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Engineers advance toward a fault-tolerant quantum computer

Researchers demonstrated extremely strong nonlinear light-matter coupling in a quantum circuit. Stronger coupling enables faster quantum readout and operations, ultimately improving the accuracy of quantum operations.

Restoring oil wells back to nature with moss

In what could represent a milestone in ecological restoration, researchers have implemented a method capable of restoring peatlands at tens of thousands of oil and gas exploration sites in Western Canada. The project involves lowering the surface of these decommissioned sites, known as well pads, and transplanting native moss onto them to effectively recreate peatlands. This is the first time researchers have applied the method to scale on an entire well pad. The study found that the technique results in sufficient water for the growth of peatland moss across large portions of the study site.

'Scratching' more than the ocean's surface to map global microplastic movement

An international team of scientists has moved beyond just 'scratching the surface,' to understand how microplastics move through and impact the global ocean. For the first time, scientists have mapped microplastic distribution from the surface to the deep sea at a global scale -- revealing not only where plastics accumulate, but how they infiltrate critical ocean systems. Researchers synthesized depth-profile data from 1,885 stations collected between 2014 and 2024 to map microplastic distribution patterns by size and polymer type, while also evaluating potential transport mechanisms.

Will the vegetables of the future be fortified using tiny needles?

Researchers have shown they can inexpensively nanomanufacture silk microneedles to precisely fortify crops, monitor plant health, and detect soil toxins.

Synchrotron in a closet: Bringing powerful 3D X-ray microscopy to smaller labs

For the first time, researchers can study the microstructures inside metals, ceramics and rocks with X-rays in a standard laboratory without needing to travel to a particle accelerator, according to engineers.

High-wire act: Soft robot can carry cargo up and down steep aerial wires

Researchers have created a light-powered soft robot that can carry loads through the air along established tracks, similar to cable cars or aerial trams. The soft robot operates autonomously, can climb slopes at angles of up to 80 degrees, and can carry loads up to 12 times its weight.

Using humor in communication helps scientists connect, build trust

Scientists aren't comedians, but it turns out a joke or two can go a long way. That's according to a new study that found when researchers use humor in their communication -- particularly online -- audiences are more likely to find them trustworthy and credible.

Geoengineering technique could cool planet using existing aircraft

A technique to cool the planet, in which particles are added to the atmosphere to reflect sunlight, would not require developing special aircraft but could be achieved using existing large planes, according to a new modelling study.

'Wood you believe it?' Engineers fortify wood with eco-friendly nano-iron

With more than 181.5 billion tons of wood produced globally each year, a new method could revolutionize how we build sustainably. By infusing red oak with ferrihydrite using a simple, low-cost process, researchers strengthened the wood at the cellular level without adding weight or altering flexibility -- offering a durable, eco-friendly alternative to steel and concrete. The treated wood retains its natural behavior but gains internal durability -- paving the way for greener alternatives in construction, furniture and flooring.

Scientists observe how blobs form crystals and discover a new crystal type

Crystals -- from sugar and table salt to snowflakes and diamonds -- don't always grow in a straightforward way. Researchers have now captured this journey from amorphous blob to orderly structures. In exploring how crystals form, the researchers also came across an unusual, rod-shaped crystal that hadn't been identified before, naming it 'Zangenite' for the graduate student who discovered it.

Breakthrough extends fuel cell lifespan beyond 200,000 hours, paving the way for clean long-haul trucking

Researchers have developed a new catalyst design capable of pushing the projected fuel cell catalyst lifespans to 200,000 hours. The research marks a significant step toward the widespread adoption of fuel cell technology in heavy-duty vehicles, such as long-haul tractor trailers. While platinum-alloy catalysts have historically delivered superior chemical reactions, the alloying elements leach out over time, diminishing catalytic performance. The degradation is further accelerated by the demanding voltage cycles required to power heavy-duty vehicles. To address this challenge, the team has engineered a durable catalyst architecture with a novel design that shields platinum from the degradation typically observed in alloy systems.

