In a major boost to India’s first high-speed rail project, the construction of the first section of the 21 km undersea tunnel between Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) and Thane has been successfully completed in July 2025. This undersea tunnel is part of the Mumbai–Ahmedabad Bullet Train project, which is being built in collaboration with Japan using advanced Shinkansen technology. Civil construction across the 508 km corridor is progressing rapidly. So far, 310 km of viaducts have been constructed, alongside the completion of 15 major river bridges, while work on four more bridges is at an advanced stage. Of the planned 12 stations along the route, five have already been completed and three more are nearing completion. One of the engineering highlights of the project is the Mumbai terminus at Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC). This station will be located 32.5 metres below ground level and has been designed with a robust foundation capable of supporting a 95-metre high building above ground, showcasing cutting-edge construction capabilities. The next-generation E10 Shinkansen trains will be deployed on the Mumbai–Ahmedabad corridor. The entire bullet train corridor is being built using state-of-the-art Shinkansen technology, which is globally recognised for its exceptional speed, safety and reliability standards. This project aims to redefine India’s passenger rail experience and set new benchmarks for infrastructure development in the country.

Source: https://ddnews.gov.in/en/first-section-of-bullet-trains-undersea-tunnel-opens-in-maharashtra/

A multinational team has cracked a long-standing barrier to reliable quantum computing by inventing an algorithm that lets ordinary computers faithfully mimic a fault-tolerant quantum circuit built on the notoriously tricky GKP bosonic code, promising a crucial test-bed for future quantum hardware. Quantum computers can perform complex computations thanks to their ability to represent an enormous number of different states at the same time in a so-called quantum superposition. Representing these superpositions of states is incredibly difficult to describe. Now, a research team has found a relatively simple method to simulate some relevant quantum superpositions of states. The illustration shows one of these superpositions, which can be created inside what’s known as a continuous-variable quantum computer. The team was able to observe how these states change when they interact with each other, and they were also able to simulate those changes using wave-like patterns. Quantum computers still face a major hurdle on their pathway to practical use cases: their limited ability to correct the arising computational errors. To develop truly reliable quantum computers, researchers must be able to simulate quantum computations using conventional computers to verify their correctness – a vital yet extraordinarily difficult task. Now, in a world-first, researchers from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, the University of Milan, the University of Granada, and the University of Tokyo have unveiled a method for simulating specific types of error-corrected quantum computations – a significant leap forward in the quest for robust quantum technologies. Quantum computers have the potential to solve complex problems that no supercomputer today can handle. In the foreseeable future, quantum technology’s computing power is expected to revolutionise fundamental ways of solving problems in medicine, energy, encryption, AI, and logistics. Despite these promises, the technology faces a major challenge: the need for correcting the errors arising in a quantum computation. While conventional computers also experience errors, these can be quickly and reliably corrected using well-established techniques before they can cause problems. In contrast, quantum computers are subject to far more errors, which are additionally harder to detect and correct. Quantum systems are still not fault-tolerant and therefore not yet fully reliable. To verify the accuracy of a quantum computation, researchers simulate – or mimic – the calculations using conventional computers. One particularly important type of quantum computation that researchers are therefore interested in simulating is one that can withstand disturbances and effectively correct errors. However, the immense complexity of quantum computations makes such simulations extremely demanding – so much so that, in some cases, even the world’s best conventional supercomputer would take the age of the universe to reproduce the result. The limited ability of quantum computers to correct errors stems from their fundamental building blocks – qubits – which have the potential for immense computational power but are also highly sensitive. The computational power of quantum computers relies on the quantum mechanical phenomenon of superposition, meaning qubits can simultaneously hold the values 1 and 0, as well as all intermediate states, in any combination. The computational capacity increases exponentially with each additional qubit, but the trade-off is their extreme susceptibility to disturbances. To address this issue, error correction codes are used to distribute information across multiple subsystems, allowing errors to be detected and corrected without destroying the quantum information. One way is to encode the quantum information of a qubit into the multiple – possibly infinite – energy levels of a vibrating quantum mechanical system. This is called a bosonic code. However, simulating quantum computations with bosonic codes is particularly challenging because of the multiple energy levels, and researchers have been unable to reliably simulate them using conventional computers – until now. The method developed by the researchers consists of an algorithm capable of simulating quantum computations that use a type of bosonic code known as the Gottesman-Kitaev-Preskill (GKP) code. This code is commonly used in leading implementations of quantum computers.

Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250702214157.htm

Researchers at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, USA have designed a liquid hydrogen storage and delivery system that could help make zero-emission aviation a reality. Their work outlines a scalable, integrated system that addresses several engineering challenges at once by enabling hydrogen to be used as a clean fuel and also as a built-in cooling medium for critical power systems aboard electric-powered aircraft. The study introduces a design tailored for a 100-passenger hybrid-electric aircraft that draws power from both hydrogen fuel cells and hydrogen turbine-driven superconducting generators. It shows how liquid hydrogen can be efficiently stored, safely transferred and used to cool critical on-board systems — all while supporting power demands during various flight phases like take-off, cruising, and landing. Hydrogen is seen as a promising clean fuel for aviation because it packs more energy per kilogram than jet fuel and emits no carbon dioxide. But it’s also much less dense, meaning it takes up more space unless stored as a super-cold liquid at -253°C. To address this challenge, the team conducted a comprehensive system-level optimization to design cryogenic tanks and their associated subsystems. Instead of focusing solely on the tank, they defined a new gravimetric index, which is the ratio of the fuel mass to the full fuel system. Their index includes the mass of the hydrogen fuel, tank structure, insulation, heat exchangers, circulatory devices and working fluids. By repeatedly adjusting key design parameters, such as vent pressure and heat exchanger dimensions, they identified the configuration that yields the maximum fuel mass relative to total system mass. The resulting optimal configuration achieves a gravimetric index of 0.62, meaning 62% of the system’s total weight is usable hydrogen fuel, a significant improvement compared to conventional designs. The system’s other key function is thermal management. Rather than installing a separate cooling system, the design routes the ultra-cold hydrogen through a series of heat exchangers that remove waste heat from on-board components like superconducting generators, motors, cables and power electronics. As hydrogen absorbs this heat, its temperature gradually rises, a necessary process since hydrogen must be preheated before entering the fuel cells and turbines. Delivering liquid hydrogen throughout the aircraft presents its own challenges. Mechanical pumps add weight and complexity and can introduce unwanted heat or risk failure under cryogenic conditions. To avoid these issues, the team developed a pump-free system that uses tank pressure to control the flow of hydrogen fuel. The pressure is regulated using two methods: injecting hydrogen gas from a standard high-pressure cylinder to increase pressure and venting hydrogen vapour to decrease it. A feedback loop links pressure sensors to the aircraft’s power demand profile, enabling real-time adjustment of tank pressure to ensure the correct hydrogen flow rate across all flight phases. Simulations show it can deliver hydrogen at rates up to 0.25 kilograms per second, sufficient to meet the 16.2-megawatt electrical demand during take-off or an emergency go-around. The heat exchangers are arranged in a staged sequence. As the hydrogen flows through the system, it first cools high-efficiency components operating at cryogenic temperatures, such as high-temperature superconducting generators and cables. It then absorbs heat from higher-temperature components, including electric motors, motor drives and power electronics. Finally, before reaching the fuel cells, the hydrogen is preheated to match the optimal fuel cell inlet conditions. This staged thermal integration allows liquid hydrogen to serve as both a coolant and a fuel, maximizing system efficiency while minimizing hardware complexity.

Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250527180926.htm

In a breakthrough that could significantly improve air quality monitoring, scientists at the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), Bengaluru, have developed a portable, low-cost sensor capable of detecting toxic sulfur dioxide (SO₂) gas at extremely low concentrations. The innovation promises safer environments in both industrial and urban settings where exposure to harmful gases is a growing concern. Sulfur dioxide, a pollutant commonly emitted from vehicle exhausts and industrial processes, poses serious health risks even in minute quantities. Known to trigger respiratory irritation, asthma attacks, and long-term lung damage, SO₂ is difficult to detect before it begins to impact health. Current monitoring systems are often costly, bulky, or lack the sensitivity required to identify the gas at trace levels. To address these challenges, researchers at CeNS — an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology (DST) — have designed a compact sensor by combining two metal oxides: nickel oxide (NiO) and neodymium nickelate (NdNiO₃). In this setup, NiO functions as the receptor that detects the gas, while NdNiO₃ acts as the transducer, amplifying the signal. This synergy enables the sensor to detect SO₂ concentrations as low as 320 parts per billion (ppb), far exceeding the sensitivity of many commercially available sensors. The research team has also developed a portable prototype device that incorporates the sensor and offers real-time air quality feedback. The device includes a color-coded alert system to indicate exposure levels: green for safe, yellow for warning, and red for danger. Its intuitive design makes it user-friendly, even for individuals without technical training. Designed to be compact and lightweight, the sensor system is ideal for deployment in industrial zones, densely populated urban areas, and enclosed spaces where continuous air quality monitoring is essential. The technology offers a practical and accessible solution for early detection and response to SO₂ pollution, ultimately supporting public health and environmental protection efforts.

