physorg.com:Spotlight stories

Ultrafast electron diffraction captures atomic layers twisting in response to light A pulse of light sets the tempo in the material. Atoms in a crystalline sheet just a few atoms thick begin to move—not randomly, but in a coordinated rhythm, twisting and untwisting in sync like dancers following a beat.
'Switchbody' turns enzyme activity on with antibody–antigen binding By fusing enzyme fragments to antibodies, researchers from the Institute of Science Tokyo, in Japan, developed an innovative enzyme switch called "Switchbody," which is activated when bound to its target antigen. Switchbody is based on a trap-and-release of enzyme fragment that dynamically controls enzyme activity, offering new opportunities in diagnostics, therapeutics, and precision bioprocessing.
High-resolution solar data reveal chromospheric jets' characteristics in active region A research team from the Yunnan Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has detailed the physical characteristics of chromospheric jets in and around a sunspot, using high-resolution observations from the New Vacuum Solar Telescope (NVST). Their findings were published in The Astrophysical Journal.
Opium use in ancient Egypt: Alabaster vase residue points to widespread use Examination of an ancient alabaster vase in the Yale Peabody Museum's Babylonian Collection has revealed traces of opiates, providing the clearest evidence to date of broad opium use in ancient Egyptian society, according to a new study by the Yale Ancient Pharmacology Program (YAPP).
Scientists make dark exciton states shine through nanotube engineering A research team at the City University of New York and the University of Texas at Austin has discovered a way to make previously hidden states of light, known as dark excitons, shine brightly, and control their emission at the nanoscale. Their findings, published today in Nature Photonics, open the door to faster, smaller, and more energy-efficient technologies.
Predictable evolution: Surprising genetic parallels found in animals' separate journeys from water to land Animals from completely different branches of the tree of life, such as insects, worms and vertebrates, independently evolved similar genetic solutions to survive on land, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Bristol and University of Barcelona.
Bacteria spin rainbow-colored, sustainable textiles In the future, clothes might come from vats of living microbes. Reporting in the journal Trends in Biotechnology, researchers demonstrate that bacteria can both create fabric and dye it in every color of the rainbow—all in one pot. The approach offers a sustainable alternative to the chemical-heavy practices used in today's textile industry.
First confirmed coronal mass ejection spotted on a star beyond the sun Astronomers using the European Space Agency's XMM-Newton space observatory and the LOFAR telescope have definitively spotted an explosive burst of material thrown out into space by another star—a burst powerful enough to strip away the atmosphere of any unlucky planet in its path.
Gas-impermeable polymer film promises durable coatings for electronics, infrastructure and packaging MIT researchers have developed a lightweight polymer film that is nearly impenetrable to gas molecules, raising the possibility that it could be used as a protective coating to prevent solar cells and other infrastructure from corrosion, and to slow the aging of packaged food and medicines.
Cow cells defy aging, opening the door to affordable lab-grown beef A new study shows, for the first time, that cow cells can naturally become immortal—continuing to divide indefinitely without genetic modification or any abnormal transformation. This overturns long-held assumptions that bovine cells could only be immortalized through gene editing, providing a safe, stable, and scalable source of cells for cultivated beef production.
New pterosaur species discovered in previously overlooked specimen of dinosaur regurgitalite The area known as the Santana Group in the Araripe Basin in northeastern Brazil has long been an important fossil site, contributing significantly to knowledge of the Cretaceous period. In particular, it has yielded many specimens of pterosaurs. And now, a study, published in Scientific Reports, adds yet another valuable piece to the paleontological puzzle with the discovery of a new filter-feeding species of pterosaur.
Scientists discover caves carved by water on Mars that may have once harbored life If there is, or ever has been, life on Mars, the chances are it would exist in caves protected from the severe dust storms, extreme temperatures, and high radiation present on its surface. One place to focus our attention could be eight possible cave sites (called skylights) recently discovered by Chenyu Ding at Shenzhen University in China, and colleagues.
Modern crocodiles traded skull strength for streamlining as they adapted to water, study shows Crocodiles were not always the aquatic predators we know today. Living crocodiles evolved from ancient lineages that were equally at home on land as in water. According to a new study conducted by an international team of paleontologists, living crocodiles evolved flatter and weaker skulls to enable them to swim more efficiently but at the cost of improved biting performance.
Nanoparticle–stem cell hybrids open a new horizon in bone regeneration A research team in South Korea has successfully developed a novel technology that combines nanoparticles with stem cells to significantly improve 3D bone tissue regeneration. This advancement marks a step forward in the treatment of bone fractures and injuries, as well as in next-generation regenerative medicine.
Water causes rock to shift on the Matterhorn When water penetrates rock crevices in permafrost, it transports heat deep underground, where it causes the frozen rock to thaw. Researchers at the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research (SLF) have explored which processes destabilize rock to the point of collapse using a high-profile example.