When electrons are restricted to a two-dimensional plane and interact strongly enough, they can begin behaving very differently from ordinary electrons. Instead of moving independently, they arrange themselves into a repeating pattern similar to the orderly structure of atoms in a conventional crystal.

This unusual arrangement is called a Wigner crystal. Scientists have studied it for decades because the crystal structure is created by interactions between the electrons themselves rather than by the underlying structure of the material containing them.

While researchers have already detected Wigner crystals in a variety of physical systems, understanding what happens inside them has been much harder. Scientists have struggled to directly investigate how their electrons move collectively, interact with one another, and react to outside disturbances.

Using Light to Probe a Wigner Crystal

In a study published in Nature Physics, experimental researchers led by Professor Tomasz Smoleński at the University of Basel examined a single atomic layer of tungsten diselenide that had been cooled to only a few degrees above absolute zero.

The team illuminated the material and carefully analyzed the light reflected from it. Those measurements revealed previously unseen optical features that contain information about the collective behavior of electrons inside the Wigner crystal.

The signals emerge from interactions between the ordered electrons and excitations created in the material by light, known as excitons. Together, these components form hybrid quasiparticles called Wigner crystal polarons. These quasiparticles serve as highly sensitive optical probes that can reveal both the crystal itself and the collective motion occurring within it.

“Our measurements show that light can do more than simply detect the presence of this exotic state — it can reveal how the state behaves internally,” says first author Dr. Lujun Wang from the University of Basel, who carried out the experiments together with Ferdinand Menzel, a PhD student in Smoleński’s group.

“This gives us a powerful new tool for studying collective excitations of electronic crystals that would otherwise be extremely difficult to access,” adds Smoleński.

Electron Interactions Shape the Optical Signals

The researchers also discovered that the strength of the interactions between electrons influences the optical signatures they observed. That connection could make the signals especially useful for investigating strongly correlated systems, where the behavior of the material emerges from interactions among many particles rather than from individual particles acting on their own.

To account for the experimental findings, a theoretical team led by Professor Michael Knap at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) developed a model describing the formation of Wigner crystal polarons. Their work explains how these quasiparticles arise through the coupling of optically generated excitons with the collective movement of electrons in the crystal.

A New View of Strongly Correlated Quantum Matter

“What is particularly exciting is that these signals carry information not only about how the electrons are arranged, but also about their quantum dynamics,” explains Fabian Pichler, a PhD student at TUM. “This allows us to connect the experimental observations directly to the underlying many-body physics.”

The findings suggest that atomically thin materials could provide an especially useful platform for observing how electrons move collectively within ordered quantum states. By making these hidden dynamics easier to study, the approach could help scientists develop a deeper understanding of strongly correlated matter and the complex behavior that emerges when many particles interact.

“By observing the propagation of radio waves, we can create an image of the surroundings and of persons who are present,” says Professor Thorsten Strufe from KASTEL, KIT’s Institute of Information Security and Dependability. “This works similar to a normal camera, the difference being that in our case, radio waves instead of light waves are used for the recognition,” explains the cybersecurity expert.

Because the technique analyzes radio waves moving through a space, a person does not need to have a phone, smartwatch, or other WiFi enabled device with them. “Thus, it does not matter whether you carry a WiFi device on you or not.”

Even turning off your own device would not necessarily prevent the system from working. “It’s sufficient that other WiFi devices in your surroundings are active.”

Ordinary WiFi Routers Could Become Surveillance Tools

The researchers say the findings reveal a potentially serious privacy risk because WiFi networks are already widespread in homes, offices, restaurants, and public spaces.

“This technology turns every router into a potential means for surveillance,” warns Julian Todt from KASTEL. “If you regularly pass by a café that operates a WiFi network, you could be identified there without noticing it and be recognized later — for example by public authorities or companies.”

There are currently simpler ways for intelligence agencies or cybercriminals to monitor people, Felix Morsbach notes. Those methods can include gaining access to existing CCTV systems or connected video doorbells.

“However, the omnipresent wireless networks might become a nearly comprehensive surveillance infrastructure with one concerning property: they are invisible and raise no suspicion.”

That possibility makes WiFi based monitoring especially notable. Unlike a visible security camera, a wireless network normally gives people no obvious indication that its radio signals could potentially be used to recognize who is nearby.

No Special Surveillance Hardware Is Needed

Earlier approaches to sensing people through wireless signals have often relied on specialized equipment or more complex measurements. Some techniques, for example, use LIDAR sensors, which measure distances by sending out light and analyzing the reflected signal.

