Latest-News – Page 3 – Lightsources.org

Ultra-Rapid Diagnostic Platform for Selective Detection of Infectious Viruses Within 5 Minutes

2026/06/232026/06/23

Summary

A research team led by Dr. Jaecheol Park and Dr. Hojun Kim at the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), in collaboration with Prof. Seung-Jung Ki of Chonnam National University Hospital, developed FUSION, an ultra-rapid diagnostic platform capable of selectively detecting infectious viruses within 5 minutes. The platform employs virus-targeting lipid nanoparticles (VEACON)¹ loaded with CRISPR² gene-editing components, enabling direct detection of viral RNA through simple mixing, without complex sample preparation. Using synchrotron X-ray analysis, the researchers revealed that membrane fusion is accelerated by electrostatic interactions, leading to highly enhanced CRISPR activity within a confined nanoscale volume. The platform demonstrated sensitive detection of multiple viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and RSV, and was further adapted into a sprayable system for real-time visualization of viral contamination on surfaces.

Background

Rapid and accurate diagnosis of viral infections is essential for preventing the spread of infectious diseases. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)³ is currently the most widely used diagnostic method. Although PCR is highly sensitive and capable of detecting even trace amounts of viral genetic material, it requires multiple sample preparation steps, including nucleic acid extraction⁴, which limits its suitability for rapid point-of-care testing. In addition, PCR may produce positive results from residual viral RNA fragments (RNA remnants) derived from noninfectious viruses, potentially leading to unnecessary isolation measures and associated socioeconomic costs. This study aimed to overcome these limitations of conventional diagnostic technologies. The researchers focused on membrane fusion⁵, a critical process through which viruses enter host cells. Based on this mechanism, they sought to develop a diagnostic platform capable of selectively recognizing intact, infectious viruses and autonomously generating detection signals. Ultimately, the goal was to establish a simple and rapid diagnostic method that enables virus detection by merely mixing a detection solution with a sample, without requiring complex sample preparation procedures.

Methodology

The research team developed VEACON (Virus Entry-Activated CRISPR Operating Nanoparticle), a 120 nm lipid-membrane⁶ nanoparticle functionalized with virus-specific receptors and loaded with CRISPR-Cas13a complexes⁷. To investigate the mechanism of virus detection, synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) analysis⁸ at Pohang Accelerator Laboratory was employed to quantitatively monitor membrane fusion between VEACON and target viruses. The study revealed that increasing the proportion of cationic lipids on the nanoparticle surface enhanced membrane fusion through electrostatic interactions. The researchers further compared responses to infectious viruses and heat- or chemically inactivated viruses lacking fusion capability, confirming that signal generation occurred selectively through membrane fusion. In addition, the platform was validated using 100 nasopharyngeal swab⁹ clinical samples to assess its diagnostic performance under real-world conditions.

Read more on the Pohang Accelerator Laboratory website

Image: Schematic illustration of a sprayable membrane fusion-based detection system for visualizing viral contamination on surfaces

Scientists unlock 40-year-old mystery of the vitamin B2 nanofactory

2026/06/222026/07/23

An international research consortium, led by Dr. Hab. Yusuke Azuma from the Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology at Jagiellonian University has uncovered how bacteria package enzymes into nanoscale “cages” for efficient vitamin B2 production. The findings, published in Nature Communications, reveal an elegant mechanism underlying this highly specialized biochemical system.

A molecular cage for vitamin B2 production

At the heart of the discovery lies an enzyme-based “cage” in which vitamin B2 (riboflavin) is produced. While humans and animals must obtain this nutrient from food such as mushrooms, which are particularly rich in vitamin B2, other organisms can synthesize it themselves. The enzyme packaging mechanisms into a protein cage is not widespread and is found only in certain bacteria, making it especially intriguing from evolutionary perspectives. Unlike eukaryotic cells, bacteria lack membrane-bound organelles, which is probably why they use proteins for compartmentalization of biochemical processes. Such spatial organization of enzymes provides a means for efficient vitamin biosynthesis within complex cellular environments.

Breakthrough discovery: rare “open” cage
The vitamin B2 biosynthesis compartment was first identified in a soil bacterium in the 1980s. An enzyme, lumazine synthase, forms a hollow cage-like structure that encapsulates another enzyme riboflavin synthase. Since then, scientists have struggled to observe how they are formed. Standard approaches such as X-ray crystallography all failed.

