For the first time, researchers at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities have demonstrated that the low-purity iron ore prevalent in Minnesota can be used to create semiconductor-quality iron sulfide, also known as “fool’s gold” or pyrite.

Air pollution from ships poses a serious health risk in major port cities, yet existing mitigation strategies often rely on reducing the speed of sailing, which affects operational efficiency. Researchers from Pusan National University have now developed an AI-powered framework that combines real-time weather data, physics-informed learning and multi-objective optimization. It recommends optimal ship routes and speed profiles to reduce peak pollution exposure by predicting how exhaust plumes disperse, while maintaining fuel-efficient operations. 

Bone healing, an intricate process involving multiple cell populations, relies not only on existing bone-forming cells but also on dormant progenitor cells outside the skeleton. A study published in Bone Research reveals that fibroadipogenic progenitors (FAPs) in skeletal muscle become bone-forming cells after injury, contributing to fracture repair and abnormal bone growth. The findings identify these cells as promising therapeutic targets for enhancing fracture healing while preventing unwanted bone formation.  

Outfitting cells in “invisibility cloaks” may offer an easier, less damaging treatment pathway for people with diabetes undergoing cell therapy, according to researchers at Penn State. The team manufactured these cloaks out of a jelly-like material known as hydrogel, which the team called biomimetic zona pellucida (BZP). The scientists reported that this thin layer of hydrogel effectively hid the therapeutic cells from the body’s immune system, while reducing blood sugar levels in a series of diabetic mice for 100 days, substantially longer than traditional cell therapies for diabetes.

A disability advocate and theatre performer, a population health professional and a ballet teacher are among 78 aspiring doctors who donned their white coats at Duke-NUS Medical School today, bringing professional skills and lived experiences from well beyond the traditional route into medicine.

Action research involving six civil society organisations, seven provincial departments and 11 municipalities in Gipuzkoa shows that the ability to anticipate AI risks is unevenly distributed across local governance. The study proposes a place-based approach that combines digital inclusion, public participation and institutional coordination before AI systems become embedded in public services.

This review synthesizes the global evolution of aquatic ecosystem health research and calls for a paradigm shift from isolated, indicator-based assessment to integrated, watershed-scale governance. Led by Qiuwen Chen from Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute, the research team argues that aquatic ecosystem health must be understood as a coupled social–ecological and process-based property—linking ecological structure with hydrological and biogeochemical processes, socio-economic drivers, and adaptive governance—rather than as a simple aggregation of water-quality or biological metrics.