A groundbreaking study unveils how the ARP2/3 complex orchestrates the dynamic behavior of neurites, providing fresh insights into neuronal growth and polarity. Researchers utilized advanced optogenetic tools to manipulate RAC1, an upstream regulator of ARP2/3, revealing spatially distinct roles of actin assembly in neuronal morphology.

By employing photoactivatable RAC1 (PA-RAC1), the team demonstrated that ARP2/3-mediated actin assembly at neurite tips promotes growth cone activation and neurite extension. Local activation of PA-RAC1 triggered robust growth cone dynamics, driving neurite elongation. Conversely, activation of a dominant-negative RAC1 mutant led to collapse of the growth cone and neurite retraction, underscoring ARP2/3’s role in sustaining neurite advancement.

Intriguingly, PA-RAC1 activation at the soma induced lamellipodia formation reminiscent of nascent actin waves, which were associated with neurite retraction events. This phenomenon mirrored intrinsic cellular behaviors where somatic actin waves correspond with retracting neurites. The study elegantly showed that the emergence of these waves reduced somatic actin patch intensity, indicating a tightly regulated cytoskeletal oscillator mechanism.

The authors further explored the effects of ARP2/3 inhibition using CK-666 perfusion at distinct cellular locales. When applied over the soma and proximal neurites, CK-666 induced neurite retraction, whereas neurites outside this region continued growing unabated. Notably, actin waves were initiated in neurites outside the inhibited zone, propagating retrogradely toward the soma but dissipating upon entering CK-666-exposed areas. This highlights a spatial dependence of ARP2/3 activity for wave initiation and propagation.

Remarkably, simultaneous activation of PA-RAC1 at multiple growth cones revealed competitive dynamics in actin assembly, with enhanced growth cone activity limited to one or two sites. This suggests an intrinsic cellular mechanism balancing cytoskeletal resources and neurite growth across the complex neuronal arborization.

Together, these findings articulate a dual role for ARP2/3: driving actin wave initiation at the soma that triggers neurite retraction, and supporting growth cone expansion at neurite tips to promote extension. This oscillatory interplay mediated by ARP2/3 and RAC1 underscores the cytoskeleton’s fundamental role in establishing neuronal polarity.

This study not only provides a mechanistic framework for how neurons spatially regulate growth and retraction but also suggests that intrinsic cytoskeletal oscillators underpin the dynamic remodeling necessary for proper neuronal circuit formation. These insights pave the way for future investigations into cytoskeletal dysregulation in neurodevelopmental disorders and neuronal regeneration strategies.

The precise spatial control of actin dynamics mediated by ARP2/3 complex activity advances our understanding of neuronal development, highlighting how local cytoskeletal modulators can dictate overall neuronal architecture through oscillatory growth behaviors.

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Subject of Research: Neuronal cytoskeletal dynamics and polarity establishment

Article Title: An intrinsic cytoskeletal oscillator establishes neuronal polarity

Article References:
Lin, Tc., Coles, C.H., Alfadil, E. et al. An intrinsic cytoskeletal oscillator establishes neuronal polarity. Nature (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-026-10755-6

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-026-10755-6

Suspicions grow in Lanarkshire that local people have been misled on supposed benefits of the huge development

• Revealed: landmark Scottish AI project has no prospect of meeting renewables promise

• What are Britain’s AI growth zones and are the plans feasible or ‘complete bunk’?

The promise was that a Scottish community would be transformed by massive investment and empowered to chase “the jobs of the future”. Instead, local people in Lanarkshire fear they may have to sell their properties and lose green belt land because of the errors of a badly planned AI datacentre complex, even as those jobs and investments never arrive.

Late last year, representatives of Oakes Energy Services began to knock on doors in Newarthill, a village east of Glasgow. In letters reviewed by the Guardian, they invited residents to individual meetings. They told them about plans for a solar farm, say local people, and made offers: free solar panels, tree planting, or even cash for their properties.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Murdo MacLeod/The Guardian

© Photograph: Murdo MacLeod/The Guardian

© Photograph: Murdo MacLeod/The Guardian

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WASHINGTON — Vantor has chosen BAE Systems to build its next generation of high-resolution imaging satellites. The selection reunites Vantor with the former Ball Aerospace business that helped develop DigitalGlobe’s […]

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Scientists have developed a new particle detector that can measure incredibly short bursts of electrons lasting just one trillionth of a second, or one picosecond. The breakthrough could help next-generation particle accelerators reveal how materials, chemicals and biological systems behave at the atomic level. The new detector was created by the Advanced Accelerator Diagnostics Collaboration, […]

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TechCrunch spoke to investors to find the hottest startups in the Spring 2026 YC batch. Some of them commanded valuations of over $175 million, VCs said.

As demand for electricity continues to rise because of data centers, electric vehicles, and renewable energy, the world’s aging power grid is facing increasing pressure. One of the biggest concerns is the reliability of power transformers, the large devices that help move electricity around the grid. Now, an international team of researchers has developed a […]

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Back when I was covering Donald Trump's first presidency, it was incredibly common to read three different versions of the same story. His administration had split into several factions, all of which had different interests, and all of which hated each other. There was the Reince Pr …

Read the full story at The Verge.

In a groundbreaking advancement that bridges the gap between biological intelligence and artificial systems, researchers at Oregon State University have engineered a light-sensitive device that not only detects visual stimuli but also bio-mimics the brain’s ability to store and modulate memories dynamically. Drawing direct inspiration from the complex workings of human neural processes, this pioneering approach integrates sensing, memory, and signal processing into a single phototransistor, a feat poised to revolutionize the future of neuromorphic computing.

Traditional artificial intelligence hardware architectures typically bifurcate these essential functions—detection, memory retention, and processing—forcing data to shuttle between distinct components. This separation not only introduces latency but significantly amplifies energy consumption. The novel phototransistor developed by the OSU team disrupts this paradigm by embedding memory capabilities precisely where sensory inputs occur, vastly improving computational efficiency and speed.

Central to this device’s innovation is its ability to mimic the neurochemical processes governing memory strength and decay in the human brain. Rather than storing information with fixed permanence, the phototransistor utilizes trapped electrical charges generated by incident light to represent memories, which can then be pharmacologically tuned—via electrical gate voltages—to either reinforce or weaken these stored traces over time. This dynamic modulation reproduces the adaptive nature of biological synapses and opens unprecedented avenues for creating AI systems that can ‘forget’ as well as ‘remember,’ essential for real-time learning and adaptation.

Structurally, the device marries an oxide semiconductor acting as the electronic transistor channel with an organic photosensitive layer responsible for absorbing photons and generating charge carriers. The organic layer traps a subset of these carriers, creating a persistent local electric field even after illumination ceases. This trapped charge influences electron flow through the semiconductor channel, effectively encoding a memory of prior light exposure.

A key technical breakthrough lies in the device’s gate-tunable interface: by adjusting the voltage applied to the transistor’s gate terminal, researchers can manipulate the spatial positioning of trapped charges relative to the conduction channel at a nanoscopic level. This precise control modulates the strength of electrical interaction, allowing for programmable decay times of the optoelectronic memory—ranging from seconds to considerably longer durations. Such flexibility is vital for neuromorphic systems requiring adjustable time constants for processing temporal patterns.

The implications of this technology extend beyond simple visual sensing. By localizing both sensing and adaptive memory functions, the phototransistor can serve as a foundational building block for advanced vision systems capable of real-time data processing with exceptional energy efficiency. This novel hardware approach offers substantial improvements over conventional sensors, which often offload processing to centralized units, incurring latency and energy penalties.

Neuromorphic computing, a field striving to emulate the architecture and operational principles of the brain, stands to gain significantly from this development. The device’s capacity to embody synapse-like plasticity within a phototransistor embodies a leap toward systems that do not merely compute but adapt, learn, and optimize autonomously. Furthermore, the integration of these functionalities at the hardware level paves the way for compact, scalable AI platforms potentially transformative for robotics, autonomous vehicles, and sensory-rich IoT devices.

The research team acknowledges that the trapped charges’ mobility within the device’s photosensitive layer marks a fundamental departure from fixed-charge memory devices. By enabling charge repositioning in response to externally applied voltages, the phototransistor achieves an unprecedented degree of control over memory retention timescales—a property rarely realized in optoelectronic components designed for AI applications.

From an energy perspective, co-localizing sensing and computation reduces data transfer bottlenecks traditionally plaguing AI processors. This attribute directly addresses pressing challenges in AI hardware, where escalating computational demands often collide with limitations in battery life and thermal management. As a result, the novel phototransistor aligns with broader efforts to develop sustainable, high-performance AI technologies.

Conceived through a multidisciplinary collaboration spanning electrical engineering and physical sciences at Oregon State University, the device’s development also underscores the growing convergence of materials science with computational intelligence. By synergizing metal oxide semiconductors with organic tetracene compounds, the team harnessed complementary material properties—robust electron transport with efficient light absorption—to realize the device’s multifunctional capabilities.

The National Science Foundation’s support, alongside the efforts of researchers including Larry Cheng, Ahasan Ullah, Tasnim Sarker, Xueqiao Zhang, Andrew Ensinger, Lizhong Chen, Roshell Lamug, and Oksana Ostroverkhova, culminated in the publication of their findings in the esteemed journal Advanced Functional Materials. The study not only charts new territory in optoelectronics but also sets the stage for transformative innovation in neuromorphic computing hardware.

