SPIE in the news<\/a> Latest news from SPIE<\/span><\/h2><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2026\/voltage-controlled-pho-1.jpg\" "\\"Voltage-controlled")
<\/a><\/div>Voltage-controlled photonic chip could make smart-glasses displays more efficient<\/a><\/span>on 20. Oktobra 2026. at 16:00 <\/small>Smart glasses need compact, efficient displays that can produce detailed images without drawing too much power. Laser beam scanning is one approach to meeting these requirements. Rather than using a fixed array of pixels, these displays steer a laser beam across the field of view, building an image point by point.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
![](\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2026\/optical-imaging-links.jpg\" "\\"Optical")
<\/a><\/div>Optical imaging links altered metabolism and oxygen use in Alzheimer's disease<\/a><\/span>on 17. Oktobra 2026. at 08:16 <\/small>Alzheimer's disease is best known for its effects on memory and cognition, but the disease also involves changes in how brain cells produce and use energy. Mitochondria, the structures that supply much of a cell's energy, can become dysfunctional in Alzheimer's disease. At the same time, changes in blood flow and oxygen availability may place additional demands on brain tissue. Understanding how these processes interact could help researchers characterize metabolic changes that accompany the disease.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
![](\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2026\/testing-an-antenna-lay.jpg\" "\\"Testing")
<\/a><\/div>Testing an antenna layout for the SKA-Low telescope<\/a><\/span>on 25. Septembra 2026. at 17:20 <\/small>SKA-Low is a radio telescope under construction in Western Australia. It will operate across a wide frequency range, from 50 to 350 MHz, and will be the most sensitive telescope of its kind ever built. The completed instrument will link 512 stations spread across an area roughly 75 km (47 miles) wide. Each station's antennas work together like a single large dish, so their arrangement directly shapes what the telescope can detect.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
![](\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2026\/predictive-anatomical.jpg\" "\\"Predictive")
<\/a><\/div>Predictive anatomical guidance system helps novice users acquire trauma ultrasound images<\/a><\/span>on 23. Septembra 2026. at 23:20 <\/small>Ultrasound is widely used in emergency and trauma care because it can provide rapid information at a patient's bedside. One of its most common applications is the focused assessment with sonography for trauma (FAST) examination, which helps clinicians look for signs of internal bleeding and free fluid in injured patients.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
![](\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2026\/shining-light-on-the-t.jpg\" "\\"Light-based")
<\/a><\/div>Light-based scans can uncover hidden tissue damage in pelvic organ prolapse<\/a><\/span>on 11. Septembra 2026. at 17:40 <\/small>Pelvic organ prolapse is a common but often overlooked condition that affects millions of women. It occurs when the tissues that support the pelvic organs weaken, allowing organs such as the bladder, uterus or rectum to shift from their normal position. Doctors can assess how severe the prolapse is, but existing tools do not provide much information about what's happening inside the tissue itself.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
![](\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2026\/toward-safer-laser-usa.jpg\" "\\"Pigmentation")
<\/a><\/div>Pigmentation measurement could improve laser safety standards across skin tones<\/a><\/span>on 7. Septembra 2026. at 11:00 <\/small>Lasers are used in a growing number of medical and imaging applications, from surgery to photoacoustic imaging. To protect patients, safety guidelines define the maximum amount of laser energy that can be delivered to the skin without causing injury. However, these limits do not account for differences in skin pigmentation.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
![](\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2019\/myeloidimmun.jpg\" "\\"Advanced")
<\/a><\/div>Advanced optical imaging reveals hidden activity in blood immune cells<\/a><\/span>on 6. Septembra 2026. at 21:30 <\/small>A routine blood sample contains a diverse collection of immune cells that can reveal important clues about health and disease. These cells, known as peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), are widely used to study infections, autoimmune disorders, cancer and the immune system's response to treatment. Scientists typically identify these cells using fluorescent labels that attach to specific surface markers. While effective, those methods provide limited information about how the cells are functioning and can alter the cells during preparation. As reported in Biophotonics Discovery, a recent study shows how advanced optical imaging can reveal a previously inaccessible layer of information: the metabolic activity of individual immune cells within a complex blood sample.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