– “For years, we knew this system existed, but we did not understand how it worked. It was like looking at a closed cage without a key to open it,” says the leading author Dr. Łukasz Koziej from MCB.

Read more on the SOLARIS website

Image: Illustrative photo of forest mushrooms

Credit: Arkadiusz Dobosz

A simple chemical tweak to make sodium-ion batteries last longer

2026/06/222026/07/01

A research team led by CIC energiGUNE, in collaboration with the ALBA Synchrotron, has shown through multi-scale X-ray analysis that partially replacing manganese (Mn) with iron (Fe) in Prussian white —a low-cost green battery material— prevents structural degradation and paves the way for sustainable and long-lasting batteries.

Building cheaper, greener batteries is only half the challenge; making them last through hundreds of charge–discharge cycles is equally critical. A team of researchers from Spain and France, led by CIC energiGUNE, has tackled this problem in sodium-ion (Na-ion) batteries by improving Prussian white, an easy-to-synthesize, environmentally friendly material. Using the ALBA Synchrotron, they have discovered how a simple chemical modification can dramatically extend battery lifespan.

For Na-ion batteries to compete with lithium-ion technology —the current prevailing technology— highly cost efficient and more sustainable cathode materials are needed. Prussian white materials containing manganese (Mn) are particularly promising because their performance rivals that of lithium batteries. Their Achilles’ heel, however, is poor long-term durability. During charging, Mn undergoes oxidation, which triggers a local structural distortion. This distortion causes large volume changes, leading to severe structural degradation and rapid capacity loss.

The research team hypothesized that partially replacing Mn with iron (Fe) could stabilize the material over time. The results were striking: the modified material retained 93% of its original charge capacity after 50 cycles, compared to just 62% for the unaltered version. But the real breakthrough was understanding why.

Read more on the ALBA website

How electrons actually behave in warm dense matter

2026/06/192026/06/24

Widely used models mispredict collective electron oscillations in warm dense aluminium, study shows

Researchers at European XFEL, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), Rostock University and other collaborating institutions have used high-precision experiments to demonstrate that the most widely used models for the behaviour of electrons in warm dense matter are inaccurate. Warm dense matter is challenging to study but also of key importance for a plethora of research, including the investigation of planetary interiors, material science, and laser fusion experiments. The study has been published in Physical Review Letters.

In warm dense matter, electron density oscillates. The collective oscillations are called plasmons. They carry important information and can be observed using X-rays, resulting in scattering spectra – abstract images captured by a detector. In many experiments, these spectra are interpreted using simplified uniform electron gas models. However, the new measurements show that, for warm dense aluminium, these models consistently overestimate the plasmon energy by up to about 25 per cent (about 8 electronvolts) and fail to reproduce the full measured shape of the signal.

“Our measurements are precise enough to clearly distinguish between competing models,” says Thomas Preston of European XFEL. “That is important because these models are widely used to diagnose extreme states of matter. If the model is incorrect, that leads to inaccurately inferred properties.” The electron behaviour affects predictions of opacity, optical properties, electrical conductivity, and energy transport, for instance.

The liquid tech of self-healing batteries

2026/06/182026/06/18

Materials scientists seek to develop better lithium (Li) metal batteries by improving structural stability and reducing dendrite formation that causes battery failure. It is well-known that instability at the metal electrode-electrolyte interface causes lithium dendrite growth, leading to short-circuiting and formation of inactive lithium. New electrolyte designs that control lithium deposition during cycling may solve these issues. Researchers are investigating liquid crystalline (LC) electrolytes under different conditions at MAX IV’s ForMAX beamline to determine whether these electrolytic materials are possible to align on demand. Successful results hold promise to propel the development of Li metal batteries as a next-generation power solution for electric vehicles and energy storage systems.

The study examines a foundational idea that the organised molecular structure and chemistry of LC electrolytes allow for ‘self-healing’ of the battery interfaces whereas conventional solvent-based liquid electrolytes fail. “LC electrolytes introduce an additional energy contribution for dendrite nucleation due to their strong anchoring energy and are therefore expected to supress the growth of dendrites from the electrode-electrolyte interface,” explained Owies Wani, study author and postdoctoral fellow at Aalto University. “Besides, due to their fluid nature, they can potentially flow into the crack formed in the interface upon cycling of the battery and thereby form a new healed interface.”

