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Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed the first-ever method of detecting ribonucleic acid, or RNA, inside plant cells using a technique that results in a visible fluorescent signal. The technology can help researchers detect and track changes in RNA and gene expression in real time, providing a powerful tool for the development of hardier bioenergy and food crops and for the detection of unwanted plant modifications, pathogens and pests.

RNA is a signaling molecule inside cells that is used to read the deoxyribonucleic, or DNA, code and convert it into functional parts such as proteins that are essential for and . The ORNL-developed biosensor continuously monitors RNA levels in live plants, replacing a traditional destructive, time-consuming method used by scientists for collecting, processing and analyzing tissue.

“With this biosensor, scientists gain real-time insights into how cells reprogram themselves at a molecular level under changing environmental conditions such as drought or disease,” said Xiaohan Yang, lead for the project at ORNL. The approach streamlines traditional methods used to verify in modified plants and can better detect plant physiology related to disease or nutrient stress, accelerating the development of better crops.

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Research by physicists at The City College of New York is being credited for a novel discovery regarding the interaction of electronic excitations via spin waves. The finding by the Laboratory for Nano and Micro Photonics (LaNMP) team headed by physicist Vinod Menon could open the door to future technologies and advanced applications such as optical modulators, all-optical logic gates, and quantum transducers. The work is reported in the journal Nature Materials.

The researchers showed the emergence of interaction between electronic excitations (excitons—electron hole pairs) mediated via spin waves in atomically thin (2D) magnets. They demonstrated that the excitons can interact indirectly through magnons (), which are like ripples or waves in the 2D material’s magnetic structure.

“Think of magnons as tiny flip-flops of atomic magnets inside the crystal. One exciton changes the local magnetism, and that change then influences another nearby. It’s like two floating objects pulling toward each other by disturbing water waves around them,” said Menon.

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Twisted moiré photonic crystals—an advanced type of optical metamaterial—have shown enormous potential in the race to engineer smaller, more capable and more powerful optical systems. How do they work?

Imagine you have two pieces of fabric with regular patterns, like stripes or checkers. When you lay the two pieces of fabric directly on top of each other, you can see each pattern clearly. But if you slightly shift one piece of fabric or twist it, new patterns that weren’t in either of the original fabrics emerge.

In twisted moiré photonic crystals, how the layers twist and overlap can change how the material interacts with light. By changing the twist angle and the spacing between layers, these materials can be fine-tuned to control and manipulate different aspects of light simultaneously—meaning the multiple optical components typically needed to simultaneously measure light’s phase, polarization, and wavelength could be replaced with one device.

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An invention from Twente improves the quality of light particles (photons) to such an extent that building quantum computers based on light becomes cheaper and more practical. The researchers published their research in the journal Physical Review Applied.

Quantum computers are at a tipping point: tech giants and governments are investing billions, but there are two fundamental obstacles: the quantity of qubits and the quality of these qubits. UT researchers have invented a component for a photonic quantum computer that exchanges quantity for quality, and have shown that this exchange yields more computing power.

“Our discovery brings a future with a lot closer. That means improved medicines, new materials and safer communications. But also applications that we cannot yet imagine today,” says lead researcher Jelmer Renema. “This technology is an essential part of any future photonic quantum computer.”

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AI has created a sea change in society; now, it is setting its sights on the sea itself. Researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University have developed a machine learning-powered fluid simulation model that significantly reduces computation time without compromising accuracy.

Their fast and precise technique opens up potential applications in offshore power generation, ship design and real-time ocean monitoring. The study was published in Applied Ocean Research.

Accurately predicting fluid behavior is crucial for industries relying on wave and tidal energy, as well as for the design of maritime structures and vessels.

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Monash University researchers have extended Descartes’ Circle Theorem by finding a general equation for any number of tangent circles, using advanced mathematical tools inspired by physics. A centuries-old geometric puzzle dating back to the 17th century has finally been solved by mathematicians

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Located just over four light-years away, Proxima Centauri is our closest stellar neighbor and a highly active M dwarf star. While its frequent flaring has long been observed in visible light, a recent study using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) reveals that Proxima Centauri also exhibits intense activity at radio and millimeter wavelengths. These observations provide new insights into the particle-driven nature of its flares and raise important questions about the star’s impact on the habitability of its surrounding planets.

Proxima Centauri is known to host at least one potentially habitable, Earth-sized planet within its habitable zone. Like solar flares on our Sun, Proxima’s flares emit energy across the electromagnetic spectrum and release bursts of high-energy particles known as stellar energetic particles.

The intensity and frequency of these flares could pose a serious threat to nearby planets. If powerful enough, they can erode planetary atmospheres, stripping away critical components like ozone and water, and potentially rendering these worlds uninhabitable.

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A major study links long-term air pollution, especially sulfur dioxide, to higher depression risk, urging stronger pollution controls to protect mental health. A landmark study published in Environmental Science and Ecotechnology has found a strong link between long-term exposure to air pollution

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A team of international researchers has developed a groundbreaking class of mechanical metamaterials capable of storing and releasing elastic energy at unprecedented levels. By cleverly twisting rods into a helical shape and integrating them into a new metamaterial structure, they’ve overcome tra

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Our understanding of layered quantum materials is still in its early stages. This is highlighted by new research from the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI). Using advanced X-ray spectroscopy techniques at the Swiss Light Source (SLS

NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) will be the most powerful rocket they’ve ever built. As part of NASA’s deep space exploration plans, it will launch astronauts on missions to an asteroid and eventually to Mars. As the SLS evolves, the launch vehicle will to be upgraded with more powerful versions. Eventually, the SLS will have the lift capability of 130 metric tons, opening new possibilities for missions to places like Saturn and Jupiter.

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