Nanotechnology

In just one afternoon, scientists used a nanoparticle “megalibrary” to find a catalyst that matches or exceeds iridium’s performance in hydrogen fuel production, at a fraction of the cost.

Hydrogen fuel cells could power cars, devices, and homes with nothing but water as a byproduct—but platinum’s cost holds them back. Chinese researchers have now unveiled a breakthrough iron-based catalyst that could rival platinum while boosting efficiency and durability. With its clever “inner activation, outer protection” design, this new catalyst not only reduces harmful byproducts but also shatters performance records, potentially paving the way for cleaner, cheaper, and more practical hydrogen energy.

Deep beneath southern China, JUNO has launched one of the most ambitious neutrino experiments in history. With its massive 20,000-ton liquid scintillator detector now operational, it’s poised to answer one of particle physics’ greatest mysteries: the true ordering of neutrino masses. Built over more than a decade and involving hundreds of scientists worldwide, JUNO not only promises to resolve questions about the building blocks of matter but also to open entirely new frontiers—from exploring signals of supernovae to hunting for evidence of exotic physics.

Ripple bugs’ fan-like legs inspired engineers to build the Rhagobot, a tiny robot with self-morphing fans. By mimicking these insects’ passive, ultra-fast movements, the robot gains speed, control, and endurance without extra energy—potentially transforming aquatic microrobotics.

By using quantum dots and smart encryption protocols, researchers overcame a 40-year barrier in quantum communication, showing that secure networks don’t need perfect hardware to outperform today’s best systems.

For the first time, researchers have measured atomic temperatures in extreme matter and found gold surviving at 19,000 kelvins, more than 14 times its melting point. The result dismantles a 40-year-old theory of heat limits.

ETH Zurich scientists have levitated a tower of three nano glass spheres using optical tweezers, suppressing almost all classical motion to observe quantum zero-point fluctuations with unprecedented precision. Achieving 92% quantum purity at room temperature, a feat usually requiring near absolute zero, they have opened the door to advanced quantum sensors without costly cooling.

Researchers have synthesized a stable cyclo[48]carbon, a unique 48-carbon ring that can be studied in solution at room temperature, a feat never achieved before.

Researchers have unveiled a new quantum material that could make quantum computers much more stable by using magnetism to protect delicate qubits from environmental disturbances. Unlike traditional approaches that rely on rare spin-orbit interactions, this method uses magnetic interactions—common in many materials—to create robust topological excitations. Combined with a new computational tool for finding such materials, this breakthrough could pave the way for practical, disturbance-resistant quantum computers.

Rice University scientists have discovered a way to make tiny vibrations, called phonons, interfere with each other more strongly than ever before. Using a special sandwich of silver, graphene, and silicon carbide, they created a record-breaking effect so sensitive it can detect a single molecule without labels or complex equipment. This breakthrough could open new possibilities for powerful sensors, quantum devices, and technologies that control heat and energy at the smallest scales.

Scientists have developed a lightning-fast AI tool called HEAT-ML that can spot hidden “safe zones” inside a fusion reactor where parts are protected from blistering plasma heat. Finding these areas, known as magnetic shadows, is key to keeping reactors running safely and moving fusion energy closer to reality.

A groundbreaking quantum device small enough to fit in your hand could one day answer one of the biggest questions in science — whether the multiverse is real. This tiny chip can generate extreme electromagnetic fields once only possible in massive, miles-long particle colliders. Beyond probing the fabric of reality, it could lead to powerful gamma ray lasers capable of destroying cancer cells at the atomic level, offering a glimpse into a future where the deepest mysteries of the universe and life-saving medical breakthroughs are unlocked by technology no bigger than your thumb.

Scientists at SLAC unexpectedly created gold hydride, a compound of gold and hydrogen, while studying diamond formation under extreme pressure and heat. This discovery challenges gold’s reputation as a chemically unreactive metal and opens doors to studying dense hydrogen, which could help us understand planetary interiors and fusion processes. The results also suggest that extreme conditions can produce exotic, previously unknown compounds, offering exciting opportunities for future high-pressure chemistry research.

At the Large Hadron Collider, scientists from the University of Kansas achieved a fleeting form of modern-day alchemy — turning lead into gold for just a fraction of a second. Using ultra-peripheral collisions, where ions nearly miss but interact through powerful photon exchanges, they managed to knock protons out of nuclei, creating new, short-lived elements. This breakthrough not only grabbed global attention but could help design safer, more advanced particle accelerators of the future.