The experimental phase included structural measurements of sample LC electrolytes with small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SWAXS) at ForMAX beamline to look at colloidal and molecular processes with applied stimuli of shear force at different temperatures. A rheometer supplies the force to align the material structure from a polydomain to a monodomain, which potentially creates straight, directed channels for efficient Li ion transport in the battery, thereby boosting ionic conductivity.

The group carried out three simultaneous measurements: rheology, SWAXS and polarized light imaging. “This was instrumental to understand the dynamic shear induced alignment in our LC electrolytes at different length scales,” explained Wani.

Read more on the MAX IV website

Image: From left) Bin Zhao, Xiaodan Hong, Mario Bello Piedrahita, Maximilian Hagemann, Owies Wani, Patrice Rannou and Zhongpeng Lyu.

Credit: Owies Wani

American Science and Security Cloud: A Platform for AI

2026/06/092026/07/08

The Genesis Mission unites DOE National Labs, industry, academia, and more to harness AI for breakthroughs in energy dominance, discovery science, and national security. As part of the mission, the American Science and Security Cloud integrates America’s most advanced high-performance computing systems, scientific experimental facilities, data resources, and production capabilities into a single, coordinated AI-driven discovery system. Researchers at the Advanced Light Source (ALS) have been using this platform to accelerate our science and are contributing to push the limits of what is possible.

The ALS leads a Genesis Mission initiative called SYnergistic Neutron and Photon Science-Intelligence (SYNAPS-I) that has brought together experts from the DOE light and neutron sources to accelerate discovery in energy technologies, chemical and materials manufacturing, agriculture, and medicine. By applying AI tools to neutron and photon science, what used to take researchers months now takes mere minutes. In May, the team demonstrated at the AI+ Expo that this discovery process will continue to improve by using the American Science and Security Cloud.

Dylan McReynolds, data platforms program lead within the ALS Photon Science Computing group, shared more details.

Why is the American Science and Security Cloud necessary?

Oak Ridge National Laboratory is coordinating the American Science and Security Cloud, and they’re building these services to help all of us do AI. “All of us” includes ALS computer scientists, of course, but also our beamline and instrumentation experts and user partners from academia and industry.

Some of the services in the platform address longstanding needs, like transferring files between an ALS beamline and a computing cluster or a user’s home institution. Other services have become necessary as we grow in using AI to accelerate science. For instance, a common model repository and a common data catalog are both central to our research that is ever increasingly interconnected, like a user from the USDA physically scanning samples at the ALS in California, deploying computing tools at the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility in Illinois, and then making the results available to the agricultural research field at large.

Read more on the ALS website

Image: Dylan McReynolds and Tanny Chavez of the ALS Computing Group deployed AI tools to accelerate discovery at Beamline 8.3.2. Their work helped researchers gain insights into drought resistance in plants.

Credit: Dylan McReynolds/Berkeley Lab

Revealing the Electronic Signature of Unusual Magnetism

2026/06/092026/06/18

SCIENTIFIC ACHIEVEMENT

Experiments at the Advanced Light Source (ALS) showed how magnetic Co atoms sandwiched between TaS₂ layers reshape the material’s electronic structure.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT

Understanding how unusual magnetic order influences electron movements in new quantum materials like CoxTaS₂ could guide their use in advanced quantum technologies.

Tracing the electronic fingerprints of exotic magnetism

Van der Waals magnets that have layered structures offer a unique platform for exploring novel quantum states and their underlying physics. To discover how to harness their properties for use in next-generation electronics and data storage technologies, researchers are working to identify the electronic fingerprints of the exotic magnetic features in systems such as CoxTaS₂.

CoxTaS₂ belongs to a class of van der Waals magnets called magnetically intercalated transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs). In these structures, magnetic atoms (cobalt, Co) are inserted between layers of a two-dimensional semiconductor (2H-TaS₂). At extremely low temperatures, the cobalt atoms develop a very unusual non-coplanar magnetic order which researchers believe is responsible for the material’s exotic properties. In particular, they suspect that the unusual magnetism strongly influences how electrons move.

