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X-rays help doctors diagnose disease, keep airports secure, ensure nuclear safety, and support cutting-edge scientific research. They allow us to see what the human eye cannot. Yet the technology behind X-ray detection has remained largely unchanged for decades. Most X-ray detectors still rely on rigid, expensive, and difficult-to-manufacture materials that limit how widely and flexibly these tools can be used. Now, groundbreaking research led by Professor Biwu Ma from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Florida State University (FSU) is opening the door to a new generation of X-ray detectors. By developing innovative, low-cost hybrid materials, Ma and his team have shown that X-ray detection can be more affordable, flexible, and environmentally friendly—without sacrificing performance. In two major studies published in the prestigious journals Small and Angewandte Chemie , the team tackled long-standing challenges in X-ray imaging. One study focuses on direct X-ray dete...

In a groundbreaking discovery, astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have identified a massive, quiescent galaxy they’ve nicknamed “Red Potato.” This unusual galaxy, found in a dense region of the early universe, challenges current understanding of galaxy formation and evolution. The discovery was reported in a research paper published on January 28, 2026 , on the arXiv pre-print server. A Cosmic Potato Emerges The team, led by Weichen Wang from the University of Milan, Italy , stumbled upon this galaxy while observing a gas-rich cosmic web node known as MQN01 , located at a redshift of 3.25 , corresponding to a time when the universe was roughly two billion years old . Cosmic web nodes are dense intersections in the large-scale structure of the universe, often rich in cool and molecular gas. These nodes and protoclusters are considered fertile grounds for the rapid formation of massive galaxies. It was while examining MQN01 with JWST’s Near Infrared Camera (NIRC...

Glioblastoma is one of the most aggressive and deadly brain tumors known today. Characterized by its rapid growth and highly invasive nature, this cancer has long challenged doctors and researchers. Even with the most aggressive treatment, which usually includes surgical removal of the tumor followed by radiotherapy and chemotherapy, glioblastoma often comes back within a year. Unfortunately, there is currently no treatment that can fully stop its progression or cure it, making life expectancy after diagnosis very short. However, a promising new development may change this grim outlook. A team of researchers from Catalonia, led by Professor Víctor Yuste of the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and the Institut de Neurociències de la UAB (INc-UAB), has developed a novel type of bioadhesive patch designed to target and kill glioblastoma cells. Their findings were recently published in the prestigious journal Advanced Science . The Challenge of Glioblastoma Glioblastoma is ...

Modern life runs on wireless communication. From smartphones and Wi-Fi to smart homes, satellites, and radar systems, radio signals connect almost everything around us. As demand for faster internet and higher data capacity grows, engineers are preparing for the next big leap: advanced 5G bands and future 6G networks. But there is a major challenge. To support these next-generation networks, communication hardware must work at much higher frequencies and handle much wider bandwidths—often hundreds of megahertz or even more than one gigahertz. One critical component struggling to keep up is the radio-frequency (RF) filter . Now, researchers from Purdue University, led by Connor Devitt, have demonstrated a powerful new solution using spin-wave filters built from yttrium iron garnet (YIG) . Their work could dramatically change how future wireless systems are designed. Why RF Filters Matter Every wireless device contains an RF front end. This includes an antenna, amplifier, mixer, and mos...

In a major breakthrough for electric vehicles, China has unveiled the world’s first passenger car powered by sodium-ion batteries. Developed by battery giant CATL in partnership with automaker Changan, this new technology could reshape the future of EVs by offering safer, cheaper, and more reliable performance—especially in extreme weather. The debut model , the Changan Nevo A06 (also called Qiyuan A06) , is expected to deliver a driving range of about 248 miles (400 kilometers) on China’s standard test cycle. Even more impressive, CATL claims the battery performs exceptionally well in freezing temperatures, retaining over 90% of its range at –40°C and remaining stable down to –50°C . Public road deployment is targeted for mid-2026 , marking a significant step away from today’s heavy reliance on lithium-based batteries. A New Chapter for Electric Vehicles For years, lithium-ion batteries—especially lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and nickel-rich chemistries—have powered most electric ve...

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is one of the most aggressive and difficult-to-treat forms of breast cancer. Unlike other breast cancers, TNBC does not respond to hormone therapy or common targeted drugs, leaving patients with limited treatment options. Even more troubling is its strong tendency to spread quickly to other organs — a process known as metastasis , which is responsible for most cancer-related deaths worldwide. Now, scientists at Baylor College of Medicine have uncovered a surprising strategy that TNBC cells use to spread more efficiently. Their findings, published in Nature Communications , reveal how these cancer cells form protective groups in the bloodstream, helping them survive and establish new tumors in distant organs. This discovery opens the door to new treatment possibilities for patients who urgently need better options. Understanding Metastasis: When Cancer Cells Travel Metastasis begins when cancer cells break away from the main tumor and enter the blood...

For decades, science fiction has fascinated us with planets that rise under two suns. The most famous example is Tatooine from Star Wars —a desert world orbiting a pair of stars. Such planets are called circumbinary planets , meaning they travel around two stars instead of one. But in real life, these worlds are surprisingly scarce. Astronomers have confirmed more than 6,000 exoplanets —planets beyond our solar system. Yet only 14 are known to orbit binary stars, even though binary star systems are just as common as single stars . This puzzling shortage has left scientists wondering: Where are all the Tatooine-like planets? Now, researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, and the American University of Beirut believe they have found the answer. And the explanation comes from an unexpected place— Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity . A Universe Full of Planets—But Not Around Double Stars Modern space missions like NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope and TESS (Transit...