Feature Stories
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 3-Apr-2026 17:15 ET (3-Apr-2026 21:15 GMT/UTC)
Rethinking learning through curiosity
Indian Institute of Technology GandhinagarInviting reflections on how curiosity shapes flexible thinking, creativity, and problem-solving, the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar hosted the Curiosity Conference 2026 on March 21–22. The third edition of the conference brought together scholars, scientists, artists, engineers, and school students to foster interdisciplinary dialogue. This year’s theme was at the intersection of art, science, and technology. The discussions focused on how education should focus on exploration-driven learning. Workshops, a poster session, hands-on activities, and panel discussions provided the platforms to participants for understanding that curiosity is a necessity that equips us to navigate an ever-evolving world.
On storm-ravaged Vieques, a microgrid builds resilience
Cornell UniversityActive thermography enables non-destructive testing of materials
Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo- Funder
- Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
The benefits of community Trap-Neuter-Return programs for unowned cats
Texas A&M UniversityAI helps Yongtao Liu build self-driving lab experiments
DOE/Oak Ridge National LaboratoryAt Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Yongtao Liu is building AI-driven “closed-loop” nanomaterials experiments that can plan measurements, interpret results in real time and choose the next step — accelerating discovery without removing human judgment. His focus is not just speed but trustworthy autonomy: systems must be interpretable, resilient to instrument artifacts and designed to avoid “false novelty,” where noise masquerades as new physics. Drawing on work such as novelty detection in conductive AFM studies of halide perovskites — linking local microstructure to unusual hysteresis behavior — Liu emphasizes that autonomous labs also demand better methods to validate and understand the massive data they produce. He is developing practical tools like AEcroscopy to standardize automated microscopy workflows and a Gated Active Learning Framework to prevent models from confidently learning from out-of-assumption data, while also pushing cross-facility autonomy that links fast measurements with slower synthesis. Ultimately, Liu envisions AI that helps scientists reason and explore vast experimental spaces — freeing researchers from repetitive tasks so they can focus on asking sharper questions.
- Funder
- U.S. Department of Energy
Does uncertainty drive anxiety in autistic adults?
AberystwythAcademics are investigating whether coping with the unknown or unexpected is a distinct contributor to anxiety in autistic adults.
Same moon, different day: Artemis II begins new era of space exploration
Texas A&M UniversityGraphene ‘scaffold’ recruits bone cells and helps the body regenerate fractures
Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo- Journal
- Scientific Reports
- Funder
- Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo