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A retention-aware system turns a computer's storage chip into a cybersecurity shield

Hackers are ruthless. They can take control of your computer, delete files and disappear without a trace. However, FIU cybersecurity researcher Weidong Zhu has discovered a way to transform a computer's storage chip into an additional tool for cyber defense. Working with collaborators at the University of Florida, Zhu created a system that makes data on these chips last longer—extending the lifespan of your files in the critical window after your computer is compromised. The work is published in the journal Proceedings of the 2025 ACM SIGSAC Conference on Computer and Communications Security.

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Faster renewable shift could save EU billions, analysis shows

Recurring geopolitical tensions and energy import limitations have raised energy prices across the European Union (EU), exposing a gap in energy supplies and vulnerabilities in energy security. With energy prices showing no signs of returning to pre-2020 levels, a critical re-evaluation of the EU's energy transition strategies is imperative.

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Wood bark-based coating delivers pilot run for paper packaging

In the COCOBIN project, coordinated by the University of Oulu, coating materials are being developed from suberin, a natural compound found, for example, in birch bark. In plants, suberin acts as a protective layer and prevents the loss of water. Up to 1,500 meters of a bio-based coating material prototype have been produced at semi-pilot scale.

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AI giant Anthropic confidentially files for IPO

AI giant Anthropic, the maker of the Claude chatbot, announced Monday that it had filed confidentially for an initial public offering (IPO), as Silicon Valley AI companies look to raise the enormous sums needed to fuel the sector's rapid expansion.

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Innovation from above: How mesh networks help control drone swarms

Drones operating in a swarm can perform a range of different tasks and exchange information with one another. Up until now, civilian drone swarms are often controlled centrally via a mobile communications link. In the case of autonomous operations, this means that the individual drones are only able to communicate in a star topology via a central node—usually a mobile phone mast.

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Rethinking AI hardware with tiny vibrating beams

Cornell researchers have developed a new type of computing device that stores information electrically but reads it through tiny mechanical motion, an unusual approach that could open a path toward more energy-efficient hardware for artificial intelligence and scientific computing.

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Efficiently cooling satellite components in space

Space is a vacuum. Heat therefore cannot be transferred to the surroundings by thermal conduction. This poses a problem for any type of space-capable electronics, which can quickly overheat under these conditions. The only way to dissipate heat in space is through radiation into space. A radiator converts the heat into thermal radiation. The material used must emit as much thermal radiation as possible for the process to work efficiently.

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Accelerating the production of higher-performance batteries

Demand for batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage systems is growing exponentially. Fraunhofer ITWM relies on digital simulation tools and innovative measurement systems to ensure that manufacturing processes function reliably and efficiently. The researchers develop models for key steps throughout the battery production chain, such as mixing, coating or drying electrodes.

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Bridges may get round-the-clock crack tracking from new 32-channel acoustic system

In its 2022 condition assessment, the German Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV) classified 8,000 highway bridges as requiring rehabilitation. In other words, it is time to start continuously monitoring Germany's bridges. With the COMOBASE modular acoustic emission monitoring system, the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems IKTS presents an innovative solution for continuous infrastructure monitoring, specially customized for the respective requirements and significantly more economical than conventional technologies.

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What platforms need to consider when labeling AI-generated images

AI-generated images are widespread on social media. Starting in August 2026, platforms will be required under the EU AI Act to label certain types of such content. A study by CISPA researcher Sandra Höltervennhoff investigates how users perceive these so-called AI labels and how they influence the credibility of information.

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