Other WiFi based approaches use channel state information (CSI). This refers to measurements showing how a wireless radio signal changes as it travels through an environment and reflects from walls, furniture, people, and other objects.

The new technique does not require that kind of specialized hardware. According to the researchers, a standard WiFi device is enough.

The method takes advantage of normal communications produced by legitimate users connected to a WLAN. WLAN is another term for a wireless local area network, essentially the WiFi network operating within a home, office, café, or similar location.

Connected devices routinely send information back to the router to help optimize wireless communication. These signals, known as beamforming feedback information (BFI), are transmitted without encryption, meaning that anyone within range can potentially read them.

By analyzing that information, the system can generate images of people from multiple viewpoints. Those images can then be used to determine a person’s identity.

Once the machine learning model has already been trained to recognize individuals, the identification process takes only a few seconds.

Researchers Achieved Almost 100% Identification Accuracy

The team tested the technique in a study involving 197 participants. Their system was able to infer people’s identities with almost 100% accuracy, regardless of the viewing perspective or the way a person walked.

“The technology is powerful, but at the same time entails risks to our fundamental rights, especially to privacy,” emphasizes Strufe.

The researchers are particularly concerned about how such technology could be used in authoritarian countries. They warn that WiFi based identification could potentially be applied to monitor protesters or other groups without the obvious surveillance infrastructure associated with conventional cameras.

Because wireless networks are already so common, the researchers argue that privacy protections should be built into future WiFi technology before these capabilities become easier to exploit at scale.

They are therefore calling for protective measures and privacy safeguards to be incorporated into the forthcoming IEEE 802.11bf WiFi standard.

Funding and Publication

The project was funded under the Helmholtz “Engineering Secure Systems” topic.

The researchers presented their results at the “ACM Conference on Computer and Communications Security” (CCS) in Taipei.

Robert Kushner, MD, ’82 GME, professor emeritus of Medicine in the Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, was a co-author of the study.

A GLP-1 Drug That Comes as a Pill

Aleniglipron differs from currently available GLP-1 drugs (glucagon-like peptide 1) such as semaglutide, which is sold as Ozempic and Wegovy. Instead of being a peptide-based injectable medication, aleniglipron is a small-molecule drug taken by mouth and is being developed as a treatment for obesity.

GLP-1 drugs work by mimicking the naturally occurring GLP-1 hormone. Their effects include stimulating insulin secretion, reducing appetite and increasing feelings of fullness, which can support weight loss.

Although existing peptide-based GLP-1 medications can be highly effective, access remains limited for many patients. These drugs require injections, creating an additional barrier for some people. They also pose storage challenges (refrigeration) and can be difficult and costly to manufacture at the scale needed to meet demand.

Small-molecule GLP-1 drugs could address some of those limitations because they can be taken orally and may be easier to manufacture in large quantities, Kushner said.

“The difference with aleniglipron is it’s a small molecule, which means it’s chemically made and could be taken with or without food. Most medications we take, whether it’s aspirin or blood pressure medicine, are small molecules. They’re chemicals that you make structurally, and because of that you can potentially combine them with other medications,” Kushner said.

Testing Aleniglipron in 230 Adults

For the placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial, researchers evaluated the safety of aleniglipron in 230 adults (average age of 50 years) with obesity or overweight at 38 U.S. medical centers.

Participants were randomly assigned to one of three dose groups: 45, 90 or 120 milligrams. They took aleniglipron orally once each day, with doses increased every four weeks, or received placebo. Treatment continued for a total of 36 weeks.

By week 36, average body-weight change from baseline reached −9.0 percent in the 45 milligrams group, -10.7 percent in the 90 milligrams group and -12.1 percent in the 120 milligrams group. The placebo group had a -0.5 percent change.

Side Effects and Next Steps

Gastrointestinal side effects were generally mild to moderate across the treatment groups and became less frequent as the study progressed. Overall, 10.4 percent of participants discontinued treatment, and researchers reported no cases of drug-induced liver injury.

Kushner said the results support continued development of alenglipron as an obesity treatment and further evaluation of its effectiveness in an upcoming phase III trial.

“We didn’t find any concerns; no new safety signals. We found a dose that seems to be effective, and the dose escalation will be slowed down further as we go into phase III trial to increase tolerability,” Kushner said.

This work was supported by Structure Therapeutics.