![](\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2026\/a-translator-for-quant.jpg\" "\\"Hollow-core")
<\/a><\/div>Hollow-core fiber platform could help different quantum technologies connect<\/a><\/span>on 30. Augusta 2026. at 13:00 <\/small>Quantum technologies promise secure communication networks, powerful forms of computing and new sensing tools. One of the major challenges, however, is that different quantum systems often operate at different wavelengths of light. Quantum memories, trapped ions and other quantum devices may work best in the ultraviolet or visible range, while long-distance communication over optical fibers works most efficiently at telecommunications wavelengths.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
![](\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2026\/imaging-reveals-how-a.jpg\" "\\"Super-resolution")
<\/a><\/div>Super-resolution microscopy reveals how a cancer drug triggers cellular breakdown<\/a><\/span>on 21. Augusta 2026. at 20:40 <\/small>Cancer drugs are often designed to block specific molecular targets, but what happens after they enter a cell is not always well understood. A new study published in Biophotonics Discovery demonstrates how advanced imaging technology can help answer that question.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
![](\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2026\/common-virus-rewires-e.jpg\" "\\"Herpes")
<\/a><\/div>Herpes rewires energy metabolism in human neurons, imaging study reveals<\/a><\/span>on 20. Augusta 2026. at 22:20 <\/small>Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), the virus best known for causing cold sores, infects a large portion of the world's population and can remain dormant in nerve cells for decades. In recent years, researchers have found evidence linking HSV-1 to neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, but scientists still do not fully understand how the virus affects the brain.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
![](\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2026\/skin-like-test-models.jpg\" "\\"Skin-like")
<\/a><\/div>Skin-like test models could help improve medical devices for people of all skin tones<\/a><\/span>on 4. Augusta 2026. at 23:00 <\/small>Many medical devices and wearable health sensors work by shining light into the skin and measuring the signal that returns. These technologies are used in products ranging from pulse oximeters to fitness trackers. However, studies have shown that some optical devices can be less accurate for people with darker skin, raising concerns about health care equity and patient safety. In a recent study reported in the Journal of Biomedical Optics, researchers at the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland addressed this problem by developing realistic skin-like test models that represent a range of skin tones and include artificial blood vessels with flowing blood-like fluid.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
![](\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2026\/two-materials-one-phot-2.jpg\" "\\"Two")
<\/a><\/div>Two materials, one photonic chip: Unlocking a new way to generate light frequencies<\/a><\/span>on 4. Augusta 2026. at 16:00 <\/small>Modern photonic chips can pack sophisticated optical functions onto devices smaller than a fingernail. They are increasingly used to generate, manipulate and measure light for applications ranging from communications to sensing. But most of these chips rely on a single material to do the heavy lifting, limiting the range of optical effects they can produce.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
![](\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2026\/new-imaging-technique-1.jpg\" "\\"New")
<\/a><\/div>New imaging technique reveals how scar tissue disrupts the heartbeat<\/a><\/span>on 3. Augusta 2026. at 11:00 <\/small>When a heart attack damages the heart, the injured muscle is replaced by scar tissue. That scar can interfere with the electrical signals that coordinate each heartbeat, increasing the risk of dangerous rhythm disorders known as arrhythmias.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
![](\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2026\/microneedles-may-help-1.jpg\" "\\"Microneedles")
<\/a><\/div>Microneedles may help light reach hard-to-treat skin cancers<\/a><\/span>on 21. Jula 2026. at 20:00 <\/small>Photodynamic therapy (PDT) uses a light-sensitive drug and a specific wavelength of light to destroy cancer cells. The treatment has become an important option for certain skin cancers because it can target diseased tissue while limiting damage to surrounding skin. But PDT has a fundamental challenge: both the drug and the light must reach the same area of tissue. While drugs applied to the skin often struggle to penetrate deeply, light also loses intensity as it passes through tissue, limiting treatment to relatively shallow lesions.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
