Want to test soil fertility instantly on farmland without sending samples to labs? This new Engineering commentary breaks down four mainstream field sensors tracking soil nutrients, from portable colorimetric kits to laser and γ-ray detectors. Each tool carries unique flaws: model failure across farmlands, air element interference and heavy calibration needs. Scientists now turn to AI to boost sensor performance, targeting simple, buryable detectors that measure crop-absorbable nitrogen on-site for smarter precision farming.

A recent JMIR Aging study reports that implementing an intersectoral, telemedicine-based intervention in nursing homes did not lead to a statistically significant reduction in patient hospitalizations, according to a prospective, multicenter cluster-randomized trial

As ships increasingly operate from shore-based control centers, a Koç University legal study warns that international law must clarify whether remote operators can be sued directly for negligence following an oil spill.

Koç University researchers have developed a dual stabilization strategy that helps perovskite quantum dots preserve their structure and light emission at temperatures where untreated counterparts begin to degrade.

Photodetectors are the “eyes” of modern electronic systems, playing a vital role in fields ranging from optical communication and imaging to sensing. As technology advances, there is a growing demand for photodetectors that are not only highly sensitive but also capable of detecting a broad spectrum of light, responding rapidly, and distinguishing complex optical information. However, traditional photodetectors often face inherent limitations, such as low light absorption efficiency in thin materials, slow response speeds due to carrier trapping, and limited spectral ranges dictated by material bandgaps.

A matched case–control study found that people with a history of COVID-19 did not differ from controls in most physiological traits underlying obstructive sleep apnea, although they showed a stronger breathing response following brief sleep arousals.

Refractive index (RI) reflects key sample properties such as morphology, density, stress, and composition. Optical tomography (OT) and optical diffraction tomography (ODT) reconstruct 3D RI distributions from transmittance wavefronts recorded at multiple illumination angles using Fourier slicing or diffraction principles. This review summarizes the principles, implementations, and reconstruction algorithms of 3D RI imaging techniques. Further, different 3D RI imaging approaches are compared, and the current trends and future perspectives are discussed.

A study from Koç University shows that regional organizations such as the EU and ASEAN may ease, or aggravate, conflicts depending not only on where they draw their boundaries, but on how flexible, hierarchical and inclusive those boundaries are.

A study by researchers from Koç University and Washington State University shows that presenting identical product information in positive rather than negative terms can make consumers perceive a stronger link between price and quality—and favor the more expensive option.

This study reveals a novel multi-target skin-whitening strategy using Haematococcus pluvialis extract (HPE) combined with niacinamide (NAM). By integrating B16F10 melanoma cell assays and a HaCaT/MNT-1 transwell coculture model, the study demonstrates that HPE not only suppresses melanin synthesis through tyrosinase inhibition but also reduces melanosome transfer. Moreover, HPE and NAM exhibit synergistic effects on pigmentation regulation, with combination treatments showing enhanced inhibition of melanin accumulation. These findings provide new mechanistic insights into natural bioactive ingredients and support the development of more effective, sustainable, and multifunctional whitening formulations.