A team at KAUST has revealed that the short lifespan of aqueous batteries is primarily due to "free water" molecules triggering harmful chemical reactions at the anode. By adding affordable sulfate salts like zinc sulfate, they significantly reduced this issue—boosting battery life over tenfold. The sulfate acts as a “water glue,” stabilizing the water structure and halting the energy-wasting reactions. Not only is this solution simple and cost-effective, but early results suggest it may be a universal fix for various types of metal-anode aqueous batteries.
A pioneering team at the University of Maryland has captured the first-ever images of atomic thermal vibrations, unlocking an unseen world of motion within two-dimensional materials. Their innovative electron ptychography technique revealed elusive “moiré phasons,” a long-theorized phenomenon that governs heat, electronic behavior, and structural order at the atomic level. This discovery not only confirms decades-old theories but also provides a new lens for building the future of quantum computing, ultra-efficient electronics, and advanced nanosensors.
The 'world court' and climate change A Cambridge professor and counsel team member for Vanuatu gives his initial views on the landmark ICJ Advisory Opinion. The International Court of Justice (ICJ), the judicial arm of the United Nations – known as the ‘world court’ – has issued a historic Advisory Opinion on the legal...
Aalto University physicists in Finland have set a new benchmark in quantum computing by achieving a record-breaking millisecond coherence in a transmon qubit — nearly doubling prior limits. This development not only opens the door to far more powerful and stable quantum computations but also reduces the burden of error correction.
Imagine concrete that not only survives wildfires and extreme weather, but heals itself and absorbs carbon from the air. Scientists at USC have created an AI model called Allegro-FM that simulates billions of atoms at once, helping design futuristic materials like carbon-neutral concrete. This tech could transform cities by reducing emissions, extending building lifespans, and mimicking the ancient durability of Roman concrete—all thanks to a massive leap in AI-driven atomic modeling.
Scientists have observed a brand-new and exotic atomic nucleus: aluminium-20. Unlike anything seen before, it decays through a stunning three-proton emission sequence, shedding light on nuclear behavior far beyond the limits of stability. This breakthrough, involving researchers from China and Germany, not only adds a new isotope to the nuclear chart but also hints at broken symmetry and unexpected quantum properties deep within matter.
Scientists at Rice University and the University of Houston have created a powerful new material by guiding bacteria to grow cellulose in aligned patterns, resulting in sheets with the strength of metals and the flexibility of plastic—without the pollution. Using a spinning bioreactor, they’ve turned Earth’s purest biopolymer into a high-performance alternative to plastic, capable of carrying heat, integrating advanced nanomaterials, and transforming packaging, electronics, and even energy storage.
Scientists have used DNA's self-assembling properties to engineer intricate moiré superlattices at the nanometer scale—structures that twist and layer like never before. With clever molecular “blueprints,” they’ve created customizable lattices featuring patterns such as honeycombs and squares, all with remarkable precision. These new architectures are more than just scientific art—they open doors to revolutionizing how we control light, sound, electrons, and even spin in next-gen materials.
Using a clever combo of iron and radical chemistry, scientists have unlocked a safer, faster way to create carbenes molecular powerhouses key to modern medicine and materials. It s 100x more efficient than previous methods.
Scientists have cracked a century-old physics mystery by detecting magnetic signals in non-magnetic metals using only light and a revamped laser technique. Previously undetectable, these faint magnetic “whispers” are now measurable, revealing hidden patterns of electron behavior. The breakthrough could revolutionize how we explore magnetism in everyday materials—without bulky instruments or wires—and may open new doors for quantum computing, memory storage, and advanced electronics.
Using advanced metasurfaces, researchers can now twist light to uncover hidden images and detect molecular handedness, potentially revolutionizing data encryption, biosensing, and drug safety.
Crystals may seem flawless, but deep inside they contain tiny structural imperfections that dramatically influence their strength and behavior. Researchers from The University of Osaka have used the sophisticated math of differential geometry to reveal how these defects—like dislocations and disclinations—interact in elegant, unified ways. Their findings could help scientists engineer tougher, smarter materials by intentionally leveraging these flaws rather than avoiding them.
Oxford University Press has published Copyright as Personal Property by Dr Poorna Mysoor . Copyright statutes in many jurisdictions clearly state that copyright is a property right. However, it's not always clear exactly how. Some see it as no more than a statutory right, while others think of it as a chose in action, like...