![](\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2026\/how-a-telescopes-mirro-1.jpg\" "\\"How")
<\/a><\/div>How a telescope's mirror stability makes or breaks exoplanet detection<\/a><\/span>on 18. Juna 2026. at 20:20 <\/small>Finding life beyond our solar system is a major goal of modern astronomy. NASA's planned Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) aims to take direct images of Earth-sized planets around stars other than our sun. This task, however, is extraordinarily difficult, given that these planets are roughly 10 billion times fainter than their host stars. To detect them, scientists must find ways to suppress nearly all of the nearby starlight, which would otherwise overwhelm the faint planetary signal.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
![](\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2026\/photon-driven-synapse.jpg\" "\\"Photon-driven")
<\/a><\/div>Photon-driven synapse advances low-power neuromorphic systems<\/a><\/span>on 31. Maja 2026. at 19:00 <\/small>Modern artificial intelligence systems rely on moving large amounts of data between memory and processors, a design that limits speed and increases energy use. The human brain works differently: it combines memory and computation within synapses, allowing fast, efficient learning and perception. Replicating this approach in hardware is a central goal of neuromorphic computing, especially for tasks like vision, where most real-world information is gathered and processed.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
![](\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2026\/quantum-metasurface-bo.jpg\" "\\"Quantum")
<\/a><\/div>Quantum metasurface boosts terahertz detection sensitivity by exploiting in-plane photoelectric effect<\/a><\/span>on 23. Maja 2026. at 15:00 <\/small>Being able to see light and detect radiation is of utmost importance at any frequency. While this challenge has been solved in the visible range, radiation detectors in the far-infrared and terahertz regimes are either not sensitive, slow, or require bulky and expensive, often cryogenically cooled devices, which hinders practical applications.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
![](\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2026\/high-bandwidth-low-los.jpg\" "\\"Reconfigurable")
<\/a><\/div>Reconfigurable Ge-Si photodetector achieves ultrahigh-speed data transmission using low-loss packaging<\/a><\/span>on 18. Maja 2026. at 22:50 <\/small>The rapid growth of large language models is placing increasing demands on data centers, where large volumes of data must be transferred efficiently between servers. Optical interconnects are essential for enabling this communication, but as data rates continue to rise, these systems must deliver higher bandwidth while maintaining low latency and energy efficiency. However, integrating electronic and photonic components remains challenging, as conventional approaches often introduce signal loss, limit interconnect density, and restrict scalability.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
![](\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2026\/sunlight-powered-gener.jpg\" "\\"Sunlight-powered")
<\/a><\/div>Sunlight-powered generation of correlated photon pairs<\/a><\/span>on 15. Maja 2026. at 17:40 <\/small>Pairs of correlated or entangled photons are a foundational resource in quantum optics. They are most commonly produced through spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC), a nonlinear optical process that typically relies on a stable, coherent laser to pump a nonlinear crystal. Because of this requirement, SPDC has long been viewed as impractical without laboratory-grade laser systems.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
![](\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2026\/comparing-ai-anatomy-s.jpg\" "\\"Comparing")
<\/a><\/div>Comparing AI anatomy segmentation models when ground truth is missing<\/a><\/span>on 13. Maja 2026. at 18:34 <\/small>As large medical imaging datasets become widely available, researchers are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence to extract useful information from scans that were never manually annotated. Automated \"anatomy segmentation\" tools\u2014programs that label organs and structures in images such as CT scans\u2014promise to make large-scale studies feasible. But as many new models appear, an important question remains: how can researchers compare these tools when no ground truth exists?<\/p><\/div><\/li>
![](\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2026\/putting-neural-network.jpg\" "\\"AI")
