A research team led by Professor Keehoon Kim (ME, GSCST), along with Ph.D. candidate Jaehyun Park, has developed a haptic device that can simultaneously enhance worker safety and operational efficiency in industrial environments. The study was recently published in the international robotics journal IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics.Automation is becoming increasingly prevalent in high-risk industrial environments such as factories and steel mills. However, despite significant advancements in robotic technology, certain tasks — such as lump iron removal in steel production, which the

Over 30 years ago, dams built along Korea’s west coast promised prosperity and stability. Yet, over time, a hidden danger quietly began to emerge. Recently, a research team led by Professor Sae Yun Kwon (DESE) and Dr. Young-Gwang Kim from the Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science (KRISS) analyzed more than 30 years of data. Their findings revealed that infrastructure such as dams can significantly alter the pattern of bioaccumulation of toxic substances, including mercury. This research was published in the international environmental science journal Environmental Pollution.The res

On March 20, the National Assembly passed the pension reform bill for the first time in 18 years. While While both the ruling party and opposition parties evaluated this bill as a “dramatic success,” younger politicians and citizens are expressing concerns.The National Pension Service (NPS) was first implemented in 1988, to ensure financial stability for people who are not economically active anymore. Initially, those who joined were required to pay 3% of their monthly income and in return, they received a pension with a 70% income replacement rate. In 1998, the first revision was implemented.

Pope Francis’ passing has brought great sorrow to the world. Since 2013, he has led the Catholic Church as the 266th pope, touching many lives with his love and humbleness towards the marginalized. During his papacy, the Vatican experienced positive changes in various aspects, including an inclusive message towards the LGBTQ+ community, an expanded role for women in the Church, and proactive responses to climate change issues.Following the passing of Pope Francis, a conclave was held in the Sistine Chapel to elect a new pope. The term “conclave” comes from Latin, meaning “locked with a key,” a

A joint research team of POSTECH and Jeonbuk National University recently developed a technology for “perfectly trapping waves,” a feat previously thought to be impossible. Their findings were published in Physical Review Letters.Imagine riding a swing: it will travel much higher when pushed at just the right moment. This is an example of “resonance,” a phenomenon in which a wave is amplified at specific frequencies. Many devices around us, such as cellphones, radios, and ultrasonic equipment, rely on resonance. A problem with conventional systems was that they suffered from gradual energy lea

Professor Sang-min Jeon (CE) and Dr. Tawseef Wani’s research team have developed a “zebra-striped evaporator” that can simultaneously produce drinking water and electricity by evaporating seawater using solar energy. This research achievement has been published online in the prestigious international journal Desalination in the field of seawater desalination research.According to a UNESCO report in 2024, approximately 2.2 billion people worldwide struggle to access safe drinking water. The technology of “desalination” to address the increasingly serious water shortage problem is advancing, but

On April 10, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy hosted the launch ceremony for the K-Humanoid Alliance at The Plaza Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul. The ceremony was attended by approximately 350 officials from 40 entities, including major robotics companies such as Rainbow Robotics, Neuromeka and Doosan Robotics, as well as universities such as POSTECH, Seoul National University (SNU) and Korea University, who signed a Letter of Agreement that will bring them together with a common goal of advancing South Korea to become a global leader in the field of humanoid robotics.The alliance’s initial

In late March, wildfires ripped through the Southeast region of South Korea.Known as the