EurekAlert! News by Subject: Tech & Engineering

Tech & Engineering

Updates every hour. Last Updated: 30-Oct-2026 16:16 ET (30-Oct-2026 20:16 GMT/UTC)

6-Jul-2026

Ancient craniiform brachiopod: a newly discovered species with a unique shell shape and lifestyle

National Research University Higher School of Economics
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Scientists from HSE University, MSU, and Tallinn University of Technology have studied a fossil species of ancient brachiopods that lived in a warm sea in what is now northern Estonia more than 445 million years ago. These ancient brachiopods developed a cup-shaped shell with a protective 'cap' that shielded them from overgrowth by other marine organisms. The study has been published in Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology.

Journal: Palaeogeography Palaeoclimatology Palaeoecology

6-Jul-2026

Digital Science announces Dimensions Research Strategy: AI analytics for research strategy on demand

Digital Science
Business Announcement

Digital Science has announced its forthcoming Dimensions Research Strategy, an AI analytics platform built to reason through complex strategic questions – on demand, at scale, with full provenance on every finding.

6-Jul-2026

Winged composite pile system for better waste management and enhanced uplift resistance

Shibaura Institute of Technology
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Contemporary civil engineering practices highlight the need for safer, more reliable, uplift-resistant foundations for lifeline infrastructure and also seek solutions for environmental and social problems associated with surplus soil from construction projects. Using surplus construction soil, researchers have developed a winged composite pile system that can enhance uplift resistance. This approach supports cleaner and safer construction practices, helping projects achieve environmental goals without sacrificing structural integrity.

Journal: Cleaner Engineering and Technology

6-Jul-2026

Atomic-level engineering of Cu nanoclusters improves conversion of carbon dioxide to fuel

Tohoku University
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers at Tohoku University have discovered a promising strategy that converts harmful carbon dioxide into valuable fuels and chemicals by precisely altering nanoclusters made of copper.

Journal: JACS Au
Funder: JSPS KAKENHI, Ichimura Foundation of New Technology, Fujikura Foundation, Japan Power Academy, Iwatani Naoji Foundation, Amano Institute of Technology, Nakanishi Scholarship Foundation, Kato Foundation for Promotion of Science, Hosokawa Powder Technology Foundation

6-Jul-2026

The language of proteins

Technion-Israel Institute of Technology
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers from the Technion and Tel Aviv University have developed BetaDescribe, an AI system that translates protein sequences into natural-language descriptions of their functions and properties. Reported in PNAS, the system uses a generative AI approach with built-in verification mechanisms to infer protein function even when proteins are not closely related to previously characterized ones. By helping interpret the vast number of uncharacterized proteins in nature, BetaDescribe could accelerate biological research, drug discovery, and advances in biotechnology and agriculture.

Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

6-Jul-2026

Electric propulsion is not always the answer for small vessels

Estonian Research Council
Reports and Proceedings

Electric propulsion can cut emissions from small vessels, but it is not always the best or most practical solution. New doctoral research from Tallinn University of Technology shows that the optimal pathway depends on route length, vessel duty cycle, electricity supply, port infrastructure, and investment costs.

6-Jul-2026

Soil thickness controls landslide occurrence, study finds

University of Tsukuba
Peer-Reviewed Publication

Researchers at University of Tsukuba analyzed high-resolution topographic data from airborne LiDAR to examine the relationships among landslide area, depth, and slope gradient. They found that the thickness of a slope's soil layer plays a key role in determining where and how landslides occur. The findings could sharpen disaster risk prediction as the climate changes.

Journal: Scientific Reports

6-Jul-2026

Scientists discover novel domino-like phase transformation mechanism with implications for functional devices

Chinese Academy of Sciences Headquarters
Peer-Reviewed Publication

A research team led by Profs. CHEN Xingqiu and SUN Yan from the Institute of Metal Research (IMR) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with Prof. NIU Haiyang from Northwestern Polytechnical University, has uncovered a previously unknown phase transformation mechanism in monolayer molybdenum telluride (MoTe₂).

Journal: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

6-Jul-2026

Masahiro Tatsumisago named NIMS Award 2026

Osaka Metropolitan University
Grant and Award Announcement

Masahiro Tatsumisago, Former OMU President and current Executive Advisor at Osaka Metropolitan University, has been selected for the NIMS Award 2026 from the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS).