Artificial intelligence Research update Electro-active material ‘learns’ to play Pong Memory-like behaviour emerges in a polymer gel Read article: Electro-active material ‘learns’ to play Pong
Nanophotonics Research update Metasurface makes thermal sources emit laser-like light Pillar-studded surface just hundreds of nanometres thick allows researchers to control direction, polarization and phase of thermal radiation Read article: Metasurface makes thermal sources emit laser-like light
Advanced materials Podcasts Diamond dust for MRI, 4D printing creates advanced devices Mahdi Bodaghi and Jelena Lazovic Zinnanti are our podcast guests Read article: Diamond dust for MRI, 4D printing creates advanced devices
Environment and energy Analysis SPONSORED The route to ‘net zero’: how the manufacturing industry can help Research teams at Cranfield University in the UK are developing novel materials and processes in the quest for greener, more sustainable manufacturing Read article: The route to ‘net zero’: how the manufacturing industry can help
Advanced materials Research update Sucking up crude oil with laser-treated cork Cork treated with femtosecond laser processing could be used to clean up large-scale marine oil spills Read article: Sucking up crude oil with laser-treated cork
Magnetism and spin Research update Quasiparticles called merons appear in a synthetic antiferromagnet for the first time Collective topological chiral spin textures could lead to new concepts for spintronics devices Read article: Quasiparticles called merons appear in a synthetic antiferromagnet for the first time
Advanced materials Research update New metamaterial could make true one-way glass Theoretically proposed structure could also improve the efficiency of solar cells Read article: New metamaterial could make true one-way glass
Topological matter Research update Surface ‘signature’ could distinguish exotic topological insulators Changes in the polarization of light reflecting off a material’s surface could indicate whether it is a higher-order topological insulator, say theorists Read article: Surface ‘signature’ could distinguish exotic topological insulators
Magnetism and spin Research update Spiralling phonons turn a paramagnetic material into a magnet Collective motion of atoms breaks the time-reversal symmetry of electrons in a rare-earth halide Read article: Spiralling phonons turn a paramagnetic material into a magnet
Soft matter and liquids Research update Ion-exchange bead writes under water New generic technique requires no substrate to fix ink and works thanks to a phenomenon known as diffusion-osmotic flow Read article: Ion-exchange bead writes under water