As artificial intelligence increasingly demands systems capable of real-world adaptability and resource efficiency, innovations like this gate-tunable neuro-phototransistor epitomize the direction forward. By drawing directly from the brain’s principles of memory modulation and energy-efficient computation, the OSU team’s technology heralds a new era where AI devices can perceive, process, and remember in ways that approximate human cognition more closely than ever before.

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Subject of Research: Not applicable

Article Title: Neuromodulator-Inspired Gate-Tunable Tetracene–Metal Oxide Phototransistor for Adaptive Optoelectronic Memory and Neuromorphic Computing

News Publication Date: 19-May-2026

Web References: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/adfm.75942

References: Published in Advanced Functional Materials

Image Credits: Oregon State University

Keywords

Neuromorphic computing, phototransistor, adaptive memory, optoelectronics, brain-inspired AI, gate-tunable memory, oxide semiconductor, organic photosensitive material, energy-efficient AI, in-sensor computing, tetracene, neuromodulation

A groundbreaking study originating from the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research (CISUR) at the University of Victoria has fortified the growing scientific consensus that links alcohol consumption to the onset of pancreatic cancer. This research not only enriches our understanding of alcohol’s carcinogenic risks but specifically addresses a critical gap in epidemiological studies by controlling for a pervasive methodological bias that has long obscured clear causative associations.

Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most fatal malignancies, notorious for its late detection and subsequent poor prognosis. Current statistics reveal that only about 12 percent of diagnosed individuals in Canada survive beyond five years, underscoring the urgency of clarifying preventable risk factors. The importance of linking alcohol consumption explicitly to this disease cannot be overstated, as it potentially opens avenues for impactful public health interventions aimed at reducing incidence and mortality rates.

The study, recently published in the International Journal of Alcohol and Drug Research, employed a painstakingly rigorous meta-analysis and systematic review of cohort studies—longitudinal observational research that monitors large populations over extended periods to capture disease development in relation to lifestyle factors. This analytical approach allowed the researchers to consolidate disparate findings and enhance the precision of risk estimates associated with alcohol intake.

A pivotal aspect of this investigation was the mitigation of the “former drinker” bias. Traditionally, epidemiological studies have classified individuals who abstain from drinking to encompass those who either never consumed alcohol or ceased consumption at some prior time. This conflation can skew results because individuals who quit drinking might do so due to deteriorating health, possibly from alcohol-related illnesses, thus inflating risk metrics among abstainers and confounding the true relationship between current drinking habits and cancer risk.

Dr. Jinhui Zhao, the lead scientist of the study, elaborates on the significance of differentiating between lifelong abstainers and former drinkers, explaining that failure to do so can mask the genuine deleterious impacts of alcohol. By isolating the former drinker population in their analysis, the research team effectively purified the data, allowing a more accurate dose-response curve to emerge between alcohol consumption and the development of pancreatic cancer.

After meticulous adjustment for confounding variables such as age, smoking status, and socioeconomic factors, the researchers unveiled a robust dose-dependent correlation. Specifically, consuming more than 24 grams of alcohol daily—equivalent to slightly less than two standard Canadian drinks—was associated with a 10 to 30 percent heightened risk of developing pancreatic cancer. This finding is particularly compelling as it delineates a clear quantitative threshold of alcohol consumption that markedly increases carcinogenic risk.

Tim Naimi, CISUR’s director and co-author, emphasizes the transformative implications of these results by advocating for the inclusion of pancreatic cancer within the cadre of recognized alcohol-related cancers. Currently, the World Health Organization acknowledges seven cancer types linked to alcohol, such as those affecting the mouth, breast, and colon. The addition of pancreatic cancer would significantly sharpen public health messaging and potentially influence guidelines for alcohol consumption worldwide.

Methodologically, the study underscores the necessity of employing refined epidemiological techniques to counteract biases that have historically hampered clarity in addiction-related cancer research. The researchers’ comprehensive approach, combining cohort data with stringent bias control, sets a new standard for future investigations into lifestyle factors influencing cancer risks.

The implications of this research extend beyond academic circles, bearing profound consequences for clinical practice and prevention strategies. Health professionals can leverage this evidence to counsel patients more effectively on the carcinogenic risks posed by alcohol, particularly in populations already vulnerable to pancreatic pathology. Furthermore, these findings might catalyze regulatory bodies to reassess and tighten alcohol consumption recommendations.

This investigation corroborates the growing volume of experimental and observational data identifying ethanol and its metabolic byproducts as carcinogens capable of inducing genetic mutations, inflammatory pathways, and cellular disruptions within pancreatic tissue. The dose-response relationship elucidated by the team mirrors mechanistic insights gleaned from molecular biology studies, further validating the causal link between alcohol and cancer genesis.

In a public health context, the study’s results highlight the urgency of integrating alcohol risk awareness into cancer prevention frameworks. Educational campaigns, policy interventions, and healthcare guidelines must adapt to encompass this expanded risk profile, ensuring that individuals receive accurate information about alcohol’s potential to contribute to deadly diseases beyond those currently recognized.

