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  • An idea rooted in ‘twistronics’ yields an electrifying, ‘dizzying’ outcome

    Researchers uncovered how twisting layers of a material can generate a mysterious electron-path-deflecting effect, unlocking new possibilities for controlling light and electrons in quantum materials.
    Artist rendering of a quantum computer
    Researchers led by Ritesh Agarwal of the School of Engineering and Applied Science and Gene Mele of the School of Arts & Sciences uncovered how twisting multiple layers of a material can generate a mysterious sideways deflection of moving electrons—analogous to the Coriolis effect seen in ocean currents—unlocking new possibilities for controlling light and electrons in quantum materials.
    (Image: iStock/Bartlomiej Wroblewski)

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  • Exposure to air pollution worsens Alzheimer’s disease
    Emissions from a power plant.

    Image: Pencho Chukov via Getty Images

    Exposure to air pollution worsens Alzheimer’s disease

    New research from Penn Medicine finds living in areas with high concentration of air pollution is associated with increased buildup of amyloid and tau proteins in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, accelerating cognitive decline.

    Sep 9, 2025

    What stiffening lung tissue reveals about the earliest stages of fibrosis
    Donia Ahmed prepares tissue for imaging.

    Image: Courtesy of Penn Engineering Today

    What stiffening lung tissue reveals about the earliest stages of fibrosis

    A Penn Engineering team has targeted the lung’s extracellular matrix to better understand early fibrosis by triggering the formation of special chemical bonds that increase tissue stiffness in specific locations, mimicking the first physical changes that may lead to lung fibrosis.

    Sep 12, 2025