The late-breaking findings were presented at the Society for Cardiovascular Angiography & Interventions (SCAI) 2026 Scientific Sessions and Canadian Association of Interventional Cardiology/Association Canadienne de cardiologie d’intervention (CAIC-ACCI) Summit in Montreal.

What Is Lipoprotein(a)?

Lp(a) is a cholesterol-carrying particle found in the blood. It resembles LDL, often called “bad” cholesterol, but includes an additional protein that may make it more likely to contribute to cardiovascular disease.

High Lp(a) levels are largely determined by genetics. They can increase cardiovascular risk even when more familiar cholesterol measurements fall within normal ranges. Approximately one in five people has high Lp(a), yet most people with elevated levels do not know it because the condition typically causes no symptoms.

Scientists have long recognized a connection between elevated Lp(a) and cardiovascular disease. However, researchers are still working to understand how well Lp(a) predicts future risk in people who already have heart disease compared with those who do not.

More Than 20,000 Patients Analyzed

For the new analysis, researchers examined previously collected plasma samples from 20,070 participants aged 40 years and older who had taken part in the ACCORD, PEACE, and SPRINT NIH randomized trials.

The samples were tested in a dedicated translational laboratory with a standardized assay, with results reported using the current standard of nmo/L. Participants were divided into groups according to their Lp(a) levels (<75, 75-125, 125-175, or ≥ 175 nmo/L) and according to whether they already had heart disease.

Researchers then used Cox models that accounted for demographics, comorbidities, lipids, and therapies.

Participants had a mean age of 65.2±8.5 years, and 64.9% of patients were male. Researchers focused primarily on major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), which included myocardial infarction, stroke, coronary revascularization, or cardiac death.

Very High Lp(a) Linked to Greater Risk

During a median follow-up period of 3.98 years, 1,461 (7.3%) MACE events occurred.

An Lp(a) level greater than or equal to 175 nmo/L was independently associated with an increased risk of MACE (HR 1.31, 95% CI: 1.10-1.55), cardiovascular death (HR 1.49, 95% CI: 1.07-2.06), and stroke (HR 1.64, 95% CI: 1.14-2.37).

However, having Lp(a) at this level was not associated with a higher risk of heart attack.

The association was also stronger among participants who already had heart disease (HR 1.30, 95%CI: 1.07-1.57) than among those without existing heart disease (HR 1.18, 95% CI: 0.91-1.54).

A Simple Blood Test Could Reveal Hidden Risk

“For the first time, we can quantify the specific level of Lp(a) that puts patients at a significantly higher risk of major cardiovascular events, especially stroke and death,” said Subhash Banerjee, MD, FSCAI, interventional cardiologist at Baylor Scott & White in Dallas, Texas. “Regardless of age, patients can take a simple, low-cost blood test to determine whether they have this genetic condition. If elevated Lp(a) levels are detected, they should work closely with their healthcare provider to aggressively lower LDL cholesterol and manage other cardiovascular risk factors as much as possible. This knowledge is especially valuable as new targeted treatment options are on the horizon.”

The researchers also emphasized that stored biospecimens can reveal new information from clinical trials that have already been completed. They plan to examine additional patient groups in future analyses, including people with chronic kidney disease and peripheral artery disease.

The work was led by Professors WooChul Jung and Jeong Woo Han of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Seoul National University (SNU), together with Professor Sang Ouk Kim’s team at KAIST and Dr. Beomgyun Jeong’s team at the Korea Basic Science Institute (KBSI). Their results clarify how silver nanocatalysts improve solid oxide cell performance and show that both the location and mechanism of oxygen reactions change depending on how the cell is being used.

How Solid Oxide Cells Work

Solid oxide cells move oxygen ions through a solid material to perform two different functions. They can generate electricity, or they can split water to produce hydrogen.

Because of this versatility, the technology is viewed as an important option for expanding clean energy and hydrogen use. Potential applications range from distributed combined heat and power systems in buildings and factories that generate electricity while making use of the high-temperature heat produced during operation to renewable energy-based green hydrogen production.

The findings were published in the globally renowned journal Energy & Environmental Science and were selected as an Outside Back Cover article, highlighting their significance.

Pinpointing Where Catalysts Do Their Work

The performance and durability of solid oxide cells depend heavily on how quickly oxygen reactions occur at the air electrode. But real electrodes have complicated structures, making it difficult for researchers to determine exactly where nanocatalysts participate in those reactions and how they improve performance.

