Croucher News

March 2026

New tools sharpen mutation analysis 30 March 2026

University of Hong Kong researchers developed two deep-learning methods that improved mutation detection in long-read cancer and RNA sequencing data.

Space telescope may have caught a black hole destroying a white dwarf 27 March 2026

Astronomers may have found the first direct evidence of an intermediate-mass black hole destroying a white dwarf, a class of event not previously observed.

Ring-shaped molecules help lithium batteries last longer 26 March 2026

Ring-shaped molecules embedded in a porous material improve ion flow and battery stability, keeping capacity high after hundreds of charge cycles.

Rolling the dice 25 March 2026

Croucher scholar finds that proteins can randomly misfold into different disease-causing forms, potentially explaining Parkinson's disease variability and conflicting laboratory results.

A more selective way to attack a gene-regulating complex in lung cancer 24 March 2026

A new compound selectively disrupts a gene-activating protein complex in non-small cell lung cancer, reducing tumour growth and metastasis in laboratory models.

Mysterious radio bursts traced to pairs of stars 23 March 2026

Astronomers have found that some fast radio bursts originate in binary star systems, revising long-held assumptions about the sources of these signals.

Fibres that change shape and rigidity in response to magnetic fields 20 March 2026

Researchers at Hong Kong Polytechnic University have created hair-thin magnetic fibres that can be woven into fabrics capable of changing stiffness and shape reversibly.

When green turns to heat 19 March 2026

New research reveals that urban greenery can sometimes warm rather than cool cities, challenging assumptions about climate-smart city planning.

New page 19 March 2026

Soft electronics take shape in living tissue 18 March 2026

University of Hong Kong researchers made soft hydrogel transistors that work through thicker materials, helping electronics better match living tissue.

Challenges and strategies for citizen science organisers 17 March 2026

Two researchers share insights from studying City Nature Challenge organisers in the UK and their strategies for success.

Wildfire smoke particles have multiple cores that trap more heat than models predict 16 March 2026

Research finds black carbon from wildfires contains multiple cores, increasing light absorption by 19 per cent compared with current climate model estimates.

AI system makes coastal ocean health readable by filling gaps in satellite observations 13 March 2026

Interdisciplinary collaboration produces STIMP, an artificial intelligence tool that fills satellite data gaps and forecasts coastal algal blooms with unprecedented accuracy.

Automated nanoprobe extracts living mitochondria from cells without chemical markers 12 March 2026

Robotic probe uses electrochemical sensing and nanotweezers to extract individual mitochondria from living cells with 96 per cent survival rate.

Solid-state device achieves sub-zero cooling without chemical refrigerants 11 March 2026

Hong Kong University of Science and Technology researchers developed a refrigerant-free cooling device reaching −12°C, potentially reducing global freezing emissions.

How cells detect and safely cut stretched DNA during division 10 March 2026

Scientists discover how protein ANKLE1 senses mechanical tension in DNA bridges between dividing cells, preventing genetic damage and disease.

Ghost jellyfish 9 March 2026

Our immersive Hong Kong jellyfish series continues.

Bone marrow protein senses movement and could offer new route to osteoporosis treatment 9 March 2026

Piezo1 protein helps bone marrow stem cells respond to mechanical forces, supporting bone formation and limiting fat accumulation in the marrow.

Maternal hair analysis may predict thyroid disorder weeks before symptoms appear 6 March 2026

Hong Kong Baptist University researchers found chemical patterns in pregnant women's hair could warn of underactive thyroid before clinical diagnosis.

New page 5 March 2026

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