While this meta-analysis marks a significant advance, the authors acknowledge the continuing need for longitudinal research with granular consumption data and biomarker validation to deepen our comprehension of alcohol’s multifaceted role in pancreatic carcinogenesis. Nonetheless, this study establishes a crucial evidentiary foundation advocating for heightened vigilance and proactive measures against alcohol-related pancreatic cancer risks.

For readers seeking an in-depth examination, the full paper titled “Alcohol consumption and the risk of pancreatic cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies,” is accessible in the International Journal of Alcohol and Drug Research and represents a seminal contribution to the field.

Subject of Research: Alcohol consumption and its relationship with pancreatic cancer risk
Article Title: Alcohol consumption and the risk of pancreatic cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies
Web References: https://ijadr.org/index.php/ijadr/article/view/649, http://dx.doi.org/10.7895/ijadr.649
Keywords: Alcohol abuse, pancreatic cancer, epidemiology, dose-response, cohort studies, former drinker bias, carcinogenesis, public health, risk factors

In a significant advancement that reshapes our understanding of alcohol’s carcinogenic profile, researchers at the University of Victoria’s Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research (CISUR) have provided compelling evidence linking alcohol consumption to pancreatic cancer. This breakthrough, detailed in a recent systematic review and meta-analysis published in the International Journal of Alcohol and Drug Research, underscores a critical public health concern, given pancreatic cancer’s notorious lethality and elusive risk factors.

The global health community, guided by the World Health Organization’s classification, has long acknowledged alcohol as a causal factor in several cancers, including those of the mouth, breast, and colon. However, the relationship between alcohol and pancreatic cancer has been less definitive. The new analysis conducted by CISUR scientists, spearheaded by Tim Naimi and lead author Jinhui Zhao, provides the most rigorous compilation of cohort studies to date, affirmatively adding pancreatic cancer to alcohol’s known carcinogenic portfolio.

Pancreatic cancer remains one of the deadliest malignancies, characterized by late diagnosis and poor survival rates, with merely 12 percent of Canadian patients living beyond five years post-diagnosis. Identifying modifiable risk factors is paramount for prevention efforts, and this study highlights alcohol intake as a significant contributor. Unlike previous epidemiological research susceptible to confounding variables, this meta-analysis painstakingly corrected for former drinker bias—a methodological flaw where individuals who ceased alcohol consumption (often due to health decline) were misclassified as abstainers, skewing risk estimations.

The investigation meticulously sifted through longitudinal cohort data encompassing diverse populations, controlling for age, smoking habits, and socioeconomic status, critical variables that can distort the true association between alcohol and cancer risk. By excluding former drinkers from the abstainer group and focusing on lifelong non-drinkers as the baseline, the researchers eliminated a key source of bias that had previously obscured alcohol’s carcinogenic potential in pancreatic tissue.

A striking dose-response relationship emerged from the data: consumption exceeding 24 grams of ethanol daily, approximately just under two standard drinks in Canada, correlated with a 10 to 30 percent increased risk of pancreatic cancer. This quantitative threshold sharpens public health messaging, providing a concrete benchmark at which alcohol consumption moves from moderate to clinically significant carcinogenic exposure for this specific cancer type.

The biological mechanisms underpinning alcohol-induced pancreatic carcinogenesis are multifaceted. Ethanol metabolism generates acetaldehyde, a potent mutagen that induces DNA damage and promotes malignant transformation. Additionally, chronic alcohol exposure fosters an inflammatory microenvironment within the pancreas, exacerbating fibrosis and cellular stress that facilitate oncogenesis. These pathological alterations compound the pancreas’s vulnerability, illuminating plausible pathways through which alcohol intensifies cancer risk.

Tim Naimi emphasized the imperative for updating global health guidelines to incorporate pancreatic cancer among alcohol-related malignancies, aligning policy with the latest empirical evidence. This paradigm shift mandates enhanced public awareness campaigns and a reevaluation of alcohol consumption advisories, particularly given the high morbidity associated with pancreatic cancer and the preventable nature of toxin exposure.

The study’s robust methodology and comprehensive meta-analytic framework represent a milestone in addiction science and cancer epidemiology, illustrating how careful adjustment for bias and confounders can clarify contentious risk factors. The researchers advocate for ongoing surveillance of alcohol consumption patterns alongside cancer incidence metrics to monitor trends and inform targeted interventions.

Public health stakeholders are urged to recognize the implications of these findings, integrating them into risk reduction strategies that do not merely minimize overall alcohol use but specifically address dosage thresholds linked to increased pancreatic cancer risk. This nuanced understanding equips clinicians and policymakers with evidence-based tools to combat the rising burden of pancreatic malignancies related to lifestyle factors.