In this study, a group of researchers led by UC Berkeley, in collaboration with ALS scientists, aimed to reveal spectroscopic evidence of how magnetic order changes the behavior of itinerant electrons in CoxTaS₂.

Seawater: The next sustainable battery revolution

2026/06/032026/06/04

International team shows that with minor modifications chloride is effective electrode material for solid-state batteries

Seawater covers most of the globe and makes up around 97 per cent of all water on Earth. It could also hold the key to cheaper and greener batteries for storing green energy collected from wind turbines and solar cells.

Using the Canadian Light Source (CLS) at the University of Saskatchewan, an international research team involving scientists from Switzerland, Canada, and the United States, has shown that with some minor modifications, chloride – a sustainable and readily available component of seawater – could one day be the material that shuttles ions back and forth between the electrodes in solid-state batteries used for grid-scale energy storage.

Lithium is currently at the heart of modern batteries, powering everything from our smartphones to e-bikes and electric cars. But there’s a very real risk that the material could become scarcer and more expensive in the future. According to Natural Resources Canada, lithium production has more than doubled world-wide in in the past five years. And a handful of countries hold most of the planet’s lithium stores. Canada’s supplies amount to only 4.4 per cent of the total worldwide.

“We’re not looking to entirely replace lithium-ion batteries, but we need other solutions in the next few decades if we are going to meet this massive need that the world will have for hundreds of terawatt hours that allow for effective use of solar and wind,” said Sarbajit Banerjee, professor at ETH Zürich, a public university in Switzerland, and Head of the Laboratory for Battery Science at Switzerland’s Paul Scherrer Institute.

Read more on the CLS website

Image: Seaweed batteries – X-ray Excited Optical Luminescence Spectroscopy

New 3D map of the electrical wiring of the heart to help patients with congenital heart disease

2026/06/022026/06/02

Researchers from UCL (University College London) and the ESRF (The European Synchrotron) have produced the first three-dimensional map of the heart’s electrical wiring in Tetralogy of Fallot, one of the most common congenital heart problems, revealing anatomical features that may explain why many patients develop heart conduction disorders in this condition. The research, part of the Human Organ Atlas international collaboration, can be used for surgical training and lead to even better outcomes for patients. The research is out in The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.

Congenital heart disease affects around 1% of the population worldwide. In many cases, babies must undergo life-saving heart surgery shortly after birth. Although survival rates are now high, many patients develop complications later in life, particularly abnormal heart rhythms or contraction patterns. Surgeons have long known that these problems can arise when the heart’s delicate electrical conduction system, which is invisible during surgery, is disturbed.

Andrew Cook, professor of Cardiac anatomy at UCL and senior author of the study, explains: “I often compare it to renovating a house: you wouldn’t want to start drilling into a wall without knowing where the electrical wires are. The same principle applies to the heart”. Instead, surgeons use ‘anatomical landmarks’ and these have now been revised in the study.

This research is part of the Human Organ Atlas international collaboration. The Atlas is powered by an advanced imaging method called Hierarchical Phase-Contrast Tomography (HiP-CT), developed at the European Synchrotron (ESRF) in Grenoble, France, by an international team led by University College London (UCL), UK to visualise anatomy in unprecedented detail.

Read more on the ESRF website

Image: Rendering of a heart with Tetralogy of Fallot showing the septal defect.

Credit: Joseph Brunet, Cinematic Anatomy (Siemens Healthineers)

New milestone in superconducting undulator development

2026/05/292026/06/02

Successful tests confirm outstanding performance of coils

Researchers at European XFEL have reached an important milestone in developing a new generation of X-ray light sources. A set of superconducting electromagnets, produced by Bilfinger Nuclear, have proven their excellent performance, paving the way for the use of the design in future superconducting undulators. These devices will cause accelerated electrons to radiate much more effectively than current state-of-the-art technology allows. European XFEL aims to become the world’s first X-ray free-electron laser to use superconducting undulators. These undulators will unlock new research in fields such as materials science, chemistry, biology and high-energy-density science by providing X-ray pulses with significantly shorter wavelengths than have been possible at XFELs to date.

