A Kyushu University‑led team has provided direct evidence for the electric field long suspected to drive fast chemistry at water surfaces. By trapping water and air inside a carbon nanotube and imaging the interface in 3D, they resolved its shape at the nanoscale. The researchers then deduced forces exceeding classical predictions, consistent with a powerful electric field. This methodology could guide rational design of nanoporous materials for clean energy.

What if dolphins are listening in on their prey—and their prey are listening right back? Researchers spent two months eavesdropping on dolphins along Florida’s Atlantic coast, using an autonomous wave glider to capture their underwater sounds and clues about where they socialize and hunt. The study revealed distinct acoustic hotspots where dolphins gathered and socialized, and where they hunted in areas rich with sound-producing fish. The findings open a fascinating new question: Are dolphins and their prey listening to—and potentially responding to—each other?

Researchers create the first multi-responsive gel built from ‘foldamers’ - a discovery that could lead to smart sensors, switchable catalysts, and more.

Researchers have applied a water freeze-drying (WFD) method to bacteria, enabling high-resolution SEM observation with a general-purpose laboratory freeze-dryer. This solvent-free technique reduced cracking and shrinkage of specimens and revealed previously obscure variations in the cell poles of Escherichia coli, opening up new possibilities for studying near-native microbial morphology and the damage caused by antimicrobial agents.