In conclusion, this research decisively confirms that alcohol is not only a disruptor of liver and gastrointestinal tract health but is also an independent and modifiable risk factor for pancreatic cancer. The findings encourage a reconsideration of alcohol consumption norms worldwide, advocating for a precautionary approach in both legislative frameworks and individual health decisions.

The CISUR team’s work stands as an exemplar of how epidemiological rigor and critical analysis can refine public health knowledge, ensuring that alcohol-related cancer prevention strategies are both scientifically sound and impactful. As new data emerges, such systemic reviews will be essential in safeguarding health and reducing the global cancer burden attributable to alcohol use.

Subject of Research: Alcohol consumption and its causative link to pancreatic cancer

Article Title: Alcohol consumption and the risk of pancreatic cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies.

Web References:
https://ijadr.org/index.php/ijadr/article/view/649
http://dx.doi.org/10.7895/ijadr.649

Keywords: Alcohol abuse, pancreatic cancer, alcohol-related cancer, epidemiology, cohort studies, dose-response relationship, carcinogenesis, acetaldehyde, inflammation, former drinker bias, public health, cancer prevention

In a groundbreaking advancement that could reshape the landscape of bioelectronic medicine, researchers have developed a wirelessly powered, bioresorbable electrical stimulation system with unprecedented programmable control over stimulation waveforms. This innovation integrates tissue-penetrating near-infrared (NIR) light to modulate electrical currents with precision, harnessing a novel bioresorbable silicon phototransistor as the cornerstone of its operation. Pioneering beyond earlier monophasic pulse devices, this technology allows for the delivery of monophasic, biphasic, and polyphasic stimulation patterns, significantly enhancing the versatility and therapeutic potential of implantable electrical stimulators designed to dissolve harmlessly after use.

Traditional electrical stimulators implanted in biological tissues have largely relied on wired connections or bulky batteries, impeding patient mobility and often necessitating additional surgeries for device removal. Bioresorbable devices emerged as a solution to these challenges by safely degrading in the body over time, eliminating the risks associated with permanent implants. However, these earlier systems primarily delivered monophasic pulses, limiting therapeutic precision and adaptability in complex treatments. The innovation reported by Kim, Seo, Wang, and colleagues introduces a new paradigm by integrating wireless power transfer via NIR light and programmable waveform control within a fully bioresorbable platform, thus extending the functional range and easing the clinical management of bioelectronic therapies.

Central to this system is the incorporation of bioresorbable silicon phototransistors engineered to serve as optoelectronic modulators within the electrical circuitry. When illuminated by externally applied near-infrared light that penetrates deep into biological tissues, these phototransistors effectively adjust current flows at critical circuit nodes. This optical modulation capability replaces conventional electronic control elements, which often rely on persistent power sources or invasive wiring, thereby enabling the device to operate autonomously while still allowing fine-tuning of stimulation parameters through non-contact optical inputs.

The adoption of near-infrared light as the wireless power and control mechanism is particularly significant. NIR light possesses the ability to penetrate through several centimeters of tissue without causing damage, providing a safe and efficient transmission channel between the external controller and the implanted device. This feature supports programmability in situ, empowering clinicians to tailor electrical stimulation waveforms dynamically after device implantation. Precisely controlling the shape, amplitude, and timing of the electrical pulses is crucial for optimizing therapeutic outcomes in applications such as neuroregeneration and cardiac pacing.

The research team demonstrated the remarkable versatility of their bioresorbable system by successfully delivering a variety of stimulation waveforms. Monophasic pulses, which are unidirectional current flows, serve as a baseline therapy. More complex biphasic and polyphasic waveforms, which alternate current direction and comprise multiple phases respectively, have been shown to minimize tissue damage and improve efficacy in various biosignaling contexts. The ability to generate these sophisticated patterns expands the therapeutic range of the device, potentially enabling treatments that were previously inaccessible using bioresorbable technologies.

In demonstrating practical utility, the device was tested in both small and large animal models, validating its capacity for clinically relevant electrical stimulation regimes. The system was effectively employed in single- and dual-chamber cardiac pacing, a critical intervention for managing arrhythmias and heart block. Through controlled electrical stimulation, the device could synchronize cardiac contractions, a feat crucial for restoring efficient cardiac output. These trials highlight the translational potential of the technology for future human applications, situating it as a promising alternative to current electronic pacemakers that require permanent implantation and battery replacements.

Further extending the functional scope, the researchers utilized the bioresorbable stimulator to activate phrenic neuromuscular pathways to either induce or block diaphragmatic movements. The phrenic nerve controls diaphragmatic excursion, essential for respiration, and its modulation has significant implications for respiratory therapies, such as in patients with spinal cord injuries or central hypoventilation syndromes. By enabling wireless, programmable neurostimulation of the phrenic nerve, the technology offers a minimally invasive approach to manage life-sustaining respiratory functions, with the added benefit of device degradation after the therapeutic window.