Source: https://ddnews.gov.in/en/indian-scientists-develop-pocket-sized-sensor-to-detect-toxic-sulfur-dioxide-at-trace-levels/

An interdisciplinary academic team has successfully integrated quantum light sources and control electronics onto a single silicon chip. In a significant advancement for quantum technology, researchers from Boston University, UC Berkeley, and Northwestern University have developed the first chip that integrates electronic, photonic, and quantum components. Their findings describe a system that merges quantum light sources with stabilizing electronics, all fabricated using a standard 45-nanometer semiconductor process. This integration allows the chip to generate consistent streams of correlated photon pairs (particles of light), which are essential building blocks for many quantum applications. The breakthrough marks a major step toward the large-scale production of “quantum light factory” chips and the development of more complex quantum systems composed of multiple interconnected chips. Just as electronic chips are powered by electric currents, and optical communication links by laser light, future quantum technologies will require a steady stream of quantum light resource units to perform their functions. To provide this, the researchers’ work created an array of “quantum light factories” on a silicon chip, each less than a millimeter by a millimeter in dimension. Generating quantum states of light on chip requires precisely engineered photonic devices—specifically, microring resonators. To generate streams of quantum light, in the form of correlated pairs of photons, the resonators must be tuned in sync with incoming laser light that powers each quantum light factory on the chip (and is used as fuel for the generation process). But those devices are extremely sensitive to temperature and fabrication variations, which can push them out of sync and disrupt the steady generation of quantum light. To address this challenge, the team built an integrated system that actively stabilizes quantum light sources on chip—specifically, the silicon microring resonators that generate the streams of correlated photons. Each chip contains twelve such sources operable in parallel, and each resonator must stay in sync with its incoming laser light even in the presence of temperature drift and interference from nearby devices, including the other eleven photon-pair sources on the chip. The extreme sensitivity of the microring resonators, the building blocks for the quantum light sources, is well known and is both a blessing and a curse. It is the reason why they can generate quantum light streams efficiently and in a minimal chip area. However, small shifts in temperature can derail the photon-pair generation process. The BU-led team solved this by integrating photodiodes inside the resonators in a way that monitors alignment with the incoming laser while preserving the quantum light generation. On-chip heaters and control logic continually adjust the resonance in response to drift. Because the chip uses built-in feedback to stabilize each source, it behaves predictably despite temperature changes and fabrication variations—an essential requirement for scaling up quantum systems. As quantum photonic systems progress in scale and complexity, chips like this could become building blocks for technologies ranging from secure communication networks to advanced sensing and, eventually, quantum computing infrastructure.

Source: https://scitechdaily.com/worlds-first-hybrid-chip-combines-electronics-photonics-and-quantum-power/

In a first for the field, researchers from The Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have reported a photo-pumped lasing from a buried dielectric photonic-crystal surface-emitting laser emitting at room temperature and an eye-safe wavelength. Their findings improve upon current laser design and open new avenues for defense applications. Photonic-crystal surface-emitting lasers (PCSELs) are a newer field of semiconductor lasers that use a photonic crystal layer to produce a laser beam with highly desirable characteristics such as high brightness and narrow, round spot sizes. This type of laser is useful for defense applications such as LiDAR, a remote sensing technology used in battlefield mapping, navigation, and target tracking. PCSELs are typically fabricated using air holes, which become embedded inside the device after semiconductor material regrows around the perimeter. However, atoms of the semiconductor tend to rearrange themselves and fill in these holes, compromising the integrity and uniformity of the photonic crystal structure. To combat this problem, the Illinois Grainger engineers swapped the air holes for a solid dielectric material to prevent the photonic crystal from deforming during regrowth. By embedding silicon dioxide inside the semiconductor regrowth as part of the photonic crystal layer, researchers were able to show the first proof of concept design of a PCSEL with buried dielectric features. Members of the field anticipate that in the next 20 years, these new and improved lasers will be used in autonomous vehicles, laser cutting, welding, and free space communication.

Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250711224310.htm

India achieved a major milestone recently by successfully intercepting and destroying two high-speed aerial unmanned targets using the Akash Prime air defence system in the high-altitude region of Ladakh, the Ministry of Defence said in an official statement. The upgraded variant of the Akash Weapon System has been specifically customised to operate at altitudes above 4,500 metres. It includes several enhancements, most notably an indigenously developed Radio Frequency (RF) seeker for improved target acquisition and engagement. The Akash Prime system has been developed through collaboration between the Indian Army’s Air Defence units, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), defence public sector undertakings like Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) and Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), along with other industry partners. The successful trial was conducted as part of the “First of Production Model” firing tests, intended to validate the system’s performance before its induction into service. The Ministry said the trial would pave the way for timely deployment and bolster India’s air defence capabilities in challenging high-altitude frontiers. The test follows the strong operational performance of India’s air defence systems during Operation Sindoor, where Akash systems effectively neutralised aerial threats involving hostile drones and fighter aircraft.

Source: https://ddnews.gov.in/en/india-achieves-successful-trial-of-akash-prime-at-high-altitude/

In a major scientific breakthrough, Indian researchers have developed a new green energy material that could revolutionize energy storage technology. Scientists from the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), Bengaluru, in collaboration with Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), have engineered a lanthanum-doped silver niobate (AgNbO₃) compound that significantly enhances supercapacitor performance. Supercapacitors, known for their rapid charging and discharging abilities, often fall short in energy storage capacity. The new material overcomes this limitation by increasing energy density without sacrificing speed or stability. The team introduced lanthanum—a rare-earth element—into silver niobate nanoparticles, improving their electrical conductivity and shrinking particle size to increase surface area. This led to a remarkable 118% energy retention after repeated use and an unprecedented 100% coulombic efficiency, meaning no energy was lost during charging cycles. A prototype asymmetric supercapacitor using the new material successfully powered an LCD display, pointing to potential real-world applications in everything from portable electronics to renewable energy systems. The study positions lanthanum-doped AgNbO₃ as a leading candidate for high-performance, eco-friendly energy storage. Researchers now aim to explore similar doping strategies in other materials and scale up production to enable commercial use. This innovation marks a significant step in India’s contribution to sustainable energy solutions amid the global push for cleaner and more efficient technologies.

Source: https://ddnews.gov.in/en/indian-scientists-develop-next-gen-green-energy-material-for-supercapacitors/

A new implantable device carries a reservoir of glucagon that can be stored under the skin and could save diabetes patients from dangerously low blood sugar. For individuals with Type 1 diabetes, the risk of hypoglycemia, dangerously low blood sugar, is a constant concern. When glucose levels drop too far, the condition becomes life-threatening and typically requires an injection of the hormone glucagon as the standard treatment.

To address situations where patients may be unaware that their blood sugar is falling to critical levels, MIT engineers have developed an implantable device that holds a supply of glucagon beneath the skin. This device can be activated to release the hormone automatically when glucose drops too low. The system could be especially useful during nighttime hypoglycemia or for young children with diabetes who may not be able to self-administer an injection. The researchers also demonstrated that the same technology could be adapted to deliver emergency doses of epinephrine, a medication used to treat heart attacks and prevent severe allergic reactions such as anaphylaxis. Many people with type 1 diabetes rely on daily insulin injections to help regulate their blood sugar and prevent it from rising too high. However, when blood sugar drops too low, it can lead to hypoglycemia—a condition that may cause disorientation, seizures, and in severe cases, death if not promptly treated. To address this, some individuals carry prefilled syringes of glucagon, a hormone that signals the liver to release stored glucose into the bloodstream. Still, recognizing the early signs of hypoglycemia can be challenging, particularly for children. To provide a more reliable solution, the MIT team developed a compact emergency device that can be activated manually or automatically in response to low blood sugar, based on sensor input. Roughly the size of a quarter, the device houses a small drug reservoir fabricated using 3D-printed polymer. This reservoir is sealed with a material called a shape-memory alloy, engineered to change form when exposed to heat. The team used a nickel-titanium alloy that transitions from a flat slab to a U shape when heated to 40 degrees Celsius. Since glucagon, like many peptide-based drugs, degrades quickly in liquid form, the researchers opted for a powdered formulation that remains stable over extended periods and stays inside the device until needed. The researchers showed that this device could also be used to deliver emergency doses of epinephrine, a drug that is used to treat heart attacks and can also prevent severe allergic reactions, including anaphylactic shock. Each unit can store one or four doses of glucagon and contains an antenna that responds to a specific radiofrequency signal. When triggered, the antenna activates a small electrical current that heats the shape-memory alloy. Once the material reaches the activation temperature, it bends into a U shape and releases the powdered drug from the reservoir. Because the device can receive wireless signals, it could also be designed so that drug release is triggered by a glucose monitor when the wearer’s blood sugar drops below a certain level. The researchers also tested the device with a powdered version of epinephrine. They found that within 10 minutes of drug release, epinephrine levels in the bloodstream became elevated and heart rate increased. In this study, the researchers kept the devices implanted for up to four weeks, but they now plan to see if they can extend that time up to at least a year. Typically, when a medical device is implanted in the body, scar tissue develops around the device, which can interfere with its function. However, in this study, the researchers showed that even after fibrotic tissue formed around the implant, they were able to successfully trigger the drug release.

