The University of Bonn has yet another good reason to celebrate as three of its researchers have been awarded an ERC Starting Grant worth €1.5 million each. This European Research Council (ERC) grant program is designed to support early-career researchers. The economist Assistant Professor Amelie Schiprowski, the computer scientist Professor Lucie Flek and the evolutionary biologist Dr. Moritz Lürig will use the funding to progress their own research projects over the next five years.

Sweat-based enzyme sensors offer a convenient way to measure lactic acid levels in the body, but face challenges due to the loss of lactate oxidase (LOx) activity in sweat. Now, researchers from Japan have improved LOx stability by adding sucrose monolaurate, a sugar-based surfactant, that when added to the electrode forms protective nanostructures around the enzyme. Their approach could enable more durable and accurate sweat lactate sensors for sports training management and continuous health monitoring.

In a recent study published in the National Science Review, researchers from China proposed an Open and Shared Sustainable Mega-Constellation (OSSMC) to address the critical issue of space sustainability. By integrating a novel "Sensors+Network+AI" (SNAI) satellite architecture and a "cloud-pool-terminal" (CPT) paradigm, the OSSMC is proposed for the development of space-based intelligence. Only 48,000 intelligent satellites can meet all kinds of service needs of global users, which provides a Chinese solution for building a community with a shared future for mankind in space systems.

Two Assistant Professors at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) have won European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grants of 1.5 million euros each to pursue their potentially groundbreaking work in astrophysics and neuroscience. These prestigious grants empower scientists at the beginning of their careers to launch projects, form teams and explore their best ideas.

The two researchers from Graz University of Technology have been awarded the prestigious European funding prize of around 1.5 million euros each for their projects on improved therapy for traumatic brain injury and 3D nanoprinting of micro-robots.

The demand for deep human-machine fusion propels the development of artificial neuron. However, emulating the neuronal spiking in aqueous environments remains challenging. Inspired by the biocompatibility of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), Zhao et al. reported a MOF neuron with biochemical perception for the first time. Based on the real neurotransmitter—dopamine (DA) mediation, the neuron not only emulated some sophisticated neuronal functions but also controlled peripheral equipment, providing a new perspective for artificial neuron development.