https://phys.org/ en-us Latest news from KTH Royal Institute of Technology Scientists in Sweden have taken an important step toward fighting potato late blight, a plant disease that once triggered a historic famine in Ireland and now threatens to spread globally due to climate change. A new study reports the synthesis of a peptide that specifically attacks Phytophthora infestans (P. infestans) to protect potato and tomato crops—without harm to other plants. The work was carried out by researchers at Stockholm's KTH Royal Institute of Technology, in collaboration with research partners in Italy, India and Australia. https://phys.org/news/2026-04-peptide-synthesis-global-potato-pathogen.html Agriculture Wed, 22 Apr 2026 21:20:01 EDT news696086337 Even when people with incomplete spinal cord injuries can walk, everyday functions like standing, balancing or producing steady force may remain difficult. A new study shows why. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-reveals-unseen-motor-spinal-cord.html Mon, 13 Apr 2026 18:00:06 EDT news695317201 Scientists in Sweden have for the first time created a fully wheat-based gel made entirely from wheat bran fiber and wheat gluten protein—an advance that could turn one of the grain industry's least valued by-products into a nutritious, sustainable ingredient for future food products. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-scientists-wheat-gel-bran-fiber.html Materials Science Sat, 21 Mar 2026 11:00:11 EDT news693046139 Scientists have long known that dopamine helps the brain learn from rewards, but a new computational model shows how for people with schizophrenia this learning system can break down and simultaneously produce two very different symptoms—delusions and a loss of motivation. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-explanation-major-symptoms-schizophrenia.html Wed, 18 Mar 2026 19:10:08 EDT news693054302 In the journal Science Advances, scientists in Sweden and the U.S. report the first-ever direct observation of a type of short-lived molecule that has shaped decades of thinking in atmospheric chemistry, combustion research and biomedical science. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-scientists-molecule-believed-oxidation.html Analytical Chemistry Fri, 13 Mar 2026 14:00:13 EDT news692549101 A new study revisits a century-old question about how turbulence starts. The findings could potentially influence not only aircraft engineering but even the design of mechanical heart valves, and treatment of heart disease. The study is published in Scientific Reports. https://phys.org/news/2026-03-simulations-breakthrough-turbulence.html Soft Matter Wed, 11 Mar 2026 17:10:12 EDT news692467501 The Baltic Sea is one of the world's most oxygen-depleted major bodies of water. The reason is excessive concentrations of phosphorus, an element essential for life—and an important ingredient in fertilizer. New research shows a way to possibly convert this problem into a resource that reduces Europe's dependency on phosphate mining while revitalizing the Baltic ecosystem. https://phys.org/news/2026-02-baltic-sea-pollution-fertilizer-imports.html Biotechnology Sun, 22 Feb 2026 12:00:03 EST news690642408 Rail commuters in cold climates like Sweden's are all too familiar with winter train delays and cancellations. The culprit is usually rail switches that freeze up or clog with snow even though they're heated. A new study offers a more affordable and sustainable solution to keep these crucial, track-moving components in working order. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-02-swedish-rail-delays-cold-climates.html Automotive Wed, 11 Feb 2026 18:00:01 EST news690042664 Recent research in Sweden and Finland shows how used concrete's lifespan can be extended another 50 to 100 years when incorporated into new construction. A team from KTH Royal Institute of Technology and Tampere University report they have developed a framework that enables builders to reuse structural elements confidently, saving resources and reducing the climate footprint of construction. https://techxplore.com/news/2026-01-enables-safe-reuse-concrete.html Engineering Thu, 29 Jan 2026 11:26:27 EST news688908362 Safer operation, better fuel efficiency and lower waste mark lead-cooled nuclear power as a potentially dramatic shift from the water-cooled nuclear stations the world has relied on since the mid 20th century. A recent Swedish study casts new light on how to avoid corrosion in the steel used to build these next-generation nuclear facilities. https://techxplore.com/news/2025-12-kinds-steel-cooled-reactors.html Engineering Thu, 11 Dec 2025 21:30:01 EST news684673972 Polyester and a host of other plastic products could potentially be manufactured with non-toxic and sustainable BPA alternatives identified in a multidisciplinary study published in Nature Sustainability by researchers in Sweden. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-alternative-bpa-toxicity-sustainability-standards.html Polymers Thu, 04 Dec 2025 11:48:29 EST news684071281 A recent advance in the science of hydrogen fuel production could enable higher output and more sustainable production of this renewable energy source, researchers with Stockholm's KTH Royal Institute of Technology report. https://phys.org/news/2025-12-precise-catalyst-boosts-hydrogen-gas.html Analytical Chemistry Wed, 03 Dec 2025 14:28:47 EST news683994482 Cancer-fighting antibody drugs are designed to penetrate tumor cells and release a lethal payload deep within, but too often they don't make it that far. A new study shows how this Trojan Horse strategy works better by exploiting calcium differences outside and inside cells. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-11-calcium-sensitive-boosts-efficacy-cancer.html Medications Tue, 25 Nov 2025 05:20:09 EST news683270399 A treatment that could protect premature babies from brain damage showed promise in a recent study in Sweden. Using a first-of-its-kind prenatal brain model created with human cells, researchers observed new details about the effects of cerebral hemorrhages on stem cells during preterm birth. They also successfully tested an antidote that reduced the damage. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-11-brain-premature-babies-lab-grown.html Neuroscience Mon, 10 Nov 2025 16:32:03 EST news682014721 New research in Sweden has produced a "blueprint" revealing how the human heart is built during prenatal development. It offers insights that could lead to improved prenatal care and new treatments for heart defects, such as holes between heart chambers or deformities of the heart valves. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-10-heart-blueprint-reveals-defects-insights.html Genetics Wed, 29 Oct 2025 06:00:07 EDT news680800141 Commuters trying to beat the clock account for nearly one third of shared electric scooter trips on a typical workday morning, recent research indicates. But reliance on these vehicles can be dampened when cities don't provide enough parking near transit hubs, according to a new study. https://techxplore.com/news/2025-10-late-scooters-convenient.html Consumer & Gadgets Wed, 15 Oct 2025 12:33:33 EDT news679750411 A new study has mapped the distinct molecular "fingerprints" that 59 diseases leave in an individual's blood protein, which could enable blood tests to discern troubling signs from those that are more common. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-10-pan-disease-atlas-molecular-fingerprints.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Thu, 09 Oct 2025 14:00:24 EDT news679152601 Attached to nearly every human cell is an antenna-like structure known as the primary cilium, which senses the cell's environment and controls how it responds to signals from its surroundings. New research from the U.S. and Sweden has mapped and identified hundreds of proteins that comprise these structures, contributing new insights for future research into ciliary biology, disease mechanisms and potential therapies. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-10-cilia-proteins-rare-childhood-diseases.html Genetics Thu, 02 Oct 2025 10:16:03 EDT news678618961 A new diagnostic method would confirm sepsis infections earlier, cutting critical hours in the "race against time" to save patients' lives. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-08-faster-diagnostic-method-sepsis-hours.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Thu, 28 Aug 2025 10:22:04 EDT news675595322 Can AI do humor? A new study suggests artificial intelligence can create internet memes as funny as those made by humans. But when it comes to gags that truly connect with viewers, people still have the edge. https://techxplore.com/news/2025-06-ai-churns-funnier-memes-people.html Consumer & Gadgets Wed, 04 Jun 2025 11:44:04 EDT news668256242 Faced with uncertain supply and soaring prices for rare earth minerals, electric vehicle manufacturers could nevertheless reduce their material demands by nearly 15% by remanufacturing and reusing components, a recent study shows. https://techxplore.com/news/2025-05-ev-reliance-virgin-rare-earth.html Energy & Green Tech Wed, 21 May 2025 15:13:04 EDT news667059180 It's not entirely understood why some children are born with orofacial clefts, such as cleft lip or palate. But a new study suggests a genetic clue may be found in a rare breed of hunting dog. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-05-rare-dogs-unique-noses-clue.html Medical research Wed, 07 May 2025 10:59:53 EDT news665834391 Researchers are using AI to bridge the communication gap between horse and human. Combining 3D motion capture and machine learning, a new modeling system would equip veterinarians with a powerful visual tool for interpreting equine body language—the key to detecting physical and even behavioral problems. https://phys.org/news/2025-04-ai-decode-horses-body-language.html Biotechnology Tue, 08 Apr 2025 15:54:41 EDT news663346478 Researchers in Sweden report a green alternative to reduce reliance on mining graphite, the raw source behind the "wonder material" graphene. In the journal Small, researchers at KTH Royal Institute of Technology say they have developed a reproducible and scalable method for producing graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets from commercial carbon fibers, marking a breakthrough in sustainable nanomaterial synthesis. https://phys.org/news/2025-03-graphene-production-technique-green-alternative.html Nanomaterials Mon, 03 Mar 2025 10:56:03 EST news660221761 Artificial intelligence aboard aircraft could help prevent terrifying drops in altitude. In a new study, an international research team successfully tested a machine learning system for preventing trouble with turbulence. The findings are published in the journal Nature Communications. https://techxplore.com/news/2025-02-ai-aircraft-mid-air-stalls.html Automotive Mon, 17 Feb 2025 11:47:25 EST news659015235 On icy roads, studded winter tires can save lives—but they pulverize pavement and fill the air with dangerous, inhalable particles. A new Swedish study, published in Tribology International, shows that both road wear and airborne particles could be reduced by as much as 20% if studs were made instead with an alternative hard metal. https://techxplore.com/news/2025-02-alternative-studded-winter-airborne-particles.html Energy & Green Tech Thu, 06 Feb 2025 14:31:04 EST news658074661 Bouncing back from under the weight of Ice Age glaciers which have long since vanished, the Nordic region land mass is slowly rising above sea level. https://phys.org/news/2025-02-scandinavian-peninsula-sea-satellite-gravity.html Planetary Sciences Wed, 05 Feb 2025 09:51:03 EST news657971461 Slime build-up is a costly drag on fuel efficiency for ocean-going cargo ships, leading to more emissions and, eventually, higher consumer prices. A study published in the journal, npj Biofilms and Microbiomes, suggests a new approach to managing this common problem. https://phys.org/news/2025-01-ship-slime-biofilm-growth-enable.html Cell & Microbiology Tue, 21 Jan 2025 14:24:03 EST news656691841 One key to making portable devices more compact and energy efficient lies in the precise nanoscale form of energy-storing capacitors. Researchers in Sweden report they've cracked the challenge with a unique 3D printing method. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-3d-method-micro-energy-storage.html Nanophysics Mon, 14 Oct 2024 12:04:03 EDT news648126242 Researchers have demonstrated a way to speed up—and potentially scale up—the process for separating particles in fluids, which can be used for studying microplastics in drinking water or even analyzing cancer cells from blood. https://phys.org/news/2024-08-method-microplastics-blood-analyses.html Bio & Medicine Thu, 15 Aug 2024 10:14:03 EDT news642935641