Trouble hearing in noisy places and crowded spaces? Researchers say new algorithm could help hearing aid users

BU researchers develop a brain-inspired algorithm that can help people with hearing loss pick out conversations in noisy, crowded spaces.

Lady Arden of Heswall DBE receives Honorary Doctorate

Latest news from Faculty of Law - Mon, 28/04/2025 - 15:39

Photo: Supreme Court, Open Gov License v3.0 Former Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom Lady Arden of Heswall (Girton College) has been nominated to receive an Honorary Doctorate of Law from the University of Cambridge. Lady Arden, alongside seven other distinguished individuals, is due to be admitted to her honorary degree at a special Congregation in the Senate-House on Wednesday 25 June. The University’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Deborah Prentice, will preside and will be attended by staff, students and alumni as well as special guests. Lady Arden shared: "I am deeply honoured by this announcement. Girton provided me with a firm foundation for commitment to the rule of law and fearless perseverance with a legal career, which was needed because at the time I started there were few women. There are now more women lawyers, and this award celebrates all their achievements too." An outstanding lawyer and judge, Mary Arden studied at Girton College, of which she is an Honorary Fellow, then at the Harvard Law School. Called to the Bar in 1971 and becoming a Queen's Counsel in 1986, she was appointed to the High Court Bench and made a DBE in 1993, being the first woman assigned to the Chancery Division. Subsequently promoted to the Court of Appeal and made a Privy Counsellor, she joined the Supreme Court from 2018 to 2022, with the title of Lady Arden of Heswall. A former Chair of the Law Commission, the engagement with law reform encouraged her to write on the law and its response to social change. Having also chaired the Judges' Working Party on Constitutional Reform and taken a leading role in international judicial relations, she has sat as a member of international courts and is a member of the UK Committee on Standards in Public Life.

Faculty hosts 50th Cambridge Exploring Law Conference

Latest news from Faculty of Law - Mon, 28/04/2025 - 12:01

The Exploring Law Conference (fomerly known as the Cambridge Sixth Form Law Conference) held at the Faculty of Law on 7-10 April marked the 50th anniversary of the running of the event. The Conference was established "to give year 12 students from all backgrounds the opportunity to accurately experience what studying law...

Physicists uncover hidden order in the quantum world through deconfined quantum critical points

A recent study has unraveled some of the secrets concealed within the entangled web of quantum systems.

Affordable hydrogen fuel production using surface reconstruction strategy

Researchers found a strategy to create catalysts that make the production of hydrogen for clean fuel more efficient and affordable.

Structure dictates effectiveness, safety in nanomedicine

Historically, small molecule drugs have been precisely designed down to the atomic scale. Considering their relatively large complex structures, nanomedicines have lagged behind. Researchers argue this precise control should be applied to optimize new nanomedicines.

This injected protein-like polymer helps tissues heal after a heart attack

Researchers have developed a new therapy that can be injected intravenously right after a heart attack to promote healing and prevent heart failure. The therapy both prompts the immune system to encourage tissue repair and promotes survival of heart muscle cells after a heart attack. Researchers tested the therapy in rats and showed that it is effective up to five weeks after injection.

Cutting the complexity from digital carpentry

Many products in the modern world are in some way fabricated using computer numerical control (CNC) machines, which use computers to automate machine operations in manufacturing. While simple in concept, the ways to instruct these machines is in reality often complex. A team of researchers has devised a system to demonstrate how to mitigate some of this complexity.

Nanophotonic platform boosts efficiency of nonlinear-optical quantum teleportation

Researchers have long recognized that quantum communication systems would transmit quantum information more faithfully and be impervious to certain forms of error if nonlinear optical processes were used. However, past efforts at incorporating such processes could not operate with the extremely low light levels required for quantum communication.