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Categories: Offbeat: Plants and Animals, Physics: Optics
Published Do some mysterious bones belong to gigantic ichthyosaurs?



Several similar large, fossilized bone fragments have been discovered in various regions across Western and Central Europe since the 19th century. The animal group to which they belonged is still the subject of much debate to this day. A study could now settle this dispute once and for all: The microstructure of the fossils indicates that they come from the lower jaw of a gigantic ichthyosaur. These animals could reach 25 to 30 meters in length, a similar size to the modern blue whale.
Published Will the convergence of light and matter in Janus particles transcend performance limitations in the optical display industry?



Team successfully exerted electrical control over polaritons, hybridized light-matter particles, at room temperature.
Published Toothed whale echolocation organs evolved from jaw muscles



Genetic analysis finds evidence suggesting that acoustic fat bodies in the heads of toothed whales were once the muscles and bone marrow of the jaw.
Published New four-terminal tandem organic solar cell achieves 16.94% power conversion efficiency



Researchers have fabricated a new four-terminal organic solar cell with a tandem configuration with a 16.94% power conversion efficiency (PCE). The new device is composed by a highly transparent front cell that incorporates a transparent ultrathin silver (Ag) electrode of only 7nm, which ensures its efficient operation.
Published Mediterranean marine worm has developed enormous eyes



Scientists are amazed at the discovery of a bristle worm with such sharp-seeing eyes that they can measure up to those of mammals and octopuses. The researchers suspect that these marine worms may have a secretive language, which uses UV light only seen by their own species. The advanced vision of such a primitive creature helps to finally settle an epic debate about the evolution of eyes.
Published Innovative sensing platform unlocks ultrahigh sensitivity in conventional sensors



Engineers unlock the power of exceptional points (EPs) for advanced optical sensing. EPs -- specific conditions in systems where extraordinary optical phenomena can occur -- can be deployed on conventional sensors to achieve a striking sensitivity to environmental perturbations.
Published Kerr-enhanced optical spring for next-generation gravitational wave detectors



A novel technique for enhancing optical spring that utilizes the Kerr effect to improve the sensitivity of gravitational wave detectors (GWDs) has recently been developed. This innovative design uses optical non-linear effects from the Kerr effect in the Fabry-Perot cavity to achieve high signal amplification ratios and optical spring constant, with potential applications in not only GWDs but also in a range of optomechanical systems.
Published Giant phage holds promise as treatment for lung infections



Researchers have discovered a new bacterial killer that can target common lung infection caused by Burkholderia bacteria that has exciting potential for biotechnological applications.
Published Researchers visualize quantum effects in electron waves



One of the most fundamental interactions in physics is that of electrons and light. In an experiment, scientists have now managed to observe what is known as the Kapitza-Dirac effect for the first time in full temporal resolution. This effect was first postulated over 90 years ago, but only now are its finest details coming to light.
Published Plastic-free vegan leather that dyes itself grown from bacteria



Researchers have genetically engineered bacteria to grow animal- and plastic-free leather that dyes itself.
Published Intelligent liquid



Researchers have developed a programmable meta-fluid with tunable springiness, optical properties, viscosity and even the ability to transition between a Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluid. The first-of-its-kind meta-fluid uses a suspension of small, elastomer spheres -- between 50 to 500 microns -- that buckle under pressure, radically changing the characteristics of the fluid. The meta-fluid could be used in everything from hydraulic actuators to program robots, to intelligent shock absorbers that can dissipate energy depending on the intensity of the impact, to optical devices that can transition from clear to opaque.
Published Sunrise to sunset, new window coating blocks heat -- not view



Windows welcome light into interior spaces, but they also bring in unwanted heat. A new window coating blocks heat-generating ultraviolet and infrared light and lets through visible light, regardless of the sun's angle. The coating can be incorporated onto existing windows or automobiles and can reduce air-conditioning cooling costs by more than one-third in hot climates.
Published Biofilm-resistant glass for marine environments



Engineers have created ultraviolet (UV) rays-emitting glass that can reduce 98% of biofilm from growing on surfaces in underwater environments.
Published 100 kilometers of quantum-encrypted transfer



Researchers have taken a big step towards securing information against hacking. They have succeeded in using quantum encryption to securely transfer information 100 kilometers via fiber optic cable -- roughly equivalent to the distance between Oxford and London.
Published We've had bird evolution all wrong



Genomic anamolies dating back to the time of the dinosaurs misled scientists about the evolutionary history of birds.
Published Genomic research may help explain cancer resistance in Tasmanian devils



Through DNA sequencing of Tasmanian devils and their tumors, researchers have tracked the genomic interactions between the animals and the cancer.
Published Artificial intelligence boosts super-resolution microscopy



Generative artificial intelligence (AI) might be best known from text or image-creating applications like ChatGPT or Stable Diffusion. But its usefulness beyond that is being shown in more and more different scientific fields.
Published Can metalens be commercialized at a fraction of the cost?



Researchers suggests a groundbreaking strategy to expedite the commercialization of metalens technology.
Published Study unlocks the power of visible light for sustainable chemistry



A breakthrough in sustainable molecular transformations has been announced. Chemists have developed an important way to harness the power of visible light to drive chemical processes with greater efficiencies, offering a greener alternative to traditional methods.
Published More efficient TVs, screens and lighting



New multidisciplinary research could lead to more efficient televisions, computer screens and lighting.