
Today on R&D World
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?
R&D 100 winner of the day: Frontier-X
Flame retardants in battery enclosures may pose health risks without fire safety benefits
This week in AI research: U.S. lawmakers push to ban a Chinese AI disruptor’s app from government devices
Eureka 2.0: AI is beginning to ace grad-level science, but can you trust it?
Satellite data sheds light on wetland health in cloud-covered regions
5 neurotech trends to watch in 2025: From paralysis recovery to prosthetics that feel and beyond
R&D 100 winner of the day: Electrooculography and Balance Blast Overpressure Monitoring System (EYEBOOM)
Wildfire hazards persist long after flames are extinguished
R&D under siege: QuantHealth’s cyber head on how AI is lowering the bar for cyberattacks in pharma and beyond
Ericsson launches Cognitive Labs to advance AI research in telecom, healthcare
‘Ugly’ layoffs: It’s not just a tech story
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 >

The Technology Needed to Create Next-Gen Semiconductors
The semiconductor industry is running towards a nano-scale wall. For decades electronics have become smaller, faster and smarter. Today, a chip’s transistors are so densely packed and tiny that manufacturers are forced to build and design complex 3D architectures, at the nanometer scale, just to keep up with Moore’s Law. Discover how Atom Probe Tomography…
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 >

2025 R&D layoffs tracker
As January concludes, Teradyne’s robotics division layoffs (140 positions, 10% workforce reduction) punctuate a month marked by significant restructuring across research-intensive sectors. The robotics group’s consolidation, which reduces operational breakeven from $440M to $365M, exemplifies broader industry trends toward operational efficiency and strategic realignment. Build, cut, scale: Tech’s 2025 trifecta for AI dominance The allure…

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

New optimization model could enhance microgrid efficiency and reliability

Battery Buzz: 5 breakthroughs to watch in 2025
Chemistry See More >

Flame retardants in battery enclosures may pose health risks without fire safety benefits
As incidents of dangerous lithium-ion battery fires increase, regulators and manufacturers are scrambling for solutions. However, a common strategy — adding flame retardants to plastic battery casings — may fail to prevent fires and introduce serious health risks. A new Viewpoint published in Environmental Science & Technology argues that flame retardants in battery enclosures offer…
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 >
R&D 100 winner of the day: Frontier-X
NASA missions with limited mass and power budgets have driven the development of innovative communication systems. In response, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) created Frontier Radio, a low-power, low-mass, modular S/Ka-band software-defined radio launched on NASA’s Van Allen Probes in 2012. Over the past two decades, Frontier Radio has become essential for numerous near-…