A consortium led by the University of Vaasa, Finland, has been awarded significant Horizon Europe funding for a major research and innovation project that moves long‑distance shipping closer to a zero‑carbon future. The H4PERION – Hydrogen FOR Performance Enhancement and Reliable Ice OperatioN – project will, for the first time, demonstrate in practice how a large vessel can operate with a hydrogen‑capable internal combustion engine (ICE). This marks an important milestone in clean maritime technology.

Researchers at the University of Alicante (UA) have developed a highly precise method for measuring distances at the nanometre scale at room temperature, opening up new avenues in molecular electronics research. The team, based at the UA Quantum Transport Laboratory (QT-Lab), has also identified gold nanocontacts just three atoms thick for the first time, significantly advancing current understanding of electronic transport. The findings, published in Physical Review Materials, set a new course for next-generation electronics, according to lead author Carlos Sabater, a physics researcher at the UA.

Researchers have developed an innovative method that uses light and artificial intelligence (AI) to measure and control the fabrication of ultra-thin optical fibers in real time. By interpreting light interference patterns—akin to reading the growth rings of a tree—the system reconstructs the fiber's entire shape with nanometer precision. This breakthrough enables intelligent, precise manufacturing crucial for next-generation photonic devices in communications, computing, and sensing.

A research team led by Prof. HSING I-Ming, Professor of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering (CBE) at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), in collaboration with Prof. ZHAI Yuanliang, Associate Professor of the Division of Life Science (LIFS), has successfully developed the world's first DNA-guided CRISPR-Cas system capable of programmable RNA targeting and cleavage.

 

This breakthrough overturns the conventional CRISPR paradigm, which uses RNA as a guide to target DNA. The new system holds tremendous potential for clinical applications, opening new avenues for RNA-targeted therapies and diagnostics, including improved accuracy in rapid infectious disease testing and the advancement of antiviral treatments. The findings have been published in the international prestigious journal Nature Biotechnology.

Vaia Lida Chatzi, MD, PhD, professor of population and public health science and pediatrics at the Keck School of Medicine of USC has received the highly competitive Revolutionizing Innovative, Visionary Environmental health Research (RIVER) award from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health. The $10 million grant will support research on the health effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), as well as efforts to translate these discoveries into real-world solutions. The new grant will fund research on the link between PFAS and metabolic conditions, including obesity, type 2 diabetes and metabolic-associated steatotic liver disease. Chatzi and her colleagues will combine several research methods to investigate these links and identify ways to reduce risk. They will conduct large-scale studies of more than 50,000 people, analyze human tissue samples in the lab, use advanced technology to search for a “signature” of PFAS exposure and work directly with affected communities to develop practical, tailored solutions.The project’s overarching goal is to build a “precision environmental health” approach that connects the dots between PFAS exposure, disease risk and ways to reduce that risk. In the coming years, the researchers aim to generate evidence to inform public health guidelines and regulatory decisions around PFAS. They also expect to create new tools to identify the earliest biological effects of PFAS exposure, as well as scalable strategies to reduce exposure and prevent disease.

Researchers have established a comprehensive public dataset, GlycoHBF, which provides a detailed map of proteins and their glycosylation (N-glycosylation) across 15 types of human body fluids. Using standardized processing and advanced mass spectrometry, the study reveals significant molecular heterogeneity among fluids like plasma, urine, saliva, tears, and cerebrospinal fluid. This work provides a rigorous analytical framework and a baseline reference that will accelerate the discovery of liquid biopsy biomarkers for diseases including cancer and neurological disorders.

In a review, researchers summarize tribovoltaic nanogenerators for harvesting human motion energy. These systems not only produce stable direct-current electricity with high power density but also enable self-powered sensing for real-time motion and physiological monitoring. Advanced materials, interface engineering, and textile designs further enhance flexibility, durability, and performance for wearable applications.