The magnetic field of undulators is designed to be highly periodic, precisely controlled, and exceptionally uniform along the electron beam path. The electromagnets examined at European XFEL consist of niobium-titanium (NbTi) wire. At the operating temperature of -269 degrees Celsius, the material is superconducting, meaning it can carry very high electrical currents with virtually no resistance. When wound into coils with extreme precision, an electromagnet is created that produces a strong magnetic field when carrying an electric current. Measurements of their magnetic field have now been completed and show that the coils successfully reached the required operating current and produced the target magnetic field of 1.82 Tesla, while maintaining the necessary field quality for X-ray generation over the entire 2-metre length of the coils.

This is important because using the devices to generate X-rays relies not only on the magnetic fields being very strong, but also on them being highly periodic. Even tiny deviations from this periodic structure affect the quality of the X-ray beam generated. The qualification tests demonstrate that the coils can meet these demanding requirements over their full two-metre length, making them the longest high-precision superconducting undulator coils ever produced and measured.

Read more on the European XFEL website

Image: The SUNDAE1 test stand and a sketch of the sledge attached to a rod with Hall probes sliding along the magnetic field axis of the SCU coils (Illustration: S. Casalbuoni et al., Front. Phys. Sec. Interdisciplinary Physics Volume 11 – 2023)

UK and France launch biomedical and AI health alliance to accelerate research into major diseases

2026/05/292026/06/04

A new partnership will unite expertise, infrastructure and data across borders to accelerate diagnosis, treatment and ultimately prevention of major diseases – starting with women’s health, infectious diseases and pandemic preparedness.

Diamond Light Source, the University of Oxford, Université Paris Cité, the Institut Pasteur and Synchrotron SOLEIL have signed a landmark agreement establishing a major new UK-France scientific alliance designed to strengthen how diseases are understood, diagnosed, treated and ultimately prevented.

The partnership comes at a time when advances in science and technology are generating unprecedented amounts of biological and clinical data, as well as transforming our understanding of human health. But turning that information into faster diagnoses, better treatments and improved disease prevention remains a major challenge across disciplines, institutions and national systems.

The UK–France Strategic Biomedical Alliance in Health and AI has been established to address that challenge by connecting world-leading expertise and national infrastructure into a single collaboration. The interdisciplinary model will unite clinical research, molecular biology, engineering, advanced imaging, data science, artificial intelligence and translational medicine across both countries, making it faster and easier for researchers to connect the technologies, expertise and data needed to tackle complex disease.

Read more on the Diamond website

Image: Dr Jean Susini, Director General, Synchrotron SOLEIL. Sir Thomas Drew KCMG, His Majesty’s Ambassador to France. Professor Richard Cornall, Head of the Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford. Professor Matthieu Resche-Rigon, Dean of the Health Faculty, Université Paris Cité. Jean-Luc Moullet, Director General for Research and Innovation, French Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Space. Dr Martin Walsh, Interim Director of Life Sciences, Diamond Light Source. Dr Odette Tomescu-Hatto, Director of International Affairs, Institut Pasteur.

Credit: The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT)

10 Years of SOLARIS – A Decade of Science, Collaboration and Technological Development

2026/05/222026/05/28

On 22 May 2026, the SOLARIS National Synchrotron Radiation Centre of the Jagiellonian University celebrated the 10th anniversary of its activity. The jubilee gala, held at the historic Stara Zajezdnia venue in Kraków, gathered 230 guests representing the scientific community, European research infrastructures, public administration, regional authorities and the business sector. The anniversary was not only an opportunity to reflect on the first decade of operation of the only synchrotron in Central and Eastern Europe, but also a moment to consider the role of modern research infrastructures in the development of science, technology and international collaboration.

Among the guests were representatives of the authorities of the Jagiellonian University, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, national and regional administration, as well as international partners representing European research infrastructures, synchrotron facilities and institutions collaborating with SOLARIS. Participants included Prof. Piotr Jedynak, Rector of the Jagiellonian University, Prof. Wojciech Macyk, Vice-Rector for Research of the Jagiellonian University, Michał Goszczyński, Director of the Department at the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, Stanisław Kracik, Deputy Mayor of the City of Kraków, as well as representatives of regional authorities, the scientific and infrastructure communities from Poland and abroad, including Prof. Jean Daillant, Director General of the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in France, and Prof. Thomas Feurer, Director of European XFEL in Hamburg.

