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New X-ray method isolates faint signals from water at material surfaces

A research team from Toyohashi University of Technology, the Institute for Molecular Science and the Institute of Science Tokyo, led by Yu Kinjo and professor Ryugo Tero of Toyohashi University of Technology, has developed a new method to investigate the state of water near material surfaces using X-rays. By combining X-ray absorption spectroscopy with data analysis, the researchers separated the weak signals of interfacial water from those of the much larger amount of surrounding water.

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New travel tool combines three algorithms to tailor destination recommendations

Researchers have developed a tourist recommendation system combining three algorithms to help travelers find destinations suited to their preferences, budgets and travel routes. Details appear in the International Journal of Work Innovation and address a limitation of digital platforms that often prioritize popularity over practical considerations.

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NASA’s new UV space telescope will launch in 2031

Most of us could spend our entire lives looking at the night sky and see very few changes. The moon becomes more or less illuminated, the planets drift placidly through the sky, satellites and the ISS intrude for a few moments at a time, and the bright, momentary streak of a meteor punctuates the occasional evening of stargazing.

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Scientists discover why chronic back pain feels so personal

A surprising discovery at UC San Diego suggests that chronic lower back pain may become deeply embedded in the brain's sense of personal identity. Researchers found that movement-triggered pain activates a brain network associated with self-awareness and memories, even though ordinary acute pain typically shuts this network down. This unexpected difference could explain why conventional pain medications often provide limited relief and why fear, anticipation, and past experiences can intensify chronic pain.

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Using machine learning to build safer cities

In eThekwini, researchers have harnessed machine learning and satellite data to spot the city's most landslide-prone zones. A new study published in Scientific Reports has found that urban development activities, including road construction, property development and vegetation loss, are significantly increasing landslide susceptibility across parts of eThekwini.

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Electrical guardrails for charge carriers: A new approach to harness graphene for solar cells

Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms in which electrons can move with high mobility, making it promising for high-speed electronic components. Yet it is not very efficient at converting light into electricity. While light absorbed by graphene does excite electrons, leaving behind positively charged carriers called 'holes,' the absorbed light energy cannot be harnessed effectively unless electrons and holes are separated and directed to different contacts.

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Simplified ancestral enzyme makes ATP without amino acid needed for its usual reaction

Proteins perform essential functions in living organisms, from catalyzing biochemical reactions to supporting cellular energy metabolism. Their functions depend on their amino acid composition and three-dimensional structures. However, early proteins may have evolved when fewer amino acid types were available than those used by most modern proteins.