In two new papers, researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign explore the reconstruction of multispectral and hyperspectral images from RGB for chemical analysis of sweet potatoes and maize.

Nematologists have long wondered how the the Northern root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne hapla) is able to infect such a wide range of plants, from carrots to trees. Now an international team has gained insight into how the DNA of this parasitic worm facilitates its success. 

In a new study publishing November 19 in the Cell Press journal Trends in Biotechnology, researchers used a gene-editing technology called CRISPR to increase a fungus’s production efficiency and cut its production-related environmental impact by as much as 61%—all without adding any foreign DNA. The genetically tweaked fungus tastes like meat and is easier to digest than its naturally occurring counterpart. 

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are rapidly transforming scientific research, with researchers across multiple areas of physics leading the development and application of these tools. To meet the needs of this fast-growing research community, the American Physical Society is launching PRX Intelligence, a highly selective open access journal that will welcome manuscripts on AI and machine learning methods and their application to advance scientific understanding. The journal will accept submissions starting February 2026.