The official part of the celebration began with speeches delivered by representatives of the authorities of the Jagiellonian University – Prof. Piotr Jedynak, Rector of the Jagiellonian University, and Prof. Wojciech Macyk, Vice-Rector for Research. Afterwards, the Director of SOLARIS, Prof. Jakub Szlachetko, addressed the audience, referring in his speech to the work of Stanisław Lem – the author of the novel Solaris, from which the Centre derives its name.
“We are only seeking Man. We have no need of other worlds. We need mirrors,” quoted the Director of the Centre, referring to Lem’s famous words. “For the past ten years, SOLARIS has been exactly such a place – a place of discovery, of asking questions, and of pushing the boundaries of what still seems impossible to see and understand.”

In his speech, Prof. Szlachetko recalled the history of the first synchrotron in Poland – from the long-standing efforts of the scientific community gathered around the Polish Synchrotron Radiation Society and the Polish Synchrotron Consortium, through the support of the Jagiellonian University and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, to the launch of the first electron beam in 2016. “SOLARIS is the result of a collective effort by the scientific community, institutional courage and the conviction that Poland needs a modern research infrastructure capable of conducting world-class research,” emphasised Prof. Szlachetko.

Read more on the SOLARIS website

Image: Speech by the Director of the SOLARIS Centre, Prof. Jakub Szlachetko. SOLARIS 10th Anniversary Gala

Credit: Joanna Kowalik

John Hill Named Director of Brookhaven National Laboratory

2026/05/212026/06/02

Brookhaven Science Associates (BSA) has named physicist John Hill as director of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory, effective May 21. Hill is a longtime employee at Brookhaven Lab. He has served as interim lab director since September 2025.

BSA’s board of directors selected Hill after a competitive international search. Hill will also serve as BSA’s president. BSA — a partnership between Stony Brook University and Battelle — manages and operates Brookhaven Lab on behalf of DOE’s Office of Science.

“We are delighted to have John Hill selected to lead Brookhaven National Laboratory at a pivotal moment for science and national impact,” said BSA Board Chair and Battelle’s Executive Vice President of National Laboratory Management & Operations Juan Alvarez. “He brings the leadership and vision needed to advance the Lab’s future — delivering transformative discovery through the Electron-Ion Collider and accelerating impact across AI and embodied intelligence, distributed quantum systems, microelectronics, and a future upgrade to the Lab’s National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II). Under John’s leadership, we are confident Brookhaven will continue to expand its science-ready infrastructure and strategic public-private partnerships in service to the nation.”

As director, Hill will work with stakeholders including DOE, policymakers, collaborating institutions, and community members as he leads Brookhaven toward strategic growth and scientific opportunity.

“I am thrilled that, following a very competitive international search, John Hill has emerged as the very best leader for Brookhaven National Laboratory at this exciting juncture,” said BSA Board Co-Chair and Stony Brook University President Andrea Goldsmith. “John’s deep expertise, vision, and leadership skills will be essential as the Lab looks to usher in a new era of fundamental physics discovery at the Electron-Ion Collider, while continuing its groundbreaking research in quantum systems, AI, microelectronics, materials science, and high-resolution imaging. Stony Brook is proud to co-manage and partner with Brookhaven to advance the frontiers of discovery to benefit our country’s innovation, economic vitality, and national security. John’s leadership will be essential to ensuring the Lab’s success and impact long into the future.”

Read more on the BNL website

Image: John Hill is pictured during his first all-hands meeting with Lab staff as interim director in 2025. His appointment as director was announced to staff today at another all-staff gathering.

Credit: Kevin Coughlin/Brookhaven National Laboratory

289-Million-Year-Old “Reptile Mummy” Unearthed

2026/05/192026/05/19

An international collaborative research team composed of the National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center (NSRRC), University of Toronto, Harvard University, the Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering, and Jilin University has achieved a breakthrough in vertebrate paleontology and evolutionary biology. The team successfully characterized a mummified fossil of the early Permian reptile Captorhinus, dating back approximately 289 million years. The discovery not only provides critical insights into the evolution of the respiratory system in early amniotes but also establishes a new record for the oldest known preservation of soft tissues and protein-related molecular signatures. The findings were published in Nature on April 8.

