(Singapore University of Technology and Design) It is clear that we must prioritize identifying and alleviating the conditions that made the Covid-19 pandemic possible. Even as it rages, scientists are already asking if it is more than just a virus, but rather a symptom emerging from something much deeper, a nonlinear dynamical system of coupled pathologies underlying a veneer of 'progress' in an increasingly fragile, volatile, hyperconnected world.

(University of Groningen) Lead-based perovskites efficiently turn light into electricity but they also present some major drawbacks: the most efficient materials are not very stable, while lead is a toxic element. University of Groningen scientists are studying alternatives to lead-based perovskites. It is very important to investigate in situ how lead-free perovskite crystals form and how the crystal structure affects the functioning of the solar cells.

(Georgia Institute of Technology) A simple, low-cost ventilator based on the resuscitation bags carried in ambulances -- and widely available in hospitals -- has been designed by an international team of university researchers. The device, which is powered by a 12-volt motor, could help meet peak medical demands in the industrialized world and serve resource-constrained countries that don't have supplies of conventional ventilators.

(RMIT University) Researchers examined whether steel slag that had been used to treat wastewater could then be recycled as an aggregate material for concrete. Their findings? Concrete made with post-treatment steel slag was about 17% stronger than concrete made with conventional aggregates, and 8% stronger than raw steel slag.

(African Academy of Sciences) The African Academy of Sciences (AAS) is today announcing a fixed cost of $100 to allow organizations of any size to assess their compliance against the requirements of the global standard for Good Financial Grant Practice (GFGP). This allows organizations of any size to rate their capability to receive and manage grants.