Metal–amide chemistry provides a rational approach to controlling heavy-pnictogen reduction, paving the way for safer and more scalable semiconductor quantum dots.

Researchers have developed an optical fiber that uses laser-induced heating and bubble-driven convection to rapidly concentrate bacteria and nanoparticles in liquid samples. The method collects thousands of targets in 60 seconds with over tenfold higher efficiency than conventional approaches. This approach allows for faster and more sensitive detection in biomedical and environmental applications.

Researchers have developed a bioinspired cellulose-based cooling aerogel capable of reflecting nearly all incoming sunlight while efficiently releasing heat through the atmospheric infrared window. Inspired by the optical structure of white beetles, the material integrates nanocellulose and hygroscopic metal-organic frameworks to construct a hierarchical photonic scattering network spanning nanoparticles, microfibers, and macropores. The resulting aerogel achieved a solar reflectance of 95.8% and an infrared emissivity of 95%, enabling subambient daytime cooling of up to 7.1 °C under outdoor sunlight. The biodegradable material also demonstrated strong UV durability and the potential to reduce annual cooling energy consumption in buildings by more than 40% in hot regions of China.

A study recently published in the Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts reports a bioinspired multi-network photonic hydrogel capable of decoupling the traditional trade-off between optical performance and mechanical robustness in mechanochromic materials. The researchers designed a cellulose nanocrystal/polyacrylamide/waterborne polyurethane (CPW) hydrogel featuring a triple-network architecture inspired by octopus iridophores. Through dynamic hydrogen bonding and interpenetrating structural design, the hydrogel achieved a tensile strength of 420 kPa and elongation exceeding 800% while maintaining highly reversible structural color changes from near-infrared to the full visible spectrum. Reflection wavelengths shifted continuously from 467 to 670 nm during stretching, enabling reversible color transitions from blue to red. The material further demonstrated strain-dependent optical encoding and information concealment capabilities with excellent cyclic stability and low-temperature tolerance. The work provides a new strategy for designing intelligent bio-based photonic materials suitable for advanced optical devices and adaptive sensing systems.

With artificial intelligence pushing today’s hardware to process, move, and cool more, Penn physicists led by Bo Zhen are looking to the electron’s massless counterpart, the photon, to shoulder more of the load. In a new study, the team has created hybrid light-matter particles that interact strongly enough to compute, pointing toward ultrafast, low-energy optical AI hardware.

In quantum physics, time can exist in a superposition where the different flows of time exist at the same moment. However, this has never been observed experimentally. Now, researchers have developed a theoretical model that shows that this quantum superposition of times can be observed using state-of-the-art atomic clocks. The results open a new frontier in fundamental physics and may lead to more precise next-generation clocks.

After the success of Artemis II, longer space journeys are expected, raising new health and nutritional challenges for astronauts. Current space foods rely on dried, shelf-stable items. A study published in ACS Food Science & Technology suggests fortified beverages could help fill nutrient gaps and add variety to astronauts’ diets. Researchers created drinks using emulsions that are stable in Earth’s gravity and microgravity. Their recipes deliver omega-3 fatty acids with customizable sweetness levels and flavors.

Lanthanide ratiometric nanothermometers often deviate from Boltzmann statistics, so calibration and sensitivity become unpredictable. Researchers developed a population dynamics framework that defines the onset temperature and thermal coupling window and yields a practical rule: the nearest lower level must lie beyond twice the interlevel gap. A splitting factor links sensitivity with chemical bonding. Using dual thermally coupled pairs, ultrathin flexible patches achieve real time temperature monitoring with up to 6.17 % K^-1 relative sensitivity.

The practical applications of sulfide-based all-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) are hindered by poor interfacial compatibility between cathode active materials and sulfide solid electrolytes. A widely employed solution is to use a protective layer to prevent direct contact between the cathode materials and electrolyte. However, its minimum thickness has not been established. In this study, researchers determined that a 2.5 nm lithium niobium oxide protective layer is the minimum effective thickness for suppressing interfacial degradation in ASSBs.