Captorhinus resembled a small lizard and predates dinosaurs by nearly 40 million years. The exceptionally preserved fossil was excavated from the Richards Spur cave system in Oklahoma, USA. Unique geological conditions at the site, including hydrocarbon-rich petroleum seepage and oxygen-poor, muddy sediments, effectively inhibited microbial decomposition, enabling the specimen to be preserved in a near-mummified state. As a result, delicate soft tissues, including skin, cartilage, and thoracic structures, were retained with extraordinary fidelity. To investigate this rare specimen, the research team integrated morphology, molecular analysis, and synchrotron-based techniques into a comprehensive multiscale study of vertebrate evolution.

Unlike amphibians, which primarily rely on cutaneous and buccal pumping for respiration, amniotes — including humans and all terrestrial vertebrates — evolved a rib-based ventilatory system capable of far more efficient oxygen exchange. This rib-driven breathing mechanism represented a major evolutionary innovation, enabling vertebrates to adapt to terrestrial environments and ultimately laying the foundation for the extensive diversification and ecological dominance of amniotes on land.

Read more on the NSRRC website

Image: Mummified fossil of the early Permian reptile Captorhinus

New insights into 3D-printed materials for future fusion reactors

2026/05/152026/06/18

Advanced X-ray and neutron experiments at Paul Scherrer Institute PSI and Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY have shed light on how microstructures form in additively manufactured materials for future fusion reactors. The research reveals how, during 3D-printing, unwanted phases arise at the interfaces between different metals – and how these can be influenced by the printing process. The findings are important for understanding how stresses can develop in components and optimising their design.

Additive manufacturing is considered a promising technology for producing components for future fusion reactors. Metal 3D-printing makes it possible to create complex structures, for example breeding blankets or divertors – key components of a fusion power plant. These materials must withstand extreme conditions: high temperatures, strong mechanical stresses and intense radiation. Crucial to their ability to do so is the material microstructure, which develops during the printing process.

Interfaces between tungsten and steel in focus

For 3D-printed components, tungsten is one of the metals particularly well suited to parts exposed to the hot plasma of nuclear fusion reactors. Steels serve as structural materials.

Researchers from Paul Scherrer Institute PSI and Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY investigated samples made of tungsten in combination with a special stainless steel with a characteristic microstructure. The samples were produced using a metal 3D-printing technique known as laser powder bed fusion. In this technique, metal powder is melted layer by layer using a laser and then rapidly solidified, gradually creating a 3D structure.

At the interface between the two materials, complex microstructures can form during the printing process and influence the properties of the components. Using high-resolution X-ray techniques, the team could investigate the crystal structure and distribution of chemical elements within these interface regions to micrometre resolution.

The measurements revealed that an unwanted intermetallic phase made of iron and tungsten forms at the interface. Such phases are detrimental for mechanical stability and potentially also for irradiation resistance of components. The unwanted phase could, they showed, be significantly reduced by adjusting the printing process.

Read more on the PSI website

Image: Material scientist Malgorzata Makowska at the microXAS beamline of the Swiss Light Source SLS

Towards ALBA II: A new high-stability girder system

2026/05/142026/05/21

The ALBA Synchrotron has developed a new girder system designed to meet the demanding mechanical stability requirements of ALBA II, the upcoming upgrade of the facility. These girders are key structures that support magnets, vacuum chambers, and diagnostic systems while ensuring their precise alignment along the accelerator.

In particle accelerators, girders are critical mechanical structures that must maintain the position of components with micrometre accuracy, while suppressing drifts and vibrations that could degrade beam quality. Even minimal vibrations or mechanical deviations can affect the trajectory and properties of the electron beam, having a large impact on the photon beam at the beamlines.

These girders must provide an excellent stability against external vibrations and good thermal stability, including high adjustment precision, with acceptable manufacturing costs.

While the current ALBA storage ring operates with 264 magnets distributed in 32 girders, the future machine will integrate 760 magnets in 80 girders within the same circumference, dramatically increasing the density of components, with distance between magnets as small as 10 mm. Such compactness introduces additional constraints like tighter spatial tolerances between components, and reduced margins for alignment errors.

To address these challenges, the new girder system must achieve positioning accuracies on the order of 50 micrometres between adjacent magnets, while maintaining long-term stability despite environmental and structural changes, such as slab deformation or temperature changes.

Read more on the ALBA website

Image: Girder Prototypes installed at the ALBA experimental hall with dummy magnets ready for testing

Credit: ALBA