime Continent strengthens oceanic rainfall while suppressing and delaying land rain peaks to midnight. This newly identified shift, revealed through high-resolution modeling and satellite data, has major implications for forecasting and climate prediction in Southeast Asia.

Conventionally, deep neural networks (DNNs), including convolutional neural networks (CNNs), are trained using backpropagation—a standard algorithm in AI learning. However, backpropagation suffers from several limitations, such as high computational cost and overfitting. Researchers have now developed a new training approach called the Visual Forward–Forward Network (VFF-Net), which overcomes these challenges. By eliminating the need for backpropagation, VFF-Net enables more efficient, less resource-intensive training while maintaining high accuracy and robustness.