Earlier research had already shown that metal nanocatalysts can make these cells work better. What remained unclear was whether most of the catalytic activity takes place directly on the catalyst surface or at the boundary where the catalyst touches the electrode. Researchers also did not know whether the same catalytic mechanism was responsible for both electricity generation and hydrogen production.

To investigate these questions, the team created a model electrode with carefully controlled structure and composition instead of relying on the much more complicated architecture of conventional electrodes. Metal nanoparticles with uniform sizes and spacing were arranged in ordered patterns, allowing the researchers to examine their catalytic roles much more precisely.

The scientists first compared several metal nanocatalysts, including silver, cobalt, palladium, and platinum. Each was deposited on a thin film perovskite oxide electrode and tested for its ability to accelerate oxygen reactions.

Silver produced the strongest catalytic improvement among the metals tested.

Silver Switches Reaction Sites

The researchers then changed the size and arrangement of the silver nanoparticles to determine where the most important reactions were taking place.

During the oxygen reduction reaction (electricity generation), reaction rates increased as the length of the boundary between the silver nanoparticles and the electrode grew. This showed that the interface between the silver and the electrode is the main reaction site when the cell is generating electricity.

The situation changed during the oxygen evolution reaction (hydrogen production). In this mode, reaction rates increased with the surface area of the silver nanoparticles. That result showed that the surface of the silver particles themselves becomes the primary reaction site during hydrogen production.

In other words, the same nanocatalyst can perform its most important chemistry in two different places depending on the direction in which the energy device is operating.

The researchers examined these differences further by adjusting the applied voltage and oxygen concentration. They found that during oxygen reduction, silver nanocatalysts help transfer electrons to oxygen. During oxygen evolution, the silver instead helps oxygen atoms combine into oxygen molecules and then supports their release.

A Closer Look at the Atomic Mechanism

The team also used synchrotron-based analysis to watch changes occurring on the electrode surface while the system was operating. These experiments were combined with atomic-scale theoretical calculations.

The results showed that silver nanocatalysts alter the electronic structure of the electrode surface in ways that favor oxygen reduction. During oxygen evolution, they create conditions that make it easier for oxygen atoms to join together.

These observations help explain why the catalyst behaves differently depending on whether the cell is producing electricity or hydrogen.

A New Strategy for Clean Energy Catalysts

The findings suggest that nanocatalysts should not simply be viewed as additives that speed up chemical reactions. Their active locations and operating mechanisms can change with the operating mode of the energy system.

That insight introduces a new design strategy for solid oxide cells. Instead of optimizing the catalyst as a single component, researchers may be able to improve performance by separately engineering the catalyst surface and the catalyst electrode interface when developing air electrodes for solid oxide fuel cells and solid oxide electrolysis cells.

If this principle can be successfully incorporated into practical devices, it could improve electricity generation efficiency in distributed energy systems used in buildings and factories. It could also lower the amount of electricity required for renewable energy-powered water electrolysis used to produce green hydrogen.

The approach could also help advance reversible solid oxide cells, which are capable of both generating electricity and producing hydrogen within the same system. Such devices could support more efficient energy production and storage in homes and industrial facilities.

A Platform for Studying Other Catalysts

The precisely controlled nanoparticle array-based model electrode developed by the researchers also provides a way to identify where catalysts operate and how they function in real energy systems.

The platform could be useful well beyond solid oxide cells. Potential applications include hydrogen production devices, other electrochemical energy conversion technologies, and oxygen separation systems.

Professor WooChul Jung, who led the study, stated: “This research is significant because it quantitatively evaluates the performance of nanocatalysts while also identifying their actual reaction sites and operating mechanisms.”

He added: “We plan to further establish this as a new design principle that can be applied to various energy conversion materials and catalytic systems.”

Dr. Jinwook Kim, who led the research, is currently a postdoctoral researcher at Northwestern University and will soon join the University of Seoul as an assistant professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. He plans to continue studying nanocatalysts and solid oxide cells, with the goal of extending this work toward the development of high-efficiency energy conversion materials and devices.

This research was supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Research Foundation of Korea (RS-2024-00452853, RS-2025-00521316). Synchrotron-based AP-XPS research at the KBSI-PAL 8A2 AP-XPS beamline was supported by Pohang Accelerator Laboratory/POSTECH and Korea Basic Science Institute.

Quick links

What Happens During a Total Solar Eclipse

A solar eclipse happens when the Moon moves directly between Earth and the Sun, covering the Sun and casting a narrow region of Earth into darkness.