Physicists have heated gold to over 19,000 Kelvin, more than 14 times its melting point, without melting it, smashing the long-standing “entropy catastrophe” limit. Using an ultra-fast laser pulse at SLAC’s Linac Coherent Light Source, they kept the gold crystalline at extreme heat, opening new frontiers in high-energy-density physics, fusion research, and planetary science.

Scientists have found that microscopic gold clusters can act like the world’s most accurate quantum systems, while being far easier to scale up. With tunable spin properties and mass production potential, they could transform quantum computing and sensing.

Using the world’s most powerful X-ray laser, researchers have captured the hidden, never-ending vibrations of atoms inside molecules. This first-ever direct view of zero-point motion reveals that atoms move in precise, synchronized patterns, even in their lowest energy state.

ETH Zurich researchers levitated a nano glass sphere cluster with record-setting quantum purity at room temperature, avoiding costly cooling. Using optical tweezers, they isolated quantum zero-point motion, paving the way for future quantum sensors in navigation, medicine, and fundamental physics.

A rare mineral from a 1724 meteorite defies the rules of heat flow, acting like both a crystal and a glass. Thanks to AI and quantum physics, researchers uncovered its bizarre ability to maintain constant thermal conductivity, a breakthrough that could revolutionize heat management in technology and industry.

Plastic pollution is a mounting global issue, but scientists at Washington University in St. Louis have taken a bold step forward by creating a new bioplastic inspired by the structure of leaves. Their innovation, LEAFF, enhances strength, functionality, and biodegradability by utilizing cellulose nanofibers, outperforming even traditional plastics. It degrades at room temperature, can be printed on, and resists air and water, offering a game-changing solution for sustainable packaging.

Physicists at MIT recreated the double-slit experiment using individual photons and atoms held in laser light, uncovering the true limits of light’s wave–particle duality. Their results proved Einstein’s proposal wrong and confirmed a core prediction of quantum mechanics.

Physicists have discovered that when beams of light interact at the quantum level, they can generate ghost-like particles that briefly emerge from nothing and affect real matter. This rare phenomenon, known as light-on-light scattering, challenges the classical idea that light waves pass through each other untouched.

At the edge of two exotic materials, scientists have discovered a new state of matter called a "quantum liquid crystal" that behaves unlike anything we've seen before. When a conductive Weyl semimetal and a magnetic spin ice meet under a powerful magnetic field, strange and exciting quantum behavior emerges—electrons flow in odd directions and break traditional symmetry. These findings could open doors to creating ultra-sensitive quantum sensors and exploring exotic states of matter in extreme environments.

A pioneering team at the University of Maryland has captured the first-ever images of atomic thermal vibrations, unlocking an unseen world of motion within two-dimensional materials. Their innovative electron ptychography technique revealed elusive “moiré phasons,” a long-theorized phenomenon that governs heat, electronic behavior, and structural order at the atomic level. This discovery not only confirms decades-old theories but also provides a new lens for building the future of quantum computing, ultra-efficient electronics, and advanced nanosensors.

Imagine concrete that not only survives wildfires and extreme weather, but heals itself and absorbs carbon from the air. Scientists at USC have created an AI model called Allegro-FM that simulates billions of atoms at once, helping design futuristic materials like carbon-neutral concrete. This tech could transform cities by reducing emissions, extending building lifespans, and mimicking the ancient durability of Roman concrete—all thanks to a massive leap in AI-driven atomic modeling.

Scientists have used DNA's self-assembling properties to engineer intricate moiré superlattices at the nanometer scale—structures that twist and layer like never before. With clever molecular “blueprints,” they’ve created customizable lattices featuring patterns such as honeycombs and squares, all with remarkable precision. These new architectures are more than just scientific art—they open doors to revolutionizing how we control light, sound, electrons, and even spin in next-gen materials.

Scientists have cracked a century-old physics mystery by detecting magnetic signals in non-magnetic metals using only light and a revamped laser technique. Previously undetectable, these faint magnetic “whispers” are now measurable, revealing hidden patterns of electron behavior. The breakthrough could revolutionize how we explore magnetism in everyday materials—without bulky instruments or wires—and may open new doors for quantum computing, memory storage, and advanced electronics.

Using advanced metasurfaces, researchers can now twist light to uncover hidden images and detect molecular handedness, potentially revolutionizing data encryption, biosensing, and drug safety.

