A quantum particle can exist in a superposition of multiple states, such as different positions, until a measurement is performed. At that point, the wavefunction describing that particle appears to 'collapse' to a single outcome. This puzzle lies at the heart of the measurement problem, famously illustrated by Schrödinger’s cat, suspended between life and death until observed. The XENONnT detector, which is designed to be sensitive to rare physics events, has tightened constraints on one family of possible solutions to the measurement problem, known as ‘collapse theories.’ The work, which was partially funded by FQxI, was reported in Physical Review Letters in March 2026.

In the Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, researchers in Taiwan — where expanding renewable energy is challenging given its limited size and geographical constraints — compared land-based solar farms and the island nation’s first large-scale commercial offshore floating photovoltaic installation. They found that offshore systems can generate more electricity over their lifetime, possibly because of the cooling effect of the surrounding water. The study yielded comprehensive insights into the carbon footprint of both types of systems, offering guidance for mitigating CO2 emissions.

Ice-nucleating proteins naturally bind only to organic surfaces, so understanding whether they can bind to human-made materials can help with applications like deicing, creating artificial snow, cryo-medicine, and more. In Biointerphases, researchers found that the proteins connect to a surface in a layer of single molecules with their ice formation side facing out, allowing ice to grow atop the surface, and that they do not seem to care what type of material they are binding to; for both artificial and natural surfaces, the INPs bind in remarkably similar ways.

A new study led by Dr Lin Su of Queen Mary University of London, published today in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, describes a new integrated solar reactor in which engineered Escherichia coli (E. coli) are grown directly inside the same liquid that converts CO₂ into a usable energy source using sunlight. In future, this technology may be used to make environmentally clean chemicals, plastics or even microbial protein.