The bioresorbable nature of the silicon phototransistors and associated electronics assures that after fulfilling their therapeutic role, the devices gradually dissolve into biocompatible byproducts. This process circumvents the complications related to device explantation surgeries, reducing patient risk and healthcare costs. Moreover, the materials chosen minimize inflammatory responses and tissue irritation, facilitating seamless integration with host biology during the operational phase.

The engineering behind this system represents an intersection of materials science, optoelectronics, and biomedical engineering. The architecture leverages the semiconducting properties of silicon in thin-film, bioresorbable form, combined with circuit design optimized for minimal power consumption and maximal efficiency during NIR irradiation. These multidisciplinary innovations collectively overcome longstanding barriers in the fabrication of transient electronic implants capable of sophisticated programmable functionality.

Controlling the stimulation waveforms via light permits remote adjustment without physical connections, paving the way for real-time therapeutic modulation responsive to patient status or physiological signals. Future iterations could incorporate feedback mechanisms by integrating bioresorbable sensors that monitor tissue response, creating closed-loop systems for personalized medicine. This dynamic adaptability could be transformative in managing chronic conditions requiring variable and responsive electrical stimulation protocols.

This research also addresses one of the fundamental challenges of implantable devices: power delivery. The optical wireless power transfer circumvents the need for bulky batteries or explant procedures, offering renewed device miniaturization potential. Coupled with programmable phototransistors, these innovations enable multifunctional implants that conform to soft tissues and degrade harmlessly, a trifecta crucial for implantation in sensitive organs like the heart and nervous system.

The ability to deliver polyphasic waveforms through a single bioresorbable receiver unit is particularly noteworthy. Conventionally, generating these complex waveforms requires sophisticated circuitry and stable power sources, neither of which are trivial to implement in resorbable devices. The research showcases how optical control unlocks this capability without sacrificing bioresorbability or wireless operation, representing a paradigm shift in transient biomedical electronics.

The successful application of this device in large animal cardiac models bridges a critical gap toward clinical translation. Such models replicate human physiological scales and complexities far more closely than small animals, validating both the efficacy and safety of the system under conditions analogous to human therapies. This demonstration is an essential milestone on the path toward human clinical trials and eventual regulatory approval.

Moreover, the phrenic nerve stimulation experiments illustrate the broader applicability beyond cardiac pacing. Neuromuscular control via electrical stimulation has vast clinical relevance, from restoring motor function to modulating organ systems. The biodegradable, wireless nature of this system makes it especially suited for temporary therapeutic interventions, such as post-surgical recovery or transient disease states, where permanent implants would be unnecessary or undesirable.

While this work represents a major leap forward, ongoing challenges remain, including further optimization of device longevity relative to treatment durations, refinement of light delivery systems to maximize tissue penetration and minimize off-target effects, and integration with advanced biocompatible materials to tailor resorption timelines. Addressing these will be key to broadening the range of clinical applications and ensuring patient safety across diverse scenarios.

Overall, this wirelessly powered, light-controlled, bioresorbable stimulation system emerges as a versatile platform poised to transform bioelectronic therapies. Its elegant combination of programmable polyphasic waveform delivery, wireless operation via near-infrared light, and full bioresorbability addresses critical limitations of current implantable stimulators. By enabling sophisticated, minimally invasive, and transient electrical stimulation paradigms, this technology advances the frontiers of regenerative medicine, cardiac therapy, and neuromodulation, marking a significant milestone in the evolution of biomedical devices.

Subject of Research: Wireless bioresorbable electrical stimulation device with programmable waveform control using near-infrared light

Article Title: A wirelessly powered, light-controlled, bioresorbable stimulation system with programmable polyphasic waveforms

Article References:
Kim, J.U., Seo, S.G., Wang, H. et al. A wirelessly powered, light-controlled, bioresorbable stimulation system with programmable polyphasic waveforms. Nat Electron (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41928-026-01655-8

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41928-026-01655-8

While nuclear fusion holds promise for revolutionizing energy systems of the future, many scientists are also concerned about its potential misuse for secretive weapons development.

Fortunately, a team of physicists at Virginia Tech has a plan for preventing that before it happens, which utilizes an existing variety of particle detection to spot and track down such illicit nuclear development before it becomes a major concern.

The team, led by Virginia Tech researcher Patrick Huber, says that antineutrino detectors could hold the key to preventing misuse of nuclear fusion, as described in new research published in Physical Review Applied.

Antineutrino Detection

Fusion reactors generate large quantities of energy by fusing hydrogen nuclei, which results in powerful neutron emissions. This makes such systems ideal for energy production, since they aren’t reliant on the same kinds of materials used in weapons production.

Still, there are potential concerns, since the neutrons produced by fusion reactors could potentially be used to convert uranium-238—the most common isotope of uranium found in nature—into plutonium-239. The latter isotope is the primary fissile component used in the production of nuclear weapons (along with another variety of uranium isotope: uranium-235).

