Respiratory viruses that have diverse strains and mutate rapidly, such as influenza and COVID-19, are difficult to block perfectly with vaccines alone. To solve this problem, KAIST's research team has successfully developed a nasal (intranasal) antiviral platform using AI technology to overcome the existing limitations of interferon-lambda treatments—namely, being "weak against heat and disappearing quickly from the nasal mucosa."

KAIST announced on December 15th that a joint research team—consisting of Professor Ho Min Ktim and Professor Hyun Jung Chung from the Department of Biological Sciences, and Professor Ji Eun Oh from the Graduate School of Medical Science and Engineering used AI to stably redesign the interferon-lambda protein and combined it with a delivery technology that ensures effective diffusion and long-term retention in the nasal mucosa, thereby implementing a universal prevention technology for various respiratory viruses.

The National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) has successfully demonstrated 2 Tbit/s Free-Space Optical (FSO) communication using small optical communication terminals that can be mounted on satellites and HAPS, marking a world first for this technology.

This experiment involved horizontal free-space optical communication between two types of small portable optical terminals developed by NICT: a high-performance FX (Full Transceiver) installed at NICT Headquarters (Koganei, Tokyo) and a simplified ST (Simple Transponder) installed at an experimental site 7.4 km away (Chofu, Tokyo). Despite the difficult conditions of an urban environment with atmospheric turbulence that disrupts laser beams, the system maintained a stable total communication speed of 2 Tbit/s via Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) transmission of 5 channels (400 Gbit/s each). This is the first time in the world that terabit-class communication has been realized using terminals miniaturized enough to be mounted on satellites or HAPS.

Moving forward, NICT plans to further miniaturize the terminals for implementation onboard a 6U CubeSat. NICT aims to conduct free-space optical communication demonstrations at speeds of up to 10 Gbit/s between a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite (altitude approx. 600 km) and the ground in 2026, and between a satellite and HAPS in 2027. Through these experiments, NICT will demonstrate compact, ultra-high-speed data communication capabilities and pave the way for the realization of Beyond 5G/6G Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN).

A joint team from UOsaka has uncovered the core principles of the loss maximization in rotor-driven gas-liquid two-phase flows. Performing numerical simulations on the supercomputer "SQUID", they identified the causes as direct collisions between the rotor and the liquid surface and pressure imbalances around the rotor. The findings suggest that, in a resonant state, the enhanced fluid motion is drawn toward the front of the rotor, and the flow instability is intensified behind it. The insights from this research would open the possibility of improving energy efficiency, enhancing reliability and lifespan, and providing new design guidelines for various industrial applications.

Using mobile phone traces, transit data, and spatial modelling, SUTD researchers produced one of Singapore’s most detailed district-level maps of transport emissions that offers new insights into how urban form shapes daily mobility.

Recently, a research team led by Professor Xie Huiqi at Sichuan University conducted a systematic review of dual-function biomaterials that combine anti-tumor and bone regeneration capabilities for postoperative osteosarcoma treatment. The article categorizes existing research findings into three design strategies: conventional dual-function strategies, enhanced anti-tumor strategies, and temporally regulated strategies. It further explores their design principles, therapeutic efficacy, and potential for clinical translation. This review aims to provide insights for establishing an integrated "anti-tumor and bone regeneration" treatment model and offers perspectives on future research directions in the field. The related work, entitled "Dual-Function Biomaterials for Postoperative Osteosarcoma: Tumor Suppression and Bone Regeneration," has been published in Research.

Researchers have developed a novel AI-driven framework using the XGBoost algorithm to accurately evaluate the skid resistance of asphalt pavements under various conditions. Published in Smart Construction, this breakthrough achieves over 90% prediction accuracy, offering a smarter and more adaptive approach to enhancing road safety and maintenance.

Cu-Zn-Ce ternary interface prepared through a urea-assisted grinding strategy significantly enhances catalytic performance for CO₂ hydro genation to methanol.

Non-thermal plasma (NTP) efficiently activates lattice oxygen at asymmetric Ce-O-Co sites in the Ce_0.8Co_0.2O_2-δ catalyst, enabling rapid soot combustion at low temperatures, with a maximum energy efficiency of 14.7 g kWh^–1 — 49-fold higher than plasma alone (0.3 g kWh^–1). NTP accelerates lattice oxygen activation to O* and the regeneration of the generated oxygen vacancies during the reaction by O atoms, O₂, O₃, O^–, and O₂^– species, or adjacent lattice oxygen.

CU researchers are using ultrasound with particles that respond to sound waves to soften tumors and make them easier to treat.