[Image above] Credit: ACerS
NANOMATERIALS
Twistronics founders win 2026 Kavli Prize in Nanoscience
On June 10, 2026, physicists Eva Andrei, Pablo Jarillo-Herrero, and Allan MacDonald were recognized with the biennial Kavli Prize in Nanoscience for the pivotal role each played in establishing the field of twistronics.
Twisted graphene reveals a hidden superconductivity switch
Researchers at The Ohio State University combined graphene with strontium titanate so they could observe and influence how electrons interacted inside the system. They found that by tuning the environment around the material, they could effectively switch superconductivity on and off.
Newly synthesized fullerene material remains metallic even under low temperatures
Researchers led by Osaka Metropolitan University reported the survival of metallic behavior in the strongly correlated molecular material ytterbium cesium fulleride even when reduced to cryogenic temperatures.
ENERGY
Newly discovered behavior in plutonium could reshape nuclear science
Idaho National Laboratory researchers discovered that plutonium hexaboride exhibits a one-of-a-kind quantum property known as a topological Kondo insulating state. This discovery can advance the practical and high-stakes work of keeping reactors safe while extending the life of nuclear materials.
New strategy enhances oxygen reduction in zinc-air batteries
Tohoku University researchers enhanced the oxygen reduction reaction in zinc-air batteries using a catalyst made of iron oxide and samarium oxide.
MANUFACTURING
Photonics advance could enable compact, high-performance lidar sensors
Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers developed an array of integrated antennas that minimizes the unwanted crosstalk that can occur in a standard antenna array. This innovation could enable a lidar chip to scan a wider field of view while maintaining low-noise operation.
Evaluating and verifying concrete components of the new Gordie Howe International Bridge
The new Gordie Howe International Bridge, which will connect Windsor, Ontario, with Detroit, Mich., is expected to open later in 2026. University of Toronto researchers have been evaluating every concrete pour for the project since 2021 to ensure consistency and reliability.
OTHER STORIES
Scientists finally complete Schrödinger’s 100-year-old color theory
Los Alamos National Laboratory researchers used geometry to build a mathematical definition of color perception based on hue, saturation, and lightness. Their results formalize Schrödinger’s model of color and show that the qualities we perceive in colors are intrinsic to the mathematics of color space itself.
Researchers demonstrate 100 kW fully superconducting aviation motor
Researchers at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow demonstrated a 100 kW fully superconducting aviation motor that could help pave the way for an electric aircraft. The motor uses high-temperature superconducting technology to carry very large electrical currents with almost no resistance when cooled to cryogenic temperatures (20 K or -253°C).
Rare-earth-free zinc oxide achieves a first in stress-to-light conversion
Researchers led by Tohoku University, in collaboration with the University of Tsukuba and Saga University, developed a zinc oxide material that exhibits strong and highly sensitive mechanoluminescence without using any rare earth elements.