The Scientist Global Awards

  Holographic multiplexing metasurface with twisted diffractive neural network As the cornerstone of AI generated content, data drives human-machine interaction and is essential for developing sophisticated deep learning agents. Nevertheless, the associated data storage poses a formidable challenge from conventional energy-intensive planar storage, high maintenance cost, and the susceptibility to electromagnetic interference.   In this work, we introduce the concept of metasurface disk, meta-disk, to expand the capacity limits of optical holographic storage by leveraging uncorrelated structural twist. We develop a physical twisted neural network to describe the optical behavior of the meta-disk and conduct a comprehensive lateral error analysis, where the meta-disk stores large volumes of information through internal structural multiplexing.   Two-layer 640 µm x 640 µm meta-disk is sufficient to store over hundreds of high-fidelity images with SSIM of 0.8. By harnessing a...

Clustered regular interspaced short palindromic repeat/CRISPR-associated 9 (CRISPR/ Cas9 ) is a gene-editing technology that has revolutionized biomedical research since its original publication in 2012. The two primary components involved in CRISPR/ Cas9   include a guide ribonucleic acid (RNA) to match a desired target gene and   Cas9 , which is an endonuclease that causes breaks in double-stranded DNA. Cas9  is directed to its target within the DNA sequence through the use of the guide RNA. A specific sequence of DNA that is between two and five nucleotides in length must align with the 3’ end of the guide RNA in order for the sequence to be cut and replaced by the synthetic single guide RNA (sgRNA). Subsequently, DNA repair pathways like non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) or homology-directed repair bring the  Cas9  and sgRNA together to ultimately modify the genome. The incorporation of CRISPR/ Cas9  into clinical settings has promising applications for...

  🌍 Hidden Threat Beneath Yukon: Tintina Fault Awakens A major geological revelation has recently shaken—metaphorically, for now—the foundations of what we thought we knew about Canada’s seismic activity. 🧭 Scientists and technical teams using state-of-the-art satellite imagery 🛰️ and drone surveillance 📡 have uncovered a long-forgotten fault line beneath the Yukon Territory, and it’s turning heads in the geoscience community. The Tintina Fault, once considered geologically quiet, is now under the spotlight for its potential to trigger catastrophic earthquakes over magnitude 7.5 . ⚠️ 🧪 A Technological Triumph in Earthquake Science This discovery is not just about geology—it’s about how far geospatial science has come. The Tintina Fault, which snakes its way near Dawson City in Yukon, was previously dismissed as dormant. But thanks to high-resolution interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) data 🛰️ and aerial drone mapping, a different picture is emerging. Researcher...

  🧭 New Clues in Uranium Formation: Inside the Jingchuan Sandstone-Hosted Deposit 🪨⚛️ The Jingchuan sandstone-type uranium deposit in the Ordos Basin, China is a geological marvel, standing as one of the world's most significant uranium resources. Located within the Lower Cretaceous gray sandstones of the Luohe Formation, this deposit is known for its exceptionally thick orebodies (ranging from 3 to 280 meters), high ore grades (4.3–17.4 kg/m²), and a vast spatial footprint exceeding 2,000 km² . 🗺️🧱 Such characteristics highlight the region’s immense potential for long-term uranium extraction. But the real intrigue lies not just in the volume—it's in the processes behind the mineralization. How did uranium get there, and what controlled its precipitation? 🧪 Uranium Loves a Redox Dance 🔴🟢 Like many sandstone-hosted uranium deposits, Jingchuan's ore zones are tied to redox conditions . Uranium is hosted in reduced gray sandstones , which are rich in calcareou...

🤖 Reflections on Explainable AI: From Criticism to Human–AI Collaboration 🔍 The rapid rise of deep learning over the past decade has ushered in an era of high-performing, yet opaque, artificial intelligence systems. As AI becomes deeply embedded in sectors like healthcare 🏥, finance 💹, defense 🛡️, and transportation 🚗, understanding how these systems make decisions has become both a technical and ethical necessity. This is where Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) steps in — not just as a buzzword, but as a growing research imperative. 🧠 Why XAI Matters: From Opacity to Transparency Black-box models may deliver powerful results, but they often fail to explain why a particular output was generated. In high-stakes domains, this opacity isn’t just frustrating — it can be dangerous. ⚠️ XAI aims to address this by making AI systems more interpretable and trustworthy. However, the field is still evolving, with debates emerging over what counts as a meaningful explanation....

  🧬 Unmasking the Immunotoxic Threat of DNPP: A Deep Dive Using Single-Cell RNA Sequencing In today’s modern world, we’re constantly exposed to environmental contaminants—often invisible yet insidiously harmful. One such compound raising growing concern is di-n-pentyl phthalate (DNPP) , a commonly used phthalate derivative. 🧪 Found in plastics, packaging, and consumer goods, DNPP is becoming a silent player in numerous health issues. While its role in endocrine disruption has been explored, its impact on the immune system remains poorly understood—until now. 🧬🔬 Our latest study reveals a groundbreaking view of DNPP-induced immunotoxicity by employing the precision of single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) . 📊🧫 For researchers and technicians, this project not only illuminates the dangers of DNPP but also showcases the power of scRNA-seq in toxicological investigations. 🐁 The Experimental Blueprint: DNPP Meets the Mouse Model To systematically assess how DNPP affects the ...

 In the ever-evolving world of immunotherapy, researchers are constantly racing to strike the perfect balance between efficacy and safety . One of the most promising targets in cancer immunotherapy is Cluster of Differentiation 47 (CD47) — a transmembrane protein often dubbed the “don’t eat me” signal. 🧠 🧫 CD47 is a critical self-marker on healthy cells that interacts with signal regulatory protein α (SIRPα) on macrophages to inhibit phagocytosis. However, cancer cells hijack this signal by upregulating CD47 , effectively cloaking themselves from immune attack. This has positioned CD47 as a hot target for therapeutic antibodies designed to block the signal and unleash the immune system against tumors. 🔓🎯 But there's a catch — and it’s a big one. 💥 CD47 isn’t exclusive to cancer cells. It’s also  abundantly expressed on red blood cells (RBCs)  and  platelets , which means that anti-CD47 antibodies often bind to healthy cells too, leading to  hemagglutina...