<\/a><\/div>AI surrogate accelerates nonlinear optics simulations by orders of magnitude<\/a><\/span>on 12. Maja 2026. at 20:30 <\/small>Simulating the nonlinear optical physics that underlies ultrafast laser systems is computationally demanding\u2014a practical bottleneck in settings that require rapid feedback. A study by researchers at Stanford University, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory introduces a deep learning surrogate that delivers orders-of-magnitude acceleration over conventional simulation methods, while maintaining high fidelity across a challenging range of pulse shapes.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
![](\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2026\/seeing-keratoconus-ear.jpg\" "\\"Seeing")
<\/a><\/div>Seeing keratoconus earlier with light polarization and AI<\/a><\/span>on 4. Maja 2026. at 11:00 <\/small>Keratoconus is a progressive eye disease that weakens and thins the cornea, the clear front surface of the eye. In its early, subclinical stage, the cornea can still appear normal on routine exams. Yet this is when accurate diagnosis matters most, especially when patients are being evaluated for refractive surgery.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
![](\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2026\/mapping-long-range-bra.jpg\" "\\"Label-free")
<\/a><\/div>Label-free optical imaging enables automated measurement of human white matter microstructure<\/a><\/span>on 24. Aprila 2026. at 20:20 <\/small>White matter pathways allow distant parts of the brain to communicate, supporting memory, emotion, and language. One such pathway, the uncinate fasciculus, connects the front of the temporal lobe with regions of the frontal cortex involved in decision-making and social behavior. Despite its importance, little is known about the microscopic structure of this tract in the human brain.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
![](\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2026\/catching-distant-gamma.jpg\" "\\"Catching")
<\/a><\/div>Catching distant gamma-ray explosions with precisely aligned X-ray optics<\/a><\/span>on 14. Aprila 2026. at 22:30 <\/small>Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) rank among the most powerful explosions in the universe, releasing immense energy in intense flashes of gamma rays. The most distant GRBs originate from the era when the first stars and galaxies formed. Detecting them allows astronomers to probe the early universe and understand how the first heavy elements formed and how the earliest stellar populations lived and died. Missions like HiZ-GUNDAM, a satellite planned for launch in the 2030s by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), aim to detect these distant explosions in real time.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
![](\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2026\/a-layered-approach-sha.jpg\" "\\"A")
<\/a><\/div>A layered approach sharpens brain signals in optical imaging<\/a><\/span>on 7. Aprila 2026. at 14:20 <\/small>Near-infrared spectroscopy, or fNIRS, offers a way to monitor brain activity without surgery or radiation by tracking changes in blood flow and oxygenation. Light sources placed on the scalp send near-infrared light into the head, and detectors measure the light that scatters back. Because this light must pass through the scalp and skull before reaching the brain, the measured signal always includes a mix of superficial and cerebral contributions. Separating those signals has long been a central challenge for fNIRS researchers.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
![](\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2026\/a-new-way-to-deliver-f.jpg\" "\\"A")
<\/a><\/div>A new way to deliver faster, greener wireless connections indoors<\/a><\/span>on 5. Aprila 2026. at 18:00 <\/small>Modern life depends on fast and reliable wireless connections. Video calls, streaming services, virtual reality, and smart devices all place growing demands on networks that already serve billions of users. Most wireless data today travels through radio-based technologies such as Wi-Fi and cellular systems.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
![](\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2026\/a-redesigned-endoscope-1.jpg\" "\\"A")
<\/a><\/div>A redesigned endoscope offers a new way to look for early signs of ovarian cancer<\/a><\/span>on 2. Aprila 2026. at 19:00 <\/small>Ovarian cancer remains the deadliest gynecologic cancer, largely because it is rarely found early. Symptoms are often vague, and existing screening approaches\u2014such as blood tests and transvaginal ultrasound\u2014can miss the disease at stages when treatment is most effective. In recent years, research has reshaped understanding of how many aggressive ovarian cancers begin, pointing not to the ovary itself, but to the fallopian tubes. That shift has created a need for tools that can safely examine these narrow structures for early changes linked to cancer.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
![](\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2026\/chiral-metasurfaces-gu.jpg\" "\\"Chiral")
