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Flexible electronics are becoming an important part of modern technology. From wearable health sensors and smart textiles to flexible displays and implantable medical devices, these systems need electronic circuits that can bend, twist, fold and sometimes stretch without breaking. Now, researchers led by Lingxiao Cao have reported a new technique that could make manufacturing these flexible circuits much easier. Called pressure-constrained sonication activation (PCSA) , the method can turn printed particle-based inks into highly conductive circuits in about one second at room temperature —without exposing the flexible material underneath to extreme heat. The technique is particularly interesting because it works with a remarkably broad range of materials, including metals with melting points ranging from near room temperature all the way up to 3,422°C , the melting point of tungsten. The Problem With Printed Metal Circuits Printing electronic circuits directly onto flexible materials...

Imagine a screen that can fold into a tiny shape, expand dramatically, and even transform from a flat sheet into a 3D structure —without losing its ability to work. That sounds like science fiction, but researchers are developing electronics that can do exactly this by combining the ancient art of origami with flexible electronic materials. A team led by Dohyeon Gong has developed a new type of fiber-reinforced origami electronics designed to survive the repeated folding, unfolding, stretching and geometric transformations that normally damage electronic devices. The key innovation is a specially designed flexible hinge made from an electronic composite containing PEDOT:PSS, PDMS and embedded nylon fibers . Together, these materials allow the hinge to remain flexible during folding while resisting the pulling forces that occur when the structure expands. The result is an electronic system that can repeatedly change its shape while maintaining both its mechanical strength and electri...

Astronomers have discovered an extraordinary pair of neutron stars locked in an extremely tight orbit—and together, they have the lowest combined mass ever measured for a confirmed double neutron star system . The system, known as PSR J1856−0039 , was discovered using China's massive Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST). Its compact 2.36-hour orbit also makes it an exceptional laboratory for testing Einstein's theory of general relativity and studying some of the densest matter in the universe. The findings, published in Physical Review Letters , could provide new clues about how neutron stars form, how binary systems evolve and what happens when these extraordinary objects eventually collide. A remarkable pair of dead stars Neutron stars are the incredibly dense remnants left behind after some massive stars explode as supernovae. Although they are typically only about the size of a city, they can contain more mass than the Sun. Some neutron stars are pu...

For astronauts, life in space is filled with challenges that are easy to imagine—radiation, muscle loss, bone weakening and the psychological stress of living far from Earth. But one surprisingly common problem is much more ordinary: constipation . Now, new research from the University of Copenhagen, carried out in collaboration with NASA, may have uncovered an important clue about why digestion changes in space. Scientists analyzed blood samples from 52 astronauts who spent months aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Their results suggest that within just a few weeks of entering space, the activity of gut bacteria changes significantly. In particular, bacteria appear to shift toward breaking down more protein . This discovery could help explain why astronauts frequently experience constipation—and it may become increasingly important as humans prepare for longer missions to the Moon and Mars. The Gut Changes Soon After Leaving Earth The human digestive system depends on a co...

Imagine a building where the walls, floors and other structural elements do more than simply support the building. What if some of the concrete itself could store electricity generated by solar panels and release it when needed? Scientists are moving closer to this idea with a new type of cement-based supercapacitor that can store and rapidly release electrical energy while maintaining mechanical strength similar to conventional concrete. The research, published in ACS Nano , introduces a 3D-printed cement-based energy-storage device designed to become part of the structure itself. The technology could eventually help buildings store renewable energy without relying entirely on large, separate battery systems. Turning Concrete Into an Energy-Storage Device Modern buildings increasingly use renewable energy technologies such as rooftop solar panels. However, generating electricity is only part of the challenge. Solar panels produce energy mainly when sunlight is available, while buildi...

Granular materials such as sand, sediment, grains and tiny particles may look simple, but when they begin to flow, they can display surprisingly complex behaviour. Add flowing water to the system, and things become even more interesting. In a new experimental study, Miles Morgan and his team investigated what happens when water is used to drive a dense bed of grains downward through a narrow vertical silo . They discovered several different flow patterns—including finger-like structures, porous flow and conventional silo flow—but one behaviour stood out: the sudden formation of straight, wormhole-like channels through the granular material. Once these channels appear, they can rapidly grow toward the outlet, creating a preferred pathway through which water and grains move while much of the surrounding material is bypassed. The discovery could help scientists better understand fluid-driven sediment transport and processes occurring in environments ranging from industrial systems to und...

Space exploration is entering a new era. Future astronauts are expected to spend months or even longer away from Earth as space agencies prepare for missions to the Moon and eventually Mars. But while rockets, habitats and life-support systems continue to improve, scientists are paying increasing attention to another challenge: what happens to the human skeleton during long periods in space? A new study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings has found that astronauts who completed spaceflights lasting more than 90 days experienced higher rates of hip fractures than astronauts after shorter missions and people who had never traveled to space. The finding highlights an important concern for the future of human space exploration. Astronauts are generally selected for excellent physical health, but spending extended periods in microgravity can cause changes inside the body that may not be obvious when they return to Earth. Why Does Spaceflight Affect Bones? On Earth, our bones constantly r...