Scientists developed a smartphone-compatible ethanol sensor using a metal–organic framework called Cu-MOF-74. The sensor visually detects ethanol concentrations across a wide range, with no electronics or lab tools required. This technology has promising applications in environmental monitoring, healthcare, industrial processes, and alcohol breath analysis.

A collection of cutting-edge papers in the May 2025 issue of Brain Medicine synthesizes current evidence on the alarming accumulation of microplastics in the human brain and proposes multiple pathways by which these particles, particularly abundant in ultra-processed foods, might contribute to rising rates of depression, dementia, and other neurological disorders through inflammatory and oxidative mechanisms shared with known dietary impacts on mental health.

Scientists have discovered that small RNA fragments derived from transfer RNA (tRNA) act as key regulators protecting neurons from death during botulinum neurotoxin type A (BoNT/A) intoxication. The study reveals these fragments block ferroptosis, a form of cell death, while maintaining paralysis effects, potentially opening new avenues for treating neuromuscular disorders.

Researchers in Japan have developed an AI model that objectively evaluates atopic dermatitis (AD) severity using smartphone images shared by patients on the country’s largest online AD platform. This technology could help patients monitor their condition more precisely at home and support timely treatment decisions.

Researchers from the Disruptive & Sustainable Technologies for Agricultural Precision (DiSTAP) interdisciplinary research group (IRG) of Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART), MIT’s research enterprise in Singapore, in collaboration with Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory (TLL) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), have developed the world’s first near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent nanosensor capable of real-time, non-destructive and species-agnostic detection of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) – the primary bioactive auxin hormone that controls the way plants develop, grow and respond to stress.Researchers from the Disruptive & Sustainable Technologies for Agricultural Precision (DiSTAP) interdisciplinary research group (IRG) of Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART), MIT’s research enterprise in Singapore, in collaboration with Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory (TLL) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), have developed the world’s first near-infrared (NIR) fluorescent nanosensor capable of real-time, non-destructive and species-agnostic detection of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) – the primary bioactive auxin hormone that controls the way plants develop, grow and respond to stress.

Researchers have developed a light-driven floating device that integrates photocatalytic degradation, solar evaporation, and Marangoni-effect-based motion. This smart evaporator robot purifies water while navigating on the surface using programmable light control. The system demonstrates an energy-free, multifunctional strategy for solar-driven water treatment and dynamic environmental adaptation.