
Today on R&D World
NASA’s dazzling black hole visualization making waves online
Russia unveils prototype for plasma engine that could reach Mars in 1-2 months
UTEP engineers model electric grid demand for in-motion EV charging
6 major R&D moves this week: Honeywell spinoffs meets Lilly’s pipeline expansion
Enhancing Vacuum Performance on Particle Accelerator Applications
Students use machine learning to predict crime at Thunderbird Hackathon
This week in battery research: Plant openings, closures, new tech, and US funding freeze
Musk co-founded OpenAI – now he and investors are offering $97.4B to acquire it
R&D 100 winner of the day: Fixing Flue Gas CO2 Into High Performance Polycarbonate Resin
NASA estimates a 2.3% probability of an asteroid impact on earth in 2032
X-ray surveys and redshift analysis reveal Quipu, the universe’s largest known structure
What Is Safe Superintelligence Inc., the AI R&D outfit poised to be worth $20B?
NASA’s nuclear-powered engine promises 3x efficiency boost in Mars missions
R&D 100 winner of the day: Berelex Green eco-friendly, antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial paint
Physics See More >

R&D 100 winner of the day: UltraSonic Photonics
UltraSonic Photonics, developed by the University of Pittsburg, with help from the National Energy Technology Laboratory and Sensible Photonics, is a sensor system that monitors large-scale infrastructure under stress, offering novel capabilities in detecting potential failures before they occur. The technology uses ultrasonic waves and optical fiber cables to “listen” for changes in the structural…
Sponsored Content See More >

Enhancing Vacuum Performance on Particle Accelerator Applications
BRANDTECH Scientific recently worked with the Arizona State University Eyring Materials Center Ion Beam Analysis of Materials (IBeAM) lab to support an upgrade to their vacuum equipment. Mark Mangus, Research Specialist Principal at the Eyring Materials Center works with students and industry partners in the IBeAM lab to train them on the use of the…
Life Science See More >
Light-activated turmeric compound shows promise against superbugs
Texas A&M researchers have developed a photodynamic approach using curcumin — turmeric’s active compound — to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria, according to a Scientific Reports study. The method achieved substantial reductions in bacterial viability across lab tests. The results point to a potential to revitalize existing antimicrobial treatments. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a well-documented growing public…

5 neurotech trends to watch in 2025: From paralysis recovery to prosthetics that feel and beyond

Ericsson launches Cognitive Labs to advance AI research in telecom, healthcare

White House says there is ‘confirmable truth’ that COVID-19 originated from lab leak in China

Q&A: How BD-Biosero robotics alliance can bridge automation gaps in complex flow cytometry workflows
Nanotechnology See More >

A smart ring with a tiny camera lets users point and click to control home devices
While smart home devices have expanded to include speakers, security systems, lights, and thermostats, their control has mostly been limited to a remote, an app, or voice commands. Users can interact with their phones or speak to the technology. Still, these methods are often less convenient than the simple switches they replace, significantly since devices…
Energy See More >

Russia unveils prototype for plasma engine that could reach Mars in 1-2 months
Scientists at Russia’s state nuclear corporation Rosatom have reported developing a plasma engine for deep space travel. They announced that they have already built a laboratory prototype of the craft. This engine uses electrically accelerated plasma (ionized gas) instead of chemical combustion, enabling considerable exhaust velocities. The scientists estimate that they could send a spacecraft…

NASA’s nuclear-powered engine promises 3x efficiency boost in Mars missions

2025 R&D layoffs tracker

Researchers tackle material and engineering challenges to advance commercial fusion power

8 major R&D moves this week: Honda invests $1B in EVs, China’s DeepSeek continues to stun the AI world, and more
Chemistry See More >

UTEP engineers model electric grid demand for in-motion EV charging
Researchers at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) are studying how electric vehicles (EVs) could be charged while in motion, addressing concerns like “range anxiety” and the growing demand for EV infrastructure. Their work, published in the journal IEEE Access, focuses on Dynamic Wireless Power Transfer (DWPT) roadways, which use transmitter pads embedded…

This week in battery research: Plant openings, closures, new tech, and US funding freeze
R&D 100 winner of the day: Berelex Green eco-friendly, antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial paint

Flame retardants in battery enclosures may pose health risks without fire safety benefits

8 major R&D moves this week: Honda invests $1B in EVs, China’s DeepSeek continues to stun the AI world, and more
Material Science See More >
Light-activated turmeric compound shows promise against superbugs
Texas A&M researchers have developed a photodynamic approach using curcumin — turmeric’s active compound — to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria, according to a Scientific Reports study. The method achieved substantial reductions in bacterial viability across lab tests. The results point to a potential to revitalize existing antimicrobial treatments. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a well-documented growing public…

Mantis shrimp’s ‘phononic shield’ reveals clues to surviving its own .22-caliber equivalent punches

Flashlight-sized device boosts coral feeding up to 50x
Methylene blue goes viral—but what is the R&D backstory on this 150-year-old dye?

Researchers tackle material and engineering challenges to advance commercial fusion power
Semiconductors See More >

This week in AI research: OpenAI eyes $340B valuation, partners with national labs
Here’s the scoop: AI is still on fire, despite bubble talk, and OpenAI’s rumored $40B capital raise—driving its valuation up to $340B—could be one of the biggest bets yet. But this isn’t happening in a vacuum. Competition from China’s DeepSeek, fresh AI model launches by Alibaba, and rumored next-gen offerings from Google and others mean…

How trade secrets, green tech, and Asia’s rise redrew the 2024 USPTO patent map

9 major R&D moves this week: NVIDIA expands, Google targets 500M Gemini users, plus J&J’s $15B bid and more

Asian tech giants lead U.S. patent rankings

R&D Market Pulse: $29B energy mega-merger, new CHIPS Act hub at ASU, and more AI restrictions on China
Aerospace See More >

NASA’s nuclear-powered engine promises 3x efficiency boost in Mars missions
NASA and DARPA have unveiled plans to test a novel nuclear thermal rocket engine—a technology capable of tripling propulsion efficiency compared to conventional chemical rockets. The project, dubbed DRACO, hinges on recent advances in nuclear fuel, with General Atomics reporting significant progress in testing fuel elements capable of withstanding the extreme conditions of an Nuclear…