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Stanford engineers have discovered a standout material, strontium titanate (STO), that performs even better in extreme cold. Instead of weakening, its optical and mechanical properties improve at cryogenic temperatures. STO outperforms every comparable material tested in low-temperature environments, revealing exceptional strength, stability, and tunability. Its unique capabilities could accelerate advances in quantum computing, laser systems,…

Researchers at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have uncovered a new way to use deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). Beyond carrying genetic information, DNA can also serve as a tool for creating medicines more efficiently. Specific regions of DNA known as phosphates act like tiny “hands” that guide chemical reactions to form the correct mirror-image version…

Lu Li, a physicist who studies advanced materials, knows that people often want to hear how his research could lead to new technologies or practical breakthroughs. But sometimes, what he uncovers is so unusual that its value lies purely in revealing how strange the universe can be. Working with an international team of scientists, Li…

Roughly one in three people over the age of 80 experiences age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a condition that affects the retina and leads to central vision loss. In the United States, about 20 million adults aged 40 and older are currently living with AMD. The vast majority have the “dry” form, which develops gradually and…

The brain’s ability to interpret the visual world does not depend solely on its advanced outer layer, the cortex. A new study in PLOS Biology reveals that an evolutionarily older brain region, the superior colliculus, contains neural networks capable of carrying out fundamental visual computations. These circuits enable the brain to separate objects from their…

Superconductors work like express trains for electricity. Once electric current enters one, it can travel through without resistance or energy loss. Because of this remarkable efficiency, superconductors are already key to technologies such as MRI scanners and particle accelerators. However, these “conventional” superconductors only operate at extremely cold temperatures. They must be kept in specialized…