When the Sun’s brilliant surface is hidden, its faint and wispy atmosphere becomes visible. Stars and planets can emerge in the darkened sky, temperatures can fall, and winds may strengthen. Birds and insects may even begin behaving as though night has arrived.

On August 12, 2026, a solar eclipse will be visible across a large part of Europe. The narrow path of totality, where the Moon completely covers the Sun, will pass across Greenland, Iceland, a small part of northeastern Portugal, and then Spain.

Elsewhere in Europe, observers will experience a partial solar eclipse. In these locations, the Moon will appear to take a ‘bite’ out of the Sun, causing daylight to dim slightly.

ESA Will Broadcast the Eclipse Live From Spain

ESA will mark the event with a live broadcast from the Observatorio Astrofísico de Javalambre in Teruel (Spain). Spain is expected to provide excellent conditions for viewing as the eclipse moves across the country from west to east.

Viewers can tune in through ESA Web TV or ESA’s YouTube channel beginning at 1:30 p.m. EDT (19:30 CEST) on August 12.

Award-winning space scientist and science communicator Dame Dr Maggie Aderin will host the broadcast. Guests will include ESA’s Director of Science Professor Carole Mundell, ESA scientists Andy To, Miho Janvier and Martin Hewitson, and observatory director Javier Cenarro.

Live interviews, explanations and striking imagery will explore several aspects of eclipse science. Topics will include the Sun and its corona, the famous eclipse that helped transform our understanding of gravity, and ESA’s work to create artificial solar eclipses in space.

81 Seconds of Total Darkness

The main event will occur at 2:31 p.m. EDT (11:31 a.m. PDT) when Javalambre experiences 1 minute and 21 seconds of totality. During that brief period, the Moon will completely cover the Sun and send the observatory into darkness.

Coverage will include telescope views and drone footage of the eclipse, along with Maggie and Carole’s reactions as they witness the event.

The broadcast will be presented in English and is expected to finish at about 2:45 p.m. EDT (11:45 a.m. PDT).

Why Javalambre Is an Ideal Eclipse Viewing Site

The Observatorio Astrofísico de Javalambre is a world-class astronomical facility positioned directly within the path of totality. Its two main professional telescopes carry out wide-sky astronomical surveys that help scientists investigate galaxies, dark energy, and the large-scale structure of the cosmos.

The observatory is also well suited for eclipse viewing. Cloud cover is uncommon, light pollution is low, and the site has an especially clear view toward the western horizon. That will be important because the Sun will be moving toward sunset as the Moon passes in front of it.

Several additional small telescopes will be brought to the observatory specifically for the eclipse. Their live feeds will provide continuous close-up views as the Moon gradually moves across the Sun, showing the different stages of the event.

During the broadcast, Javier Cenarro, Director of the observatory, will discuss Javalambre and explain its significance for a future ESA space science mission.

Multiple Live Feeds Will Track the Eclipse

ESA will not rely only on observations from Javalambre. Two additional live feeds will come from other locations inside the path of totality, improving the chances that the broadcast will capture clear, high-quality views of the eclipse.

One feed will come from ESA’s public event in León. Another will originate in Frómista (Palencia), where collaborator Alejandro Sánchez de Miguel will conduct eclipse observations. He is affiliated with the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia, the Complutense University of Madrid, and the Stars4All Foundation.

The effort, known as the “Big Bang,” was carried out by engineers at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The team simultaneously shut down certain powered components and replaced them with options that use less energy, while also making sure Voyager 2 stayed warm enough to function properly.

Voyager 2’s Shrinking Power Supply

Voyager 2 and its twin, Voyager 1, rely on radioisotope thermoelectric generators, which produce electricity from heat released by decaying plutonium. As that plutonium supply steadily diminishes, each spacecraft loses about 4 watts of available power every year.

After nearly half a century in space, the Voyagers now have extremely limited power to spare. To keep the spacecraft operating, mission controllers have increasingly had to shut down systems and equipment that are no longer essential.

Since 2024, declining power levels have forced the team to switch off two science instruments on each Voyager spacecraft (each spacecraft has 10 instruments; others had been turned off previously because they were only used for the mission’s planetary encounters).

An Extra Year of Science

Without the “Big Bang” power saving effort, the Voyager team would have needed to turn off another instrument aboard Voyager 2 before the end of 2026. The newly freed power is expected to keep the spacecraft’s three remaining instruments operating for at least one additional year.

NASA plans to carry out the same power-saving swap on Voyager 1, which is currently farther from Earth than Voyager 2. The mission team expects to complete that work in the coming months.