Researchers at Tsinghua University have reviewed optical pre-sensor computing, an approach that processes visual information with light before it reaches an image sensor. The article surveys optical operators, optical neural networks and nonlinear activation, and outlines how compact, reconfigurable optical front ends could reduce data movement and support low-latency, energy-efficient perception in physical AI systems.

A Linux kernel vulnerability has been discovered that could allow an attacker with only ordinary user privileges to seize the system’s highest-level administrator, or root, privileges and could also affect the latest Android devices.

A special issue in the journal Nature Conservation, recently published and edited by an expert group led by Josef Wanzenböck, is dedicated to the unique and highly specialised fish and their importance for wetland conservation in Europe.

A green iguana, the world’s smallest otter species and an invasive freshwater jellyfish were among the unexpected discoveries from Curtin University’s BioBlitz at its Perth, Singapore and Malaysia campuses recently.

 

More than 100 students and staff across the three campuses took part in the 2026 BioBlitz, racing to identify as many species as possible by testing air, water and surface samples for environmental DNA (eDNA) shed by organisms.

 

New study demonstrates a superconducting memory bit that operates close to the minimum energy allowed by physics

A study published in the Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts reports a room-temperature hydroplasticization strategy for transforming porous wood into ultra-strong, shapeable and water-stable materials. By partially removing lignin, introducing a cellulose crosslinking network and allowing the structure to densify during drying, the researchers achieved a tensile strength of 405.5 MPa and a wet tensile strength of 86.7 MPa. The resulting material can be shaped into products such as forks, plates and drinking straws. Life-cycle assessment also indicated a lower carbon footprint than several conventional petroleum-based plastics. Although the findings highlight the potential of hydroplastic wood as a sustainable alternative, further work is needed to simplify processing and support industrial-scale production.