Tech Xplore news

Tech Xplore / Solar photoreforming turns plastic waste into clean fuel at low temperatures

Scientists are advancing a promising solution to two of the world's biggest challenges—plastic pollution and clean energy—by transforming waste plastics into valuable fuels using sunlight.

Apr 28, 2026
Tech Xplore / A solar cell moonlights as an LED, both absorbing and emitting light more efficiently

Imagine a display that harvests ambient light when it is not actively in use, offsetting some of its own energy consumption. Materials physics shows that this is possible; the same semiconductor material can, in principle, ...

Apr 28, 2026
Tech Xplore / Molecular interface tweak unlocks more reliable perovskite solar cells, challenging common assumption

Perovskite solar cells are a rapidly advancing photovoltaic technology that has seen a dramatic rise in power conversion efficiency in recent years. A key driver of this progress is the use of molecular charge-selective contacts—ultrathin ...

Apr 28, 2026
Tech Xplore / Robotically assembled building blocks could make construction more efficient and sustainable

Robotically assembled building blocks could be a more environmentally friendly method for erecting large-scale structures than some existing construction techniques, according to a new study by MIT researchers published in ...

Apr 28, 2026
Tech Xplore / Meta-earplugs reduce booming voice effect, low-frequency rumbling sounds

Workplace hearing loss is one of the most common work-related illnesses. While hearing loss is preventable with earplugs, they can be uncomfortable, and users often remove them despite the risks. Low-frequency sounds, such ...

Apr 28, 2026
Tech Xplore / Agentic AI threatens research funding system

In a new analysis, two UCL researchers argue that the present system used to allocate billions in research funding was designed for a world without AI agents and may no longer be fit for that purpose.

Apr 28, 2026
Tech Xplore / Bananas, cups and peelers: Robots learn how to handle curved objects like fruits and tools

It does not take much to confuse some robots. A machine might be great at handling a simple object like a box, yet when it tries to work with a more irregular shape like a banana, it often fails.

Apr 27, 2026
Tech Xplore / No batteries, just body heat: Demonstrating the potential of battery-free sensing

As devices for wireless sensing systems become smaller and more complex, finding suitable power sources for them is becoming increasingly difficult. However, advances in low-power sensing technology may allow such systems ...

Apr 27, 2026
Tech Xplore / A faster, greener method to recycle lithium-ion batteries can also ease supply chain issues

As global demand for lithium-ion batteries continues to surge, a team of Rice University researchers has developed a faster, more energy-efficient way to recover critical minerals from spent batteries, potentially easing ...

Apr 27, 2026
Tech Xplore / Motion-enhanced sensor captures ultra-high-resolution images, overcoming a pixel miniaturization bottleneck

Digital image sensors (DIS), devices that capture images by converting light patterns into electrical signals, are integrated in many contemporary electronic devices, including smartphones, digital cameras and some medical ...

Apr 27, 2026
Tech Xplore / Next-gen semiconductors that share life's handedness just got more practical

A University at Buffalo-led team has found a way to help chiral semiconductors, electronic materials whose structures are left- or right-handed like many of life's building blocks, absorb visible light. In a study published ...

Apr 27, 2026
Tech Xplore / Are you addicted to your AI chatbot? It might be by design

AI chatbots can grant almost any request—a celebrity in love with you, a research assistant, a book character sprung to life—instantly and with little effort. New research presented at the 2026 CHI Conference on Human Factors ...

Apr 27, 2026