A new leap in lab automation is shaking up how scientists discover materials. By switching from slow, traditional methods to real-time, dynamic chemical experiments, researchers have created a self-driving lab that collects 10 times more data, drastically accelerating progress. This new system not only saves time and resources but also paves the way for faster breakthroughs in clean energy, electronics, and sustainability—bringing us closer to a future where lab discoveries happen in days, not years.

Using an advanced Monte Carlo method, Caltech researchers found a way to tame the infinite complexity of Feynman diagrams and solve the long-standing polaron problem, unlocking deeper understanding of electron flow in tricky materials.

Researchers at the University of Illinois have pulled off a laser first: they built a new kind of eye-safe laser that works at room temperature, using a buried layer of glass-like material instead of the usual air holes. This design not only boosts laser performance but also opens the door to safer and more precise uses in defense, autonomous vehicles, and advanced sensors. It’s a breakthrough in how we build and power lasers—and it might change what lasers can do in the real world.

Scientists have discovered a revolutionary new method for creating quantum states by twisting materials at the M-point, revealing exotic phenomena previously out of reach. This new direction dramatically expands the moiré toolkit and may soon lead to the experimental realization of long-sought quantum spin liquids.

Imagine if you could "print" a tiny skyscraper using DNA instead of steel. That’s what researchers at Columbia and Brookhaven are doing—constructing intricate 3D nanostructures by harnessing the predictable folding of DNA strands. Their new design method uses voxel-like building blocks and an algorithm called MOSES to fabricate nanoscale devices in parallel, with applications ranging from optical computing to bio-scaffolds. Unlike traditional lithography or 3D printing, this self-assembly process occurs entirely in water and could revolutionize the future of nanomanufacturing.

Scientists from UCL and the University of Cambridge have revealed that "space ice"—long thought to be completely disordered—is actually sprinkled with tiny crystals, changing our fundamental understanding of ice in the cosmos. These micro-crystals, just nanometers wide, were identified through simulations and lab experiments, revealing that even the most common ice in space retains a surprising structure. This has major implications not just for astrophysics, but also for theories about the origin of life and advanced materials technology.

Scientists are on the trail of a mysterious five-particle structure that could challenge one of the biggest theories in physics: string theory. This rare particle—never seen before and predicted not to exist within string theory—might leave behind vanishing tracks in the Large Hadron Collider, like ghostly footprints that suddenly disappear. Spotting it wouldn’t just shake up physics theory—it might also reveal clues to dark matter, the invisible stuff that makes up most of the universe.

A precious metal used everywhere from car exhaust systems to fuel cells, platinum is an incredibly efficient catalyst—but it's costly and carbon-intensive. Now, a serendipitous collaboration between scientists at ETH Zurich and other European institutions has opened a new frontier in understanding and optimizing platinum-based catalysts at the atomic level.

At Flinders University, scientists have cracked a cleaner and greener way to extract gold—not just from ore, but also from our mounting piles of e-waste. By using a compound normally found in pool disinfectants and a novel polymer that can be reused, the method avoids toxic chemicals like mercury and cyanide. It even works on trace gold in scientific waste. Tested on everything from circuit boards to mixed-metal ores, the approach offers a promising solution to both the global gold rush and the growing e-waste crisis. The technique could be a game-changer for artisanal miners and recyclers, helping recover valuable metals while protecting people and the planet.

Imagine detecting a single trillionth of a gram of a molecule—like an amino acid—using just electricity and a chip smaller than your fingernail. That’s the power of a new quantum-enabled biosensor developed at EPFL. Ditching bulky lasers, it taps into the strange world of quantum tunneling, where electrons sneak through barriers and release light in the process. This self-illuminating sensor uses a gold nanostructure to both generate and sense light, making it incredibly compact, ultra-sensitive, and perfect for rapid diagnostics or environmental testing. With its cutting-edge design, it might just revolutionize how and where we detect disease, pollutants, and more.

Researchers in Sweden have developed a powerful new material that dramatically boosts the ability to create hydrogen fuel from water using sunlight, making the process eight times more effective than before. This breakthrough could be key to fueling heavy transport like ships and planes with clean, renewable energy.

Researchers in South Korea have developed a powerful and affordable new material for producing hydrogen, a clean energy source key to fighting climate change. By fine-tuning boron-doping and phosphorus levels in cobalt phosphide nanosheets, the team dramatically boosted the efficiency of both sides of water-splitting reactions. This advancement could unlock scalable, low-cost hydrogen production, transforming how we generate clean fuel.

Scientists have, for the first time, directly observed phonon wave dynamics within self-assembling nanomaterials unlocking the potential for customizable, reconfigurable metamaterials with applications ranging from shock absorbers to advanced computing.

