Sea star sports nature’s optic fibres to focus light

A remarkable structure in the chocolate-chip sea star (Protoreaster nodosus) has come to light. On the tip of each arm, a skeletal part contains an array of cone-shaped structures that, like optic fibres, transmit 70% of incident light and concentrate it nearly 3x at the base. Overall, the array captures light from a 120° field of view and ‘brightens’ it 8x inside the arm. Scientists said engineers could use the design for lightweight sensors and displays.

Nanographene paves way for ultra-porous materials

Scientists, led by Nobel laureate Omar Yaghi, have a new way to build highly porous materials using nanographene. They designed a molecule called HBC-LA12, with 12 connection points arranged in a prism shape. By linking this molecule with others, they created two new 3D structures that are a breakthrough in reticular chemistry. One has a record surface area of 5,000 sq. m per gram. The findings expand the way to design materials to store gases.

JUNO hits the ground to crack neutrino physics mystery

The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) collaboration in China has published its first results. Based on 59 days of data collected in late 2025, the group calculated how often particles called neutrinos from nuclear reactors change their flavour, or type, as they travel. The findings showed JUNO was working as expected and on track to help crack a tough open question called neutrino mass ordering: of the three flavours of neutrinos, which are heaviest and lightest?