Kyoto, Japan -- Quantum materials and superconductors are difficult enough to understand on their own. Unconventional superconductors, which cannot be explained within the framework of standard theory, take the enigma to an entirely new level.

A typical example of unconventional superconductivity is strontium ruthenate, SRO214, the superconductive properties of which were discovered by a research team that included Yoshiteru Maeno, who is currently at the Toyota Riken - Kyoto University Research Center.

It has long been believed that this material exhibits spin-triplet superconductivity, in which electron pairs retain magnet-like properties and can transport quantum information without electrical resistance. However, results from recent nuclear magnetic resonance -- NMR -- experiments have overturned previous conclusions, prompting the need for independent verification using other techniques.

Micelle-forming polymers such as poloxamer 407 (P407) are promising drug nanocarriers, yet their sol–gel transition under physiological conditions remains poorly understood. In a recent study, researchers from Japan experimentally analyzed how P407 micelles interact in saline environments mimicking bodily fluids. Using advanced X-ray and light scattering techniques, they shed light on key inter-micellar interactions and structures that influence gelling behavior, providing crucial insights for future drug nanocarrier design.

Supercomputer-based simulations reveal the intricacies of sodium-ion clustering and transport in hard carbon nano-pores, report researchers from Science Tokyo. Their results show that a bottleneck effect can lead to the sluggish diffusion of ions in sodium-ion batteries, while also providing useful nanostructural design guidelines to increase the energy density of hard carbon anode. By implementing these insights, the realization of carbon-neutral society can be accelerated.

Zinc–air chemistry is uniquely suited for microscale energy storage because it uses oxygen directly from the surrounding air, reducing the need for stored reactants. Despite this advantage, true micrometre-scale zinc–air batteries based on interdigitated electrodes and operating in safe, near-neutral electrolytes have remained largely unexplored. Most existing designs are primary batteries or rely on stacked architectures and strongly alkaline electrolytes, limiting their suitability for biomedical applications and on-chip integration.

Researchers have now developed a planar micro zinc–air battery that overcomes these challenges. The device integrates bifunctional cathode catalysts, a near-neutral NH₄Cl/ZnCl₂-based gel electrolyte, and micrometre-scale interdigitated electrodes patterned in a single plane. Using electrodeposition and microplotter-assisted microfabrication, precise material coverage is achieved across 200-micrometre-wide electrodes. Despite its small footprint, the battery delivers high energy and power at elevated current densities and is capable of powering an LED and a digital thermometer. This demonstrates that chip-scale systems can host their own onboard power source, enabling fully autonomous micro-devices.

The work is the result of a two-institution collaboration: Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) Hyderabad, India, led catalyst chemistry, materials development, and electrochemistry, while University College London (UK) contributed micro-fabrication, micro-plotting, and device engineering expertise.

As a first demonstration, challenges remain. Long-term cycling leads to gradual material loss at both anode and cathode, resulting in capacity decay. Ongoing efforts focus on robust catalyst anchoring, improved bifunctional cathode materials, and suppression of zinc dendrites to enhance areal energy and power over extended operation. This advance opens pathways for micro-batteries in wearables, implantable sensors, IoT nodes, and soft microrobotics, where power sources must be as small and integrated as the devices themselves.

Engineers have long known that powerful lasers can make metals stronger. For decades, a technique called laser shock peening has been used to extend the lifetime of aircraft engines, railway components, and other critical parts by blasting their surfaces with intense laser pulses. The treatment leaves metals better able to resist fatigue, wear, and corrosion—key requirements in extreme environments.

What has received far less attention, however, is how long the laser pulse duration last.

In the International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing, researchers demonstrate that laser pulse duration, from nanoseconds down to femtoseconds, fundamentally changes how laser shock peening works. By analyzing nearly 300 studies published over the past six decades, the team shows that timing, not just power, may define the future of laser-based metal strengthening.