A research team has outlined how synthetic biology can accelerate discoveries in plant–microbe interactions, offering strategies to enhance disease resistance, engineer synthetic symbioses, and manipulate root microbiomes.

Research from Hanyang University ERICA examines how customers respond when witnessing another customer mistreat a service robot. The study identifies two psychological pathways—behavioral contagion, which normalizes incivility, and empathy, which fosters prosocial behavior. These responses are influenced by the robot’s anthropomorphism and the observer’s moral identity, offering insights to guide ethical robot design and service management in hospitality, retail, and healthcare.

Beta-blockers, like atenolol (ATL) and metoprolol (MTL), are widely prescribed to treat cardiovascular conditions. However, they tend to persist in the environment, ending up in water sources, affecting aquatic life. In a new study, researchers investigated fluorinated covalent organic polymers, as groundbreaking absorbents that can rapidly remove persistent pharmaceuticals from complex real-world water environments. The findings have immense implications for designing advanced wastewater treatment systems.

New report from the World Economic Forum and Frontiers identifies ten technologies with the potential to accelerate climate action, restore ecosystems, and drive sustainable innovation within planetary boundaries. 

The World Economic Forum and leading open science publisher Frontiers today launched the inaugural 10 Emerging Technology Solutions for Planetary Health report, a landmark publication spotlighting ten breakthrough innovations that could accelerate global efforts to tackle climate change, restore ecosystems, and build long-term resilience. These technologies offer scalable, science-based solutions to help society operate within planetary boundaries and foster a more sustainable relationship with Earth's systems.