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The LHCb experiment has taken a leap in precision physics at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). In a new paper submitted to Physical Review Letters and currently available on the arXiv preprint server, the LHCb collaboration reports the first dedicated measurement of the Z boson mass at the LHC, using data from high-energy collisions between protons recorded in 2016 during the collider’s second run.

The Z boson is a massive, electrically neutral particle that mediates the weak nuclear force—one of nature’s fundamental forces. With a mass of about 91 billion electronvolts (GeV), it ranks among the heaviest known elementary particles.

Discovered at CERN more than 40 years ago, alongside the W boson, the Z boson played a central role in confirming the Standard Model of particle physics—a breakthrough that led to the 1984 Nobel Prize in Physics. Measuring its mass precisely remains essential for testing the Standard Model and searching for signs of new physics.

IN A NUTSHELL 🔬 Researchers have developed a groundbreaking method to convert noisy lasers into stable beams using nonlinear optical fibers and spectral filters. 📉 This innovative technique achieves noise levels 30 times lower than traditional laser beams while maintaining high intensity. 💡 The discovery enables the production of intensity-squeezed light, reducing photon variation beyond

A cure for HIV could be a step closer after researchers found a new way to force the virus out of hiding inside human cells.

The virus’s ability to conceal itself inside certain white blood cells has been one of the main challenges for scientists looking for a cure. It means there is a reservoir of the HIV in the body, capable of reactivation, that neither the immune system nor drugs can tackle.

Now researchers from the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity in Melbourne, have demonstrated a way to make the virus visible, paving the way to fully clear it from the body.

For the first time in almost 30 years, the heaviest nucleus decaying via proton emission has been measured. The previous similar breakthrough was achieved in 1996.

The radioactive decay of atomic nuclei has been one of the keystones of nuclear physics since the beginning of nuclear research. Now the heaviest nucleus decaying via proton emission has been measured in the Accelerator Laboratory of the University of Jyväskylä, Finland. The was written as part of an international research collaboration involving experts in theoretical nuclear physics and published in Nature Communications on 29 May 2025.

“Proton emission is a rare form of radioactive decay, in which the nucleus emits a proton to take a step toward stability,” says Doctoral Researcher Henna Kokkonen from the University of Jyväskylä

At the heart of this breakthrough – driven by Japan’s National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) and Sumitomo Electric Industries – is a 19-core optical fiber with a standard 0.125 mm cladding diameter, designed to fit seamlessly into existing infrastructure and eliminate the need for costly upgrades.

Each core acts as an independent data channel, collectively forming a “19-lane highway” within the same space as traditional single-core fibers.

Unlike earlier multi-core designs limited to short distances or specialized wavelength bands, this fiber operates efficiently across the C and L bands (commercial standards used globally) thanks to a refined core arrangement that slashes signal loss by 40% compared to prior models.

Proton beams with giga-electron-volt (GeV) energies—once thought to be achievable only with massive particle accelerators—may soon be generated in compact setups thanks to a breakthrough by researchers at The University of Osaka.

A team led by Professor Masakatsu Murakami has developed a novel concept called micronozzle acceleration (MNA). By designing a microtarget with tiny nozzle-like features and irradiating it with ultraintense, ultrashort laser pulses, the team successfully demonstrated—through advanced numerical simulations—the generation of high-quality, GeV-class proton beams: a world-first achievement.

The article, “Generation of giga-electron-volt proton beams by micronozzle acceleration,” was published in Scientific Reports.

Scientists have developed an innovative laser technology that mimics shark skin to create bacteria-resistant metal surfaces for meat processing facilities.

According to New Food Magazine, this approach tackles a persistent challenge in meat processing: keeping surfaces clean.

When bacteria from meat attach to workstations, they multiply and form biofilms, which are stubborn clusters that resist even thorough cleaning methods. The laser-textured surfaces physically prevent bacteria from sticking in the first place.

Researchers have developed a first-of-its-kind device to profile the immune function of newborns. Using a single drop of blood, the BiophysicaL Immune Profiling for Infants (BLIPI) system provides real-time insights into newborns’ immune responses, enabling the early detection of severe inflammatory conditions and allowing for timely interventions.

This critical innovation addresses the urgent and unmet need for rapid and minimally invasive diagnostic tools to protect vulnerable newborns, especially those born prematurely.