Given the abundance of uranium-238, scientists warn of the potential for seemingly innocuous fusion reactors being used for the generation of plutonium-239. The only way to prevent this from happening is the use of monitoring systems that could detect such activity.

Fortunately, such detection systems already exist.

The Hunt for Illicit Plutonium Production

According to Huber and his team, antineutrino detectors could hold the key to overcoming this problem.

As one of the byproducts of nuclear reactions, antineutrinos—the very low-mass, chargeless neutrino variants (essentially the antimatter counterparts of neutrinos) can neither be blocked using shielding, nor can they be produced by any known non-nuclear processes.

Because of this, they offer a perfect source for detecting nuclear power generation, including those being operated covertly by any potential bad actors.

The Footprints of Antineutrinos

Given the antineutrino “footprint” produced by the fusion process, Huber and his colleagues used simulations to determine if the signal produced by uranium-238’s absorption of neutrons, which releases antineutrinos as they become split into smaller nuclei, compared with normal nuclear reactor operation. They also used their simulations to make comparisons to another known source of antineutrinos: emanations coming from space.

“We find that even a relatively small detector should be able to confirm production rates of a few kilograms of plutonium over 30 days, despite the cosmogenic background and the antineutrino emissions associated with neutron activation of reactor components,” Huber and the team write in their new paper.

Any such detector could also be operated at a considerable distance from the source reactor, which would make such detection systems practical for use at various facilities.

Fundamentally, the team believes the method their work describes could greatly promote efforts to curb the proliferation of illicit nuclear systems for use in making weapons.

The findings were reported in the recent paper, “Detectability of covert fissile material production in nuclear fusion reactors via antineutrino emissions,” by Patrick Huber and co-authors Alexander Glaser and Robert J. Goldston, which appeared in Physical Review Applied on June 2, 2026.

Micah Hanks is the Editor-in-Chief and Co-Founder of The Debrief. A longtime reporter on science, defense, and technology with a focus on space and astronomy, he can be reached at micah@thedebrief.org. Follow him on X @MicahHanks, and at micahhanks.com.

They make much of the gear that goes into giant data centers. Demand for their products is shifting the balance of tech power.

Scopri Jian changmaensis, un nuovo dinosauro carnivoro che offre nuove prospettive sulla fauna preistorica e sull'evoluzione degli uccelli.

NASA’s X-59 experimental aircraft reached a major milestone Friday, June 12, flying Mach 1.4 (about 924 mph) and an altitude of 55,000 feet, the conditions required for the aircraft to make future flights critical to its mission.  

The X-59 still has months of performance testing ahead, but after those are complete, NASA’s Quesst mission will fly the aircraft over several U.S. communities to collect data on public perception of the quiet sonic thump it will make at supersonic speeds. Those community overflights will include flights at Mach 1.4 and 55,000 feet. 

The milestone comes just days after the X-59’s first supersonic flight. That flight showed the aircraft performed as expected at Mach 1.1, but Friday’s mission conditions flight was an even more critical step for NASA. 

The aircraft’s team has steadily expanded the aircraft’s flight envelope by evaluating its performance at a variety of speeds and altitudes, and having its pilots take on a battery of maneuvers.  

The X-59 was designed to fly supersonic without causing a loud sonic boom. However, for these early supersonic flights it has been accompanied by a NASA F-15 research aircraft, a traditional supersonic jet that causes booms obscuring any noise the X-59 makes. During upcoming flights, a shock-sensing probe mounted to the F-15 will gather measurements of the X-59’s shock wave signature, an early measure of its supersonic performance. 

After the team conducts more tests at a variety of altitudes and conditions to complete envelope expansion, the X-59 will enter the acoustic validation phase of Quesst. During this phase, researchers will thoroughly measure the aircraft’s supersonic acoustic signature — the quiet thump it’s designed to make — to confirm it is performing as intended. 

Each flight brings NASA one step closer to flying the X-59 over communities and gathering feedback that could help shape the future of commercial supersonic flight over land. 

More X-59 to Explore

Read more on the Quesst mission page.

The post NASA’s X-59 Reaches Speed, Altitude for Future Quiet Supersonic Flights appeared first on NASA Science.

Researchers from the private nuclear fusion energy company Commonwealth Fusion Systems have published a series of papers that they claim confirm that their flagship ARC reactor will produce more usable energy than it consumes if built as designed.

Although the company projects it will deliver the first commercial fusion plants by the early 2030s, other researchers say there are remaining challenges to overcome, and won’t declare the ARC reactor successful until an operational version is constructed to validate the research team’s theoretical predictions.

