In the right combinations and conditions, two-dimensional materials can host intriguing and potentially valuable quantum phases, like superconductivity and unique forms of magnetism. Why they occur, and how they can be controlled, is of considerable interest among physicists and engineers. Research published in Nature Physics reveals a previously hidden feature that could explain how and why enigmatic quantum phases emerge.

It's not all about energy: Electrons, which are given a sufficient amount of energy to leave a materiel do not necessarily manage to escape. They have to occupy certain "doorway states" to do that.

At the 2025 IAEA Fusion Energy Conference (FEC), the members of the EUROfusion Consortium and the ITER International Fusion Energy Organization have signed a high-level cooperation agreement to strengthen academic, scientific and technical collaboration in support of ITER’s mission.

The EUROfusion programme has long been focused on addressing the fundamental physics and technological gaps identified by ITER. This new cooperation agreement builds on that foundation to provide a complementary, fast-track framework to deliver agile, targeted solutions to some of ITER’s more immediate design and engineering challenges, particularly those arising from recent changes to its baseline.

Perovskite materials offer exceptional optoelectronic properties for photodetectors, but precise patterning is critical to optimize their performance. This review surveys five key patterning strategies—template-guided growth, inkjet printing, vapor deposition, seed-induced growth, and photolithography—highlighting their roles in controlling perovskite microstructures. The resulting patterned films enable high-sensitivity photodetectors across zero- to three-dimensional architectures, facilitating breakthroughs in flexible wearables and biomimetic vision systems. These advances pave the way for next-generation imaging, health monitoring, and human-machine interfaces.

Continuous monitoring of biosignals is essential for advancing early disease detection, personalized treatment, and health management. Flexible electronics, capable of accurately monitoring biosignals in daily life, have garnered considerable attention due to their softness, conformability, and biocompatibility. However, several challenges remain, including imperfect skin-device interfaces, limited breathability, and insufficient mechanoelectrical stability. On-skin epidermal electronics, distinguished by their excellent conformability, breathability, and mechanoelectrical robustness, offer a promising solution for high-fidelity, long-term health monitoring. These devices can seamlessly integrate with the human body, leading to transformative advancements in future personalized healthcare. This review provides a systematic examination of recent advancements in on-skin epidermal electronics, with particular emphasis on critical aspects including material science, structural design, desired properties, and practical applications. We explore various materials, considering their properties and the corresponding structural designs developed to construct high-performance epidermal electronics. We then discuss different approaches for achieving the desired device properties necessary for long-term health monitoring, including adhesiveness, breathability, and mechanoelectrical stability. Additionally, we summarize the diverse applications of these devices in monitoring biophysical and physiological signals. Finally, we address the challenges facing these devices and outline future prospects, offering insights into the ongoing development of on-skin epidermal electronics for long-term health monitoring.

Dr Maria Santacà is a behavioral biologist who specializes in the study of animal cognition and perception. Her research at the Department of Behavioral & Cognitive Biology of the University of Vienna explores how visual illusions can reveal the evolutionary roots of perception, asking whether similarities and differences across species reflect shared ancestry and neural complexity, or unique adaptations to ecological and social environments. In a newly published Frontiers in Psychology article, she uses a trick of vision where identical circles appear larger or smaller, depending on the context, to investigate differences in perception. She studied this two very different species: guppies and ring doves. In the following guest editorial, she describes how not only how fish and birds perceive their worlds, but also how ecological pressures shape the evolution of perception.

A new study led by researchers at Tianjin University reveals that particles from shipping exhausts are contributing more to global warming than previously thought. The study identifies “brown carbon,” a light‑absorbing component of ship emissions, as a hidden driver of heat retention in the atmosphere.