Chemists at Goethe University Frankfurt have developed a catalyst capable of breaking down per- and polyfluorinated organic substances (PFAS) – also known as “forever chemicals” – in a targeted manner. PFAS are widely used to make surfaces resistant to dirt and water, but their extreme persistence in the environment and potential health risks have made them a growing concern. What sets this new catalyst apart is that it does not rely on costly or toxic heavy metals like platinum, palladium, or iridium. Beyond its ability to degrade PFAS, the catalyst could also be used in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals.

In just over 20 years, the northward shift of the subtropical jet stream — a high-altitude airflow — caused by climate change has reduced primary production in the northwestern Mediterranean by about 40%. This marked reduction — the highest ever described — affects the base of the marine food web and could significantly impact living resources, ecosystem health and marine dynamics in this region of the Mediterranean.

The Giant Magellan Telescope received official approval from the National Science Foundation (NSF) confirming that the observatory will advance into its Major Facilities Final Design Phase, one of the final steps before becoming eligible for federal construction funding. This critical milestone recognizes the Giant Magellan’s scientific merit, construction progress, and alignment with U.S. priorities in science and technology.

The Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS, President Lee Ho Seong) has developed a detachable acoustic lens that allows for easy adjustment of the focal length in ultrasonic inspection equipment. Much like swapping lenses on a DSLR camera to improve image quality, this technology enables users to optimize the resolution of ultrasonic imaging systems for specific inspection tasks.

University of Missouri study challenges assumptions about biodiversity near Earth’s first reef systems.

Virginia Tech researchers have created an engineered model of the supportive tissue found within a lymph node to study human health. Working with scientists at the University of Virginia, the researchers are building a bioengineered model of a human lymph node, which performs essential roles in the immune system throughout the body.