<\/a><\/div>Chiral metasurfaces guide twisted light into free space<\/a><\/span>on 31. Marta 2026. at 22:10 <\/small>Light can carry angular momentum in two distinct ways. One comes from polarization, which describes how the electric field rotates. The other comes from the shape of the wavefront itself, which can twist like a corkscrew as it travels. This second form, known as orbital angular momentum, has attracted wide interest because it allows light to encode information, interact with matter in new ways, and probe physical and biological systems. Despite this promise, producing well-defined twisted light in free space remains technically challenging, especially when the light originates from small or localized sources.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
![](\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2026\/advancing-breastfeedin.jpg\" "\\"Optical")
<\/a><\/div>Optical analysis of human milk advances breastfeeding research<\/a><\/span>on 12. Marta 2026. at 20:50 <\/small>The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that babies be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life, since breastfeeding plays an important role in public health. Nevertheless, many mothers struggle with initiating and maintaining breastfeeding. Although this can be ascribed to a variety of limiting factors, many mothers (40% to 60%) stop breastfeeding due to a perception of low milk supply. Evidence is increasing that low milk supply is certainly not a perception only, with an estimated incidence of actual lactation insufficiency of 10% to 15%. The underlying causes of actual lactation insufficiency are currently poorly understood.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
![](\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2026\/nanosecond-light-by-li-1.jpg\" "\\"Nanosecond")
<\/a><\/div>Nanosecond light-by-light switching achieved in liquid crystal droplet<\/a><\/span>on 9. Marta 2026. at 21:30 <\/small>Controlling light with light is a long-sought goal for computing and communication technologies. Achieving this capability would allow optical signals to be processed without converting them into electrical signals, potentially enabling faster and more energy-efficient devices. In recent years, researchers have begun exploring an unexpected platform for this purpose: soft matter.<\/p><\/div><\/li><\/ul> <\/div>
<\/a><\/div>Voltage-controlled photonic chip could make smart-glasses displays more efficient<\/a><\/span>Smart glasses need compact, efficient displays that can produce detailed images without drawing too much power. Laser beam scanning is one approach to meeting these requirements. Rather than using a fixed array of pixels, these displays steer a laser beam across the field of view, building an image point by point.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
<\/a><\/div>Optical imaging links altered metabolism and oxygen use in Alzheimer's disease<\/a><\/span>Alzheimer's disease is best known for its effects on memory and cognition, but the disease also involves changes in how brain cells produce and use energy. Mitochondria, the structures that supply much of a cell's energy, can become dysfunctional in Alzheimer's disease. At the same time, changes in blood flow and oxygen availability may place additional demands on brain tissue. Understanding how these processes interact could help researchers characterize metabolic changes that accompany the disease.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
<\/a><\/div>Testing an antenna layout for the SKA-Low telescope<\/a><\/span>SKA-Low is a radio telescope under construction in Western Australia. It will operate across a wide frequency range, from 50 to 350 MHz, and will be the most sensitive telescope of its kind ever built. The completed instrument will link 512 stations spread across an area roughly 75 km (47 miles) wide. Each station's antennas work together like a single large dish, so their arrangement directly shapes what the telescope can detect.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
<\/a><\/div>Predictive anatomical guidance system helps novice users acquire trauma ultrasound images<\/a><\/span>Ultrasound is widely used in emergency and trauma care because it can provide rapid information at a patient's bedside. One of its most common applications is the focused assessment with sonography for trauma (FAST) examination, which helps clinicians look for signs of internal bleeding and free fluid in injured patients.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
<\/a><\/div>Light-based scans can uncover hidden tissue damage in pelvic organ prolapse<\/a><\/span>Pelvic organ prolapse is a common but often overlooked condition that affects millions of women. It occurs when the tissues that support the pelvic organs weaken, allowing organs such as the bladder, uterus or rectum to shift from their normal position. Doctors can assess how severe the prolapse is, but existing tools do not provide much information about what's happening inside the tissue itself.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
