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Researchers have found that certain pancreatic cells can be converted into insulin-producing beta cells with a single genetic modification, according to a Wired report. The finding suggests a potential new avenue for treating diabetes by reprogramming cells already present in the pancreas, and it is drawing attention from readers following advances in regenerative medicine and genetic engineering.

MIT researchers have built a paper-thin swimming robot that moves using living muscle cells rather than motors. The soft robotic swimmer can navigate through watery mazes, demonstrating precise control of biohydraulic movement in a device thin enough to be flexible like paper. The work highlights growing progress in biohybrid robotics, where engineered living tissue is combined with synthetic materials to create machines that move in ways conventional robots cannot.

Chinese automaker BYD says its solid-state electric vehicle battery technology is close to being ready for real-world use. Solid-state batteries promise greater range, faster charging and improved safety over today's lithium-ion cells, and automakers worldwide are racing to commercialise them. A breakthrough from BYD, the world's largest EV maker, would be a major step in the industry's shift to next-generation battery tech.

Chinese EV maker BYD says its solid-state battery technology is almost ready for real-world use, with the technology expected around 2027. Solid-state batteries promise greater energy density, faster charging and improved safety over today's lithium-ion cells, and BYD is one of several manufacturers racing to bring them to production electric vehicles.

Health outlets are highlighting an mRNA vaccine being developed for melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. The approach uses the same mRNA technology proven in COVID-19 vaccines, training the immune system to recognize and attack tumor cells. WVU Medicine shared the update, and the item is drawing attention as trials of personalized cancer vaccines continue to advance globally.

Chinese solar manufacturer LONGi reports a new silicon solar cell efficiency record of 28.29%, closing in on the technology's theoretical limit of around 29%. The milestone highlights how far cell engineering has progressed and how little headroom remains for conventional silicon, intensifying focus on next-generation designs like perovskite tandem cells. Industry observers are weighing what the achievement means for future cost reductions and the solar sector's competitive race.

Researchers report a new perovskite solar cell reaching 30.1% efficiency, achieved by engineering smarter perovskite layer structures to reduce energy losses. The result marks another step toward making perovskite-based panels competitive with, or better than, conventional silicon technology, and is drawing attention in the renewable energy field.

New research reported by Wired suggests some pancreatic cells could be converted into insulin-producing cells through a single genetic modification, offering a potential new avenue for treating diabetes. The findings point to reprogramming existing cells rather than replacing them, a possibility researchers say could one day change how the disease is managed.

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine report that blocking the route immune cells use to enter the brain can limit neurodegeneration. The findings suggest a potential therapeutic strategy for diseases like Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative conditions, by preventing inflammatory immune cells from crossing into brain tissue and damaging neurons.

General Motors says it has completed a closed-loop electric vehicle battery recycling pilot in which 100% of the metals used were recycled materials. The announcement, reported by Electric Cars Report, signals that batteries recovered from vehicles can be processed and returned into new cell production. If scaled, closed-loop recycling could reduce GM's dependence on newly mined lithium, nickel and cobalt and cut the environmental footprint of its EV supply chain.

Researchers report that making perovskite films smoother has pushed a three-layer, or tandem, solar cell to a power conversion efficiency of 30.1%. Reducing surface roughness in the perovskite layer helps the stacked cell convert more sunlight into electricity, a level approaching the performance of top commercial silicon technology and a step forward for next-generation photovoltaics.

Researchers at UMass Chan Medical School report that lupus patients treated with CAR T cell therapy have remained free of disease flares two years after receiving the one-time cell-based treatment. The therapy, originally developed for blood cancers, reprograms a patient's own immune cells, and the latest follow-up data suggest it may offer lasting remission in autoimmune disease.

Chinese solar manufacturer Longi has set a new world record of 28.29% efficiency for a single-junction silicon solar cell, according to pv magazine USA. The figure marks a milestone for crystalline silicon photovoltaics, pushing closer to the technology's theoretical limits. Industry observers see such records as key to lowering solar power costs and strengthening Longi's position in the fiercely competitive global panel market.

The European Commission has granted marketing authorization for NEZGLYAL (leriglitazone), making it the first pharmacological treatment approved for cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy, a rare and rapidly progressive neurodegenerative disease that primarily affects young boys. Until now, care options for cALD were limited mainly to stem cell transplantation in eligible patients. The approval is being highlighted as a significant milestone for families affected by the rare disease and for rare-disease drug development in Europe.

Hanwha Solutions shares jumped 12% after solar panel prices in the United States surged. The South Korean energy company, a major solar module supplier through its Q Cells business, is seen as a beneficiary of higher U.S. pricing. Investors bet the rally will boost margins and demand for its American-market products.

Researchers report that a polymer-tuned perovskite material enables high-efficiency solar cells that can operate underwater, according to a report by Physics World. By modifying perovskite properties with a polymer, the cells can harvest light in aquatic environments where conventional silicon panels perform poorly. The advance could open the door to powering underwater sensors, monitoring equipment and other devices without batteries or cabling.

Researchers at EPFL's Laboratory of Microbiology and Microtechnology have identified how an established treatment for recurrent urinary tract infections works. According to the team, the therapy strengthens the bladder's own natural defenses while helping antibiotics reach bacteria that hide inside bladder cells. The findings could improve treatment strategies for patients suffering from repeated infections, a common and difficult-to-treat condition.

Scientists report discovering an amoeba living in a hot spring in Lassen Volcanic National Park, California, at a temperature of 63°C, the highest ever recorded for a complex organism. The finding, highlighted by ScienceAlert and circulating among science enthusiasts, pushes the known temperature limits of eukaryotic life and offers clues about how single-celled complex life can adapt to extreme volcanic environments.

Indian solar manufacturer Premier Energies has commissioned a 7 gigawatt solar cell manufacturing plant, significantly expanding its production capacity. The company, one of India's largest solar cell and module producers, is scaling up as domestic demand grows under government incentives for local clean energy manufacturing. Further details on investment, location and timeline were not immediately available.

The European Commission has granted marketing authorisation for NEZGLYAL, the first pharmacological treatment for childhood cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy (cALD), a rare and severe genetic brain disorder. Until now, treatment options were largely limited to stem cell transplantation and supportive care. The approval offers a new therapy option for patients across the EU and is being noted in rare disease and biotech circles.

SoFab Inks has received a $300,000 grant from the US National Science Foundation to develop lower-cost perovskite solar cell layers. The funding will support the company's work on ink-based manufacturing methods aimed at making perovskite solar panels cheaper to produce, a key step toward wider adoption of the emerging solar technology.

Chemists report detecting a crown-shaped ring made of sulfur atoms inside mammalian cells, a structure long theorised but rarely observed in living systems. The finding, covered by Chemical & Engineering News, could reshape understanding of sulfur chemistry in biology, since reactive sulfur species are involved in cell signalling and metabolism. Researchers say confirming such unusual sulfur rings in cells opens new questions about how they form and what roles they play in health and disease.