A few tears may someday reveal important clues about a person’s neurological health. Researchers reporting in ACS Omega developed a low-cost electrochemical sensor designed to detect dopamine, a neurotransmitter involved in movement, learning, motivation, and emotional regulation. They tested the device using artificial human tears, where it accurately detected a range of dopamine concentrations. The technology could support the development of new tools for monitoring Parkinson’s disease and other conditions linked to atypical dopamine levels. 

For the next four years, the new project ORIGIN - Optimized Routing and Industrial Generation of Ingredients from Nature – will use advanced Biotechnology to transform the way Europe produces natural ingredients used in dietary supplements, cosmetics, medicines, and fragrances, with a funding of 5.5M€ by the Horizon Europe program.

The Journalism Science Alliance, a programme co-funded by the European Union, has awarded nearly one million euros to 25 new projects by journalist-scientist teams from 14 different countries. The projects will pursue investigative journalism, grounded in scientific evidence, on topics spanning environmental issues, health, justice and technology. This is the programme's second funding call.

A research team led by Professor Il-Joo Cho of Korea University College of Medicine has developed a novel brain implant capable of bidirectionally modulating neural activity using temperature, opening new possibilities for next-generation brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) and treatments for neurological disorders.

University of Warwick astronomers have detected space debris fragments as small as 5 cm, tiny but dangerous objects that have gone undetected but could pose a threat to active satellites in key orbits. 

A compact 300-GHz-band 4×4 bi-directional phased-array transceiver in 65-nm CMOS has been developed, as reported by researchers from Institute of Science Tokyo. While free space path loss is a significant challenge for the 300-GHz-band in wireless systems, this development can mitigate the problem, resulting in significant advancement in 6G wireless communication. 

Traumatic brain injury disrupts complex glial cell networks that influence inflammation, white matter repair, and long-term neurological recovery. A new review highlights how microglia, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes interact dynamically after injury and explains why future therapies may require carefully timed, multi-target strategies instead of single-drug approaches. The study also outlines emerging treatments that promote remyelination, reduce harmful inflammation, and support regenerative repair processes across different stages of traumatic brain injury progression.

Urban redevelopment in densely populated areas often involves removing existing piles, backfilling boreholes, and installing new piles. Strength differences between backfilled soil and original ground can lead to drilling deviations, compromising building integrity and leading to economic losses. However, current countermeasures are based on experience-based judgements. In a new study, researchers present a new quantitative framework for evaluating drilling instability induced by backfilling, offering practical guidelines for improving resource efficiency, resilience, and sustainability.