<\/a><\/div>Pigmentation measurement could improve laser safety standards across skin tones<\/a><\/span>Lasers are used in a growing number of medical and imaging applications, from surgery to photoacoustic imaging. To protect patients, safety guidelines define the maximum amount of laser energy that can be delivered to the skin without causing injury. However, these limits do not account for differences in skin pigmentation.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
<\/a><\/div>Advanced optical imaging reveals hidden activity in blood immune cells<\/a><\/span>A routine blood sample contains a diverse collection of immune cells that can reveal important clues about health and disease. These cells, known as peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), are widely used to study infections, autoimmune disorders, cancer and the immune system's response to treatment. Scientists typically identify these cells using fluorescent labels that attach to specific surface markers. While effective, those methods provide limited information about how the cells are functioning and can alter the cells during preparation. As reported in Biophotonics Discovery, a recent study shows how advanced optical imaging can reveal a previously inaccessible layer of information: the metabolic activity of individual immune cells within a complex blood sample.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
<\/a><\/div>Hollow-core fiber platform could help different quantum technologies connect<\/a><\/span>Quantum technologies promise secure communication networks, powerful forms of computing and new sensing tools. One of the major challenges, however, is that different quantum systems often operate at different wavelengths of light. Quantum memories, trapped ions and other quantum devices may work best in the ultraviolet or visible range, while long-distance communication over optical fibers works most efficiently at telecommunications wavelengths.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
<\/a><\/div>Super-resolution microscopy reveals how a cancer drug triggers cellular breakdown<\/a><\/span>Cancer drugs are often designed to block specific molecular targets, but what happens after they enter a cell is not always well understood. A new study published in Biophotonics Discovery demonstrates how advanced imaging technology can help answer that question.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
<\/a><\/div>Herpes rewires energy metabolism in human neurons, imaging study reveals<\/a><\/span>Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), the virus best known for causing cold sores, infects a large portion of the world's population and can remain dormant in nerve cells for decades. In recent years, researchers have found evidence linking HSV-1 to neurological conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, but scientists still do not fully understand how the virus affects the brain.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
<\/a><\/div>Skin-like test models could help improve medical devices for people of all skin tones<\/a><\/span>Many medical devices and wearable health sensors work by shining light into the skin and measuring the signal that returns. These technologies are used in products ranging from pulse oximeters to fitness trackers. However, studies have shown that some optical devices can be less accurate for people with darker skin, raising concerns about health care equity and patient safety. In a recent study reported in the Journal of Biomedical Optics, researchers at the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland addressed this problem by developing realistic skin-like test models that represent a range of skin tones and include artificial blood vessels with flowing blood-like fluid.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
<\/a><\/div>Two materials, one photonic chip: Unlocking a new way to generate light frequencies<\/a><\/span>Modern photonic chips can pack sophisticated optical functions onto devices smaller than a fingernail. They are increasingly used to generate, manipulate and measure light for applications ranging from communications to sensing. But most of these chips rely on a single material to do the heavy lifting, limiting the range of optical effects they can produce.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
<\/a><\/div>New imaging technique reveals how scar tissue disrupts the heartbeat<\/a><\/span>When a heart attack damages the heart, the injured muscle is replaced by scar tissue. That scar can interfere with the electrical signals that coordinate each heartbeat, increasing the risk of dangerous rhythm disorders known as arrhythmias.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
<\/a><\/div>Microneedles may help light reach hard-to-treat skin cancers<\/a><\/span>Photodynamic therapy (PDT) uses a light-sensitive drug and a specific wavelength of light to destroy cancer cells. The treatment has become an important option for certain skin cancers because it can target diseased tissue while limiting damage to surrounding skin. But PDT has a fundamental challenge: both the drug and the light must reach the same area of tissue. While drugs applied to the skin often struggle to penetrate deeply, light also loses intensity as it passes through tissue, limiting treatment to relatively shallow lesions.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