A powerful new technique harnesses swirling plasma inside laser-blasted microtubes to produce record-breaking magnetic fields—rivaling those near neutron stars—all within a compact laboratory setup. This innovation promises to transform astrophysics, quantum research, and fusion energy experiments by unleashing megatesla-level forces using nothing more than targeted laser pulses and clever engineering.
Chemists at the University of Geneva and University of Pisa have crafted a novel family of chiral molecules whose mirror-image “handedness” remains rock-solid for tens of thousands of years. By swapping the usual carbon-bound arms for oxygen and nitrogen, they introduced an unprecedented stereogenic center and proved its extreme resilience through dynamic chromatography and quantum calculations. This breakthrough not only prevents life-saving drugs from flipping into harmful twins but also unlocks fresh 3D architectures for future medicines and smart materials.
On 1st July the Faculty's Assistant Professor in International Law Dr Rumiana Yotova was was invited to deliver the 6th Annual Heilbron Lecture for the Next 100 Years Project in the Old Bailey in London on the topic 'Creation: The Human and Humanity in the Age of New Technologies'. The lecture delved into the legal and ethical dilemmas posed by genome editing and emerging biotechnologies. She explored how new technologies like CRISPR Cas9 allow us not just to create life, but to shape the very essence of humanity and considered that while gene editing offers hope for curing genetic diseases, it also raises concerns about unintended consequences, ethical boundaries, and unequal access. She went on to discuss how national laws in the field are inconsistent and frequently lag behind the science, whilst from an international law perspective, no global treaty exists and existing conventions and declarations are outdated and lack clear, enforceable standards. The lecture concluded with a call to action for action to achieve international consensus: Dr Yotova called for a new international agreement to set standards, protect future generations and ensure responsible governance, before technology outpaces regulation. Dr Yotova was introduced by Baroness Shami Chakrabarti and Dana Denis-Smith OBE. The lecture was hosted by Sheriff Gregory Jones KC, the City of London Corporation and KPMG. The Heilbron Lecture series, launched by The Next 100 Years, aims to champion female experts in the legal profession by giving them a platform to deliver thought-provoking lectures on topical legal issues, countering the often male-dominated lecture circuit. Named after Dame Rose Heilbron QC, a pioneering figure as the first female senior judge and joint first female Queen’s Counsel (QC), the series seeks to promote rising female legal experts and ensure their visibility and recognition for their legal expertise. More information about the lecture series on Next 100 year is available from their website .
A new leap in lab automation is shaking up how scientists discover materials. By switching from slow, traditional methods to real-time, dynamic chemical experiments, researchers have created a self-driving lab that collects 10 times more data, drastically accelerating progress. This new system not only saves time and resources but also paves the way for faster breakthroughs in clean energy, electronics, and sustainability—bringing us closer to a future where lab discoveries happen in days, not years.
Scientists in China have developed a precise method to grow titanium dioxide nanorod arrays with controllable spacing, independent of rod size. This innovation boosts solar cell efficiency by allowing light capture and charge movement to be fine-tuned.
The Faculty has distributed Volume 16 Number 3 of the University of Cambridge Faculty of Law Legal Studies Research Paper Series on SSRN . This issue includes the following articles: David Erdos: Ireland and the Commonwealth, 1960s-1970s: The Ends of (Informal) External Association ( 9/2025 ) Ted Gleason, Markus Gehring, Marie-Claire Cordonier Segger, Javiera Paz Cáceres, Jorge Cabrera & Matheus Garcia: Economic Rules Toward Net Zero in 2040: Legal Options for the Future of Trade in a Net Zero World ( 10/2025 ) Holli Sargeant: From Estimation to Discrimination: Algorithmic Bias, Predictive Uncertainty, and Anti-Discrimination Law ( 11/2025 ) Narine Lalafaryan: Chameleon Capital ( 12/2024 ) Sarah Nouwen & Wouter Werner: Embracing Discomfort: From Textbook to Scriptbook in Legal Education ( 13/2024 ) Interested readers can browse the Working Paper Series at SSRN , or sign up to subscribe to distributions of the the e-journal.
Researchers have cracked a fundamental optical challenge: how to control both angle and wavelength of light independently—a problem that’s limited imaging and display technologies for years. By harnessing the power of radiation directionality and engineering bilayer metagratings with unique symmetry properties, they’ve decoupled these two variables for the first time. Their precise nanofabrication techniques allow for ultra-flat, highly aligned structures that selectively reflect light only at specific angles and wavelengths. This breakthrough could revolutionize AR/VR displays, spectral imaging, and even optical computing, giving unprecedented control over light in compact devices.