ARC Fusion Reactor ‘Will Work’ When Built

Scientists have long dreamed of capturing the nuclear fusion reaction that fuels our Sun and using it to generate clean, renewable power. Private fusion firms like CFS have received nearly $10 billion in funding over the last decade alone.

The first laboratory “net-energy” controlled fusion reaction, which fusion scientists call “ignition,” didn’t occur until 2022, when physicists at the US National Ignition Facility in Livermore, California, successfully produced more energy than was used to generate the reaction. Although brief, that moment has fueled speculation that practical fusion energy generation may be right around the corner.

Now, the Commonwealth team, which includes 58 researchers from the company and partner institutes, has published scientific papers outlining the physics of their ARC reactor, including new models that they say account for the “expected behavior” of the superhot plasma at the heart of the design.

Brandon Sorbom, the company’s chief science officer, said that the published works  “confirm that when we build the ARC fusion power plant, it will work”.

Company Claims ARC Will Produce 400 Megawatts of Net Electricity

After nearly a decade of research, CFS, founded in 2018, is currently preparing its prototype for a 2027 demonstration it calls ‘SPARC.’ The company said they expect that trial run, which will demonstrate their technology’s ability to generate more energy than it needs to heat the plasma, will help them fine-tune ARC’s final design.

According to the Commonwealth-led team, ARC will generate more energy than is required to operate the entire facility, including plasma heating, resulting in a true net-positive power-generation facility. This includes producing approximately 400 megawatts of net electricity, which the team noted is enough to power 280,000 average US homes. For comparison, recent census data indicates that Boston, Massachusetts, near the company’s headquarters in Cambridge, has around 271,000 U.S. homes.

Like SPARC, the ARC reactor uses high-temperature superconducting magnets to compress the plasma, which remains suspended by the magnetic fields, preventing it from damaging the chamber walls and terminating any potential fusion reaction. Under this extreme pressure, the nuclei of heavy hydrogen trapped inside the chamber fuse to form helium, the same reaction that takes place inside the Sun.

This fusion reaction results in the release of energy, primarily high-speed neutrons. At its hottest, the donut-shaped ring of plasma reaches seven times the temperature of the Sun.

Critics Applaud Publication While Highlighting Unproven Concepts and Systems

Tony Roulstone, a nuclear engineer at the University of Cambridge, UK, conceded that the CFS team and its collaborating authors are “some of the best in the fusion business” and noted the company’s ARC reactor concept is the result of “good work over many years.” However, Roulstone also warned of the pressure on researchers in privately funded companies to “claim things before the evidence is fully in place.”

David Hammer, a nuclear engineer at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, said it is a good sign that the team is publishing at a high volume, but also warned that published papers will not guarantee that the built device will work as intended.

Their modeling “has to be proven correct by a fusion reactor that works as designed”, he adds. If the firm can get SPARC operating successfully next year, “it will be an important step forward”, he says.

Hamner also noted that several of the design’s subsystems require further development before it can be declared complete. This includes addressing how plasma will behave in the real world when it becomes unstable versus its modeled behavior, proving out the process for extracting usable energy from the generated heat, and demonstrating that the reactor is robust enough to operate for long periods.

The scientists also noted the challenges in sourcing tritium, the isotopic fuel the reactor requires to operate. Although CFS has outlined its tritium generation process, Hamner noted that the series of published papers neither details the process nor demonstrates its viability.

“There are candidate blanket materials and blanket designs, but there are many engineering person-years needed” to bring a functional ARC-style plant to fruition, he explained.

“We certainly have to build more on top of that foundation laid out in these papers,” a company spokesperson said, adding that they will “be able to produce tritium for operations and for future power plants.”

The following articles were published by the CFS-led team: “Overview of the physics basis for the ARC fusion power plant“; “ARC disruption physics and strategy“; “Performance and Transport in the ARC Tokamak“; “Power and particle exhaust for the ARC fusion power plant“; “ARC Physics Basis-Magnetohydrodynamics.”

Editor’s Note: This article was updated to correct a previous version that described neutrinos, rather than fast-neutrons, in the context of the reporting, and to clarify that the first achievement of a “net-energy” controlled fusion reaction (ignition) occurred in 2022. 

Christopher Plain is a Science Fiction and Fantasy novelist and Head Science Writer at The Debrief. Follow and connect with him on X, learn about his books at plainfiction.com, or email him directly at christopher@thedebrief.org.

Hello and welcome to Regulator, a newsletter for Verge subscribers about tech politics, tech influence, and tech shenanigans in Washington, DC. (If you're not a subscriber, you can get on board here.) We're back after a two-week hiatus, during most of which I was gallivanting in the Netherlands for a family wedding, and a trip to the Heineken Experience, which is, truly, an ~experience~.

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The Tories have pledged to tear up the requirement in the Equality Act for public-sector bodies to promote equality and diversity following the murder of Henry Nowak.

The post Tories Pledge to Scrap Diversity Rule After Nowak Murder appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.