<\/a><\/div>How a telescope's mirror stability makes or breaks exoplanet detection<\/a><\/span>Finding life beyond our solar system is a major goal of modern astronomy. NASA's planned Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO) aims to take direct images of Earth-sized planets around stars other than our sun. This task, however, is extraordinarily difficult, given that these planets are roughly 10 billion times fainter than their host stars. To detect them, scientists must find ways to suppress nearly all of the nearby starlight, which would otherwise overwhelm the faint planetary signal.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
<\/a><\/div>Photon-driven synapse advances low-power neuromorphic systems<\/a><\/span>Modern artificial intelligence systems rely on moving large amounts of data between memory and processors, a design that limits speed and increases energy use. The human brain works differently: it combines memory and computation within synapses, allowing fast, efficient learning and perception. Replicating this approach in hardware is a central goal of neuromorphic computing, especially for tasks like vision, where most real-world information is gathered and processed.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
<\/a><\/div>Quantum metasurface boosts terahertz detection sensitivity by exploiting in-plane photoelectric effect<\/a><\/span>Being able to see light and detect radiation is of utmost importance at any frequency. While this challenge has been solved in the visible range, radiation detectors in the far-infrared and terahertz regimes are either not sensitive, slow, or require bulky and expensive, often cryogenically cooled devices, which hinders practical applications.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
<\/a><\/div>Reconfigurable Ge-Si photodetector achieves ultrahigh-speed data transmission using low-loss packaging<\/a><\/span>The rapid growth of large language models is placing increasing demands on data centers, where large volumes of data must be transferred efficiently between servers. Optical interconnects are essential for enabling this communication, but as data rates continue to rise, these systems must deliver higher bandwidth while maintaining low latency and energy efficiency. However, integrating electronic and photonic components remains challenging, as conventional approaches often introduce signal loss, limit interconnect density, and restrict scalability.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
<\/a><\/div>Sunlight-powered generation of correlated photon pairs<\/a><\/span>Pairs of correlated or entangled photons are a foundational resource in quantum optics. They are most commonly produced through spontaneous parametric down-conversion (SPDC), a nonlinear optical process that typically relies on a stable, coherent laser to pump a nonlinear crystal. Because of this requirement, SPDC has long been viewed as impractical without laboratory-grade laser systems.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
<\/a><\/div>Comparing AI anatomy segmentation models when ground truth is missing<\/a><\/span>As large medical imaging datasets become widely available, researchers are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence to extract useful information from scans that were never manually annotated. Automated \"anatomy segmentation\" tools\u2014programs that label organs and structures in images such as CT scans\u2014promise to make large-scale studies feasible. But as many new models appear, an important question remains: how can researchers compare these tools when no ground truth exists?<\/p><\/div><\/li>
<\/a><\/div>AI surrogate accelerates nonlinear optics simulations by orders of magnitude<\/a><\/span>Simulating the nonlinear optical physics that underlies ultrafast laser systems is computationally demanding\u2014a practical bottleneck in settings that require rapid feedback. A study by researchers at Stanford University, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory introduces a deep learning surrogate that delivers orders-of-magnitude acceleration over conventional simulation methods, while maintaining high fidelity across a challenging range of pulse shapes.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
<\/a><\/div>Seeing keratoconus earlier with light polarization and AI<\/a><\/span>Keratoconus is a progressive eye disease that weakens and thins the cornea, the clear front surface of the eye. In its early, subclinical stage, the cornea can still appear normal on routine exams. Yet this is when accurate diagnosis matters most, especially when patients are being evaluated for refractive surgery.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
