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Tech Xplore / These optical sensors don't just see—they think fast enough to change surgery, space exploration and more

Imagine a surgical robot that could detect the boundary between a tumor and healthy tissue during an operation; not by sending images offsite for testing, but by quickly analyzing subtle differences fast enough to guide the ...

May 12, 2026
Phys.org / The fog is alive: Droplets host bacteria that clear toxins from our air

What if fog isn't just misty air, but a living ecosystem? This question hung over cloud researcher Thi Thuong Thuong Cao. As a Ph.D. student at Arizona State University, her curiosity led her from knocking on the doors of ...

May 12, 2026
Dialog / Novel technique measures polymer degradation during cathodic overprotection

Oil and natural gas are vital constituents of our energy ecosystem that need to be transported across long distances. Although steel pipelines are the infrastructure used for this purpose, thereby serving as the lifeline ...

May 12, 2026
Phys.org / Scientists dispute hypothesis that climate change will unleash massive agricultural pest populations

The widespread hypothesis that climate warming will result in unprecedented agricultural pest populations and cause food insecurity worldwide is oversimplified, according to a new study by a team led by Mia Lippey, an entomologist ...

May 12, 2026
Phys.org / A baby bird's wish list: Mild weather, attentive parents, not being the smallest sibling

Experiences in the first days and weeks of life can have a profound impact on humans—and birds. A new study led by Sage Madden, a graduate student in evolution and ecology at the University of California, Davis, shows how ...

May 12, 2026
Phys.org / 'Calm' galaxy cluster hides a violent cosmic scene that took 4 billion years to settle

The galaxy cluster Abell 2029 is sometimes described as "the most relaxed cluster in the universe." This moniker does not arise from some sort of mellow vibe, but rather because of how calm and undisturbed the superheated ...

May 12, 2026
Phys.org / AI surrogate accelerates nonlinear optics simulations by orders of magnitude

Simulating the nonlinear optical physics that underlies ultrafast laser systems is computationally demanding—a practical bottleneck in settings that require rapid feedback. A study by researchers at Stanford University, University ...

May 12, 2026
Phys.org / How winds above Tibet quietly replenish water for nearly 2 billion people

The "Asian Water Towers" (AWTs), a high-altitude region with a mean elevation exceeding 4,000 meters, serve as the primary freshwater source for nearly 2 billion people. While the Indian summer monsoon is well known for shaping ...

May 12, 2026
Phys.org / 'Implosion carving' shrinks 3D photonic devices 2,000-fold for visible-light computing

Using a new technique that can create vacancies at any site across a material and then shrink it to about 1/2,000 of its original volume, MIT researchers have designed nanotechnology devices that could be used for optical ...

May 12, 2026
Medical Xpress / AI-powered handheld microscope aims to spot cancer earlier

Researchers at Rice University and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have developed a compact, artificial intelligence-powered imaging device that could transform how clinicians detect cancer. The technology, ...

May 12, 2026
Phys.org / New alien-life test could help Mars and Europa missions read organic molecules

For decades, the search for life beyond Earth has revolved around a key question: What molecules should scientists be looking for on other planets or moons? A new study, published in Nature Astronomy, suggests that the more ...

May 11, 2026
Phys.org / Molecular glue could hijack cells' natural machinery to help treat diseases

Proteins do most of the work in our body's cells. But when a protein is too active or does not function properly, it can lead to disease or other health problems. Researchers from the University of Toronto have discovered ...

May 12, 2026