A team of researchers investigated a sequence of coastal dunes of different ages (from 0-700,000 years old) in Cooloola National Park near Rainbow Beach to understand how soil microorganisms coped with severely declining levels of nutrients such as phosphorus in soil as the dunes got older. They found microbes – such as fungi and bacteria – acted is 'phosphorus gatekeepers' to deal with low phosphorus levels.

Vibrational sum-frequency generation (VSFG) is a nonlinear spectroscopic method widely used to investigate the molecular structure and dynamics of surface systems. However, in far-field observations, the spatial resolution of this method is constrained by the diffraction limit, which restricts its ability to resolve molecular details in inhomogeneous structures smaller than the wavelength of light. To address this limitation, we developed a tip-enhanced VSFG (TE-SFG) spectroscopy system based on scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Using this system, we detected VSFG signals from molecules adsorbed on a gold substrate under ambient conditions. Phase analysis of the interferometric VSFG spectra provided insights into the molecular orientation. Furthermore, the observed VSFG signals were confirmed to originate from a highly localized region within the gap between the STM tip apex and sample substrate. Thus, this method offers an innovative platform for nonlinear optical nanospectroscopy, enabling the investigation of surface molecular systems beyond the diffraction limit.

A research team led by Associate Professor Koji Iwano at Okayama University of Science has been awarded the 2025 MEXT Award for Science and Technology for groundbreaking work in improving typhoon forecasting and climate change prediction. By constructing Japan’s only large-scale indoor typhoon simulation tank, the team succeeded in precisely measuring momentum, heat, and CO₂ exchanges at the air-sea interface under extreme wind conditions. Their findings reveal how these transfers shift dramatically beyond wind speeds of 30 m/s, offering critical insights for refining global climate models and developing future typhoon mitigation strategies.

A three-dimensional varifocal meta-device using cascaded metasurfaces with Moiré and Fresnel lens phase profiles enables dynamic manipulation of the focus point in three-dimensional space. The relative rotation between the metasurfaces precisely controls the focal point position. This work showcases the application of the proposed meta-device integrated into an AR display system. It addresses the VAC problem and demonstrates its capability for pupil steering to enlarge the eyebox.

Holographic 3D display, famous for appearing in movies like Star Wars and Avatar, is considered one of the most promising true 3D display technologies. Ideal holographic 3D display should feature wide viewing angle, high brightness and color display. However, it is challenging to realize all these features at the same time. Recently, researchers from Beihang University, China, have proposed an achromatic liquid crystal grating based color holographic 3D display system. The proposed system realizes a nine-time enlargement in viewing angle reaching ~65° and a five-time increasement in brightness. The technique advocates the applications of holographic 3D display in various fields spanning AR, VR, XR and medical technologies.

On May 10, 2024, the first G5 or “severe” geomagnetic storm in over two decades hit Earth. The event, named the Gannon storm in memory of leading space weather physicist Jennifer Gannon, did not cause any catastrophic damages. But a year on, key insights from the Gannon storm are helping us understand and prepare for future geomagnetic storms.