<\/a><\/div>Label-free optical imaging enables automated measurement of human white matter microstructure<\/a><\/span>White matter pathways allow distant parts of the brain to communicate, supporting memory, emotion, and language. One such pathway, the uncinate fasciculus, connects the front of the temporal lobe with regions of the frontal cortex involved in decision-making and social behavior. Despite its importance, little is known about the microscopic structure of this tract in the human brain.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
<\/a><\/div>Catching distant gamma-ray explosions with precisely aligned X-ray optics<\/a><\/span>Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) rank among the most powerful explosions in the universe, releasing immense energy in intense flashes of gamma rays. The most distant GRBs originate from the era when the first stars and galaxies formed. Detecting them allows astronomers to probe the early universe and understand how the first heavy elements formed and how the earliest stellar populations lived and died. Missions like HiZ-GUNDAM, a satellite planned for launch in the 2030s by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), aim to detect these distant explosions in real time.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
<\/a><\/div>A layered approach sharpens brain signals in optical imaging<\/a><\/span>Near-infrared spectroscopy, or fNIRS, offers a way to monitor brain activity without surgery or radiation by tracking changes in blood flow and oxygenation. Light sources placed on the scalp send near-infrared light into the head, and detectors measure the light that scatters back. Because this light must pass through the scalp and skull before reaching the brain, the measured signal always includes a mix of superficial and cerebral contributions. Separating those signals has long been a central challenge for fNIRS researchers.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
<\/a><\/div>A new way to deliver faster, greener wireless connections indoors<\/a><\/span>Modern life depends on fast and reliable wireless connections. Video calls, streaming services, virtual reality, and smart devices all place growing demands on networks that already serve billions of users. Most wireless data today travels through radio-based technologies such as Wi-Fi and cellular systems.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
<\/a><\/div>A redesigned endoscope offers a new way to look for early signs of ovarian cancer<\/a><\/span>Ovarian cancer remains the deadliest gynecologic cancer, largely because it is rarely found early. Symptoms are often vague, and existing screening approaches\u2014such as blood tests and transvaginal ultrasound\u2014can miss the disease at stages when treatment is most effective. In recent years, research has reshaped understanding of how many aggressive ovarian cancers begin, pointing not to the ovary itself, but to the fallopian tubes. That shift has created a need for tools that can safely examine these narrow structures for early changes linked to cancer.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
<\/a><\/div>Chiral metasurfaces guide twisted light into free space<\/a><\/span>Light can carry angular momentum in two distinct ways. One comes from polarization, which describes how the electric field rotates. The other comes from the shape of the wavefront itself, which can twist like a corkscrew as it travels. This second form, known as orbital angular momentum, has attracted wide interest because it allows light to encode information, interact with matter in new ways, and probe physical and biological systems. Despite this promise, producing well-defined twisted light in free space remains technically challenging, especially when the light originates from small or localized sources.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
<\/a><\/div>Optical analysis of human milk advances breastfeeding research<\/a><\/span>The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that babies be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life, since breastfeeding plays an important role in public health. Nevertheless, many mothers struggle with initiating and maintaining breastfeeding. Although this can be ascribed to a variety of limiting factors, many mothers (40% to 60%) stop breastfeeding due to a perception of low milk supply. Evidence is increasing that low milk supply is certainly not a perception only, with an estimated incidence of actual lactation insufficiency of 10% to 15%. The underlying causes of actual lactation insufficiency are currently poorly understood.<\/p><\/div><\/li>
<\/a><\/div>Nanosecond light-by-light switching achieved in liquid crystal droplet<\/a><\/span>Controlling light with light is a long-sought goal for computing and communication technologies. Achieving this capability would allow optical signals to be processed without converting them into electrical signals, potentially enabling faster and more energy-efficient devices. In recent years, researchers have begun exploring an unexpected platform for this purpose: soft matter.<\/p><\/div><\/li><\/ul> <\/div>