Smashing atomic nuclei together at mind-bending speeds recreates the fiery conditions of the early universe and scientists are finally getting a better handle on what happens next. A sweeping new study dives deep into how ultra-heavy particles behave after these high-energy collisions, revealing they don t just vanish after the initial impact but continue interacting like silent messengers from the dawn of time. This behavior, once overlooked, may hold the key to unraveling the universe s most mysterious beginnings.

Scientists have built detailed Milky Way simulations under strange new physical laws to probe dark matter, revealing how different versions of the universe might behave and helping us get closer to the real one.

Physicists at the University of Colorado Boulder have created a groundbreaking quantum device that can measure 3D acceleration using ultracold atoms, something once thought nearly impossible. By chilling rubidium atoms to near absolute zero and splitting them into quantum superpositions, the team has built a compact atom interferometer guided by AI to decode acceleration patterns. While the sensor still lags behind traditional GPS and accelerometers, it's poised to revolutionize navigation for vehicles like submarines or spacecraft potentially offering a timeless, atomic-based alternative to aging electronics.

Scientists at the University of Michigan have unlocked a long-standing mystery about quasicrystals exotic materials that straddle the line between the orderly structure of crystals and the chaos of glass. These rare solids, which once seemed to break the rules of physics, are now shown to be fundamentally stable through cutting-edge quantum simulations. The findings not only validate their existence but also open the door to designing next-generation materials using powerful new computational techniques.

Physicists have managed to simulate a strange quantum phenomenon where light appears to arise from empty space a concept that until now has only existed in theory. Using cutting-edge simulations, researchers modeled how powerful lasers interact with the so-called quantum vacuum, revealing how photons could bounce off each other and even generate new beams of light. These breakthroughs come just as new ultra-powerful laser facilities are preparing to test these mind-bending effects in reality, potentially opening a gateway to uncovering new physics and even dark matter particles.

Scientists at Binghamton University are bringing a sci-fi fantasy to life by developing tiny batteries that vanish after use inspired by Mission: Impossible. Led by Professor Seokheun Choi, the team is tackling one of the trickiest parts of biodegradable electronics: the power source. Instead of using toxic materials, they re exploring probiotics friendly bacteria often found in yogurt to generate electricity. With engineered paper-based batteries that dissolve in acidic environments, this breakthrough could revolutionize safe, disposable tech for medical and environmental use.

Harvard and PSI scientists have managed to freeze normally fleeting quantum states in time, creating a pathway to control them using pure electronic tricks and laser precision.

Physicists have developed a lens with 'magic' properties. Ultra-thin, it can transform infrared light into visible light by halving the wavelength of incident light.

Current regulations for nanomedicines overlook the effects of the different forms of the same element, such as ions, nanoparticles, and aggregates. In a recent study, researchers developed a new analytical method combining an asymmetric flow field-flow fractionation system and mass spectrometry to separately quantify these forms. This technique allows for better quality control and safety evaluation of metal-based nanomedicines, promoting their development and clinical use, with applications also extending to food, cosmetics, and the environment.

Researchers have demonstrated a new technique that uses lasers to create ceramics that can withstand ultra-high temperatures, with applications ranging from nuclear power technologies to spacecraft and jet exhaust systems. The technique can be used to create ceramic coatings, tiles or complex three-dimensional structures, which allows for increased versatility when engineering new devices and technologies.

Materials scientists have succeeded in creating a genuine 2D hybrid material called glaphene.

Physicists have unveiled a breakthrough in quantum sensing by demonstrating a 2D material as a versatile platform for next-generation nanoscale vectorial magnetometry.

A new study in Nature describes both the mechanism and the material conditions necessary for superfluorescence at high temperature.

Engineers have developed a multifunctional, reconfigurable component for an optical computing system that could be a game changer in electronics.

Laser-based metal processing enables the automated and precise production of complex components, whether for the automotive industry or for medicine. However, conventional methods require time- and resource-consuming preparations. Researchers are now using machine learning to make laser processes more precise, more cost-effective and more efficient.

New technology that uses light's color and spin to display multiple images.

Engineers developed a fuel cell that offers more than three times as much energy per pound compared to lithium-ion batteries. Powered by a reaction between sodium metal and air, the device could be lightweight enough to enable the electrification of airplanes, trucks, or ships.

Researchers have discovered a new 2D material, confirming decade-old prediction.

A new experiment encodes quantum information in the motion of the atoms and creates a state known as hyper-entanglement, in which two or more traits are linked among a pair of atoms.