Cambridge University

Leaves are impressive machines, converting sunlight, carbon dioxide and water into energy. Cambridge scientists have now created artificial leaves that can float on water, tapping into sunlight above it and water below to efficiently produce fuels.

Organ transplants can be life-saving, but matching blood types means many people are left on waiting lists. Cambridge scientists have now demonstrated a technique that could one day make donated organs universal, by converting them to blood type O.

Cold sores are for life – but how long has the virus itself been with humanity? Cambridge scientists have now sequenced the genome of the facial herpes virus, including samples taken from several ancient human remains, and traced it back 5,000 years.

A comprehensive genetic analysis has found that one in 500 men have an extra sex chromosome, with most unaware. That’s much higher than previously thought, and it seems to increase their risk of diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular problems.

As the number of electronic devices grows, we have to get creative with our energy sources. Cambridge researchers have now demonstrated how an algae energy harvester can use sunlight to power a microprocessor for over a year without any intervention.

Scientists at Cambridge and Disney Research may be a step closer to making holograms less disappointing, creating new “holobricks” that can stack and tile together to produce large 3D images that can be viewed from multiple angles.

Smart textiles are usually fairly limited in size and scope. Now a team of scientists has woven together a 46-inch textile display, loaded with LEDs, sensors and energy storage, which can be made using existing industrial manufacturing processes.

Glitter spruces up everything from makeup to craft projects, but one thing it doesn’t improve is the environment. A new biodegradable glitter swaps out the plastic and aluminum for plant-based cellulose, which can be produced at scale.

Last year, physicists reported that an experimental dark matter detector picked up a strange signal. A new Cambridge study suggests it could be the first direct detection of dark energy, the mysterious force accelerating the expansion of the universe.

In the hunt for extraterrestrial life, most of our attention has been focused on Earth-like worlds. But now, astronomers have defined a new class of exoplanet called “Hycean” worlds that could be a promising place to find signs of life.

An artificial pancreas has been trialed in patients with type 2 diabetes for the first time. The device monitors a person’s blood glucose levels and automatically administers insulin when needed – and the results so far are promising.

An intriguing study is proposing an innovative method to treat age-related memory loss. The preclinical research shows memory decline in aging mice can be reversed by manipulating the composition of structures in the brain known as perineuronal nets.