Source: https://scitechdaily.com/mits-tiny-new-device-could-save-diabetics-from-deadly-blood-sugar-crashes/

In the future, delivering therapeutic drugs exactly where they are needed within the body could be the task of miniature robots. Not little metal humanoid or even bio-mimicking robots; think instead of tiny bubble-like spheres. Such robots would have a long and challenging list of requirements. For example, they would need to survive in bodily fluids, such as stomach acids, and be controllable, so they could be directed precisely to targeted sites. They also must release their medical cargo only when they reach their target, and then be absorbable by the body without causing harm. Now, microrobots that tick all those boxes have been developed by a Caltech-led team. Using the bots, the team successfully delivered therapeutics that decreased the size of bladder tumors in mice. The robots also have to be biocompatible and bioresorbable, meaning that they leave nothing toxic behind in the body. The Caltech-developed microrobots are spherical microstructures made of a hydrogel called poly (ethylene glycol) diacrylate. Hydrogels are materials that start out in liquid or resin form and become solid when the network of polymers found within them becomes cross-linked, or hardens. This structure and composition enable hydrogels to retain large amounts of fluid, making many of them biocompatible. The additive manufacturing fabrication method also enables the outer sphere to carry the therapeutic cargo to a target site within the body. Expertise in two-photon polymerization (TPP) lithography, a technique that uses extremely fast pulses of infrared laser light to selectively cross-link photosensitive polymers according to a particular pattern in a very precise manner was deployed. The technique allows a structure to be built up layer by layer, in a way reminiscent of 3D printers, but in this case, with much greater precision and form complexity. The research group managed to “write,” or print out, microstructures that are roughly 30 microns in diameter — about the diameter of a human hair. In their final form, the microrobots incorporate magnetic nanoparticles and the therapeutic drug within the outer structure of the spheres. The magnetic nanoparticles allow the scientists to direct the robots to a desired location using an external magnetic field. When the robots reach their target, they remain in that spot, and the drug passively diffuses out. Researchers further designed the exterior of the microstructure to be hydrophilic — that is, attracted to water — which ensures that the individual robots do not clump together as they travel through the body. However, the inner surface of the microrobot cannot be hydrophilic because it needs to trap an air bubble, and bubbles are easy to collapse or dissolve. To construct hybrid microrobots that are both hydrophilic on their exterior and hydrophobic, or repellent to water, in their interior, the researchers devised a two-step chemical modification. First, they attached long-chain carbon molecules to the hydrogel, making the entire structure hydrophobic. Then the researchers used a technique called oxygen plasma etching to remove some of those long-chain carbon structures from the interior, leaving the outside hydrophobic and the interior hydrophilic. This was one of the key innovations of this project. This asymmetric surface modification, where the inside is hydrophobic and the outside is hydrophilic, really allows us to use many robots and still trap bubbles for a prolonged period of time in biofluids, such as urine or serum. Indeed, the team showed that the bubbles can last for as long as several days with this treatment versus the few minutes that would otherwise be possible. The presence of trapped bubbles is also crucial for moving the robots and for keeping track of them with real-time imaging. For example, to enable propulsion, the team designed the microrobot sphere to have two cylinder-like openings — one at the top and another to one side. When the robots are exposed to an ultrasound field, the bubbles vibrate, causing the surrounding fluid to stream away from the robots through the opening, propelling the robots through the fluid. The team found that the use of two openings gave the robots the ability to move not only in various viscous biofluids, but also at greater speeds than can be achieved with a single opening. Trapped within each microstructure is an egg-like bubble that serves as an excellent ultrasound imaging contrast agent, enabling real-time monitoring of the bots in vivo. The final stage of development involved testing the microrobots as a drug-delivery tool in mice with bladder tumors. The researchers found that four deliveries of therapeutics provided by the microrobots over the course of 21 days was more effective at shrinking tumors than a therapeutic not delivered by robots.

Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241211143603.htm