The pulp and paper industry consumes large amounts of energy. But despite stricter EU requirements for efficiency improvements, there has been no way to measure and compare energy consumption between different companies in a fair way. In collaboration with the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, researchers at Linköping University, Sweden, now present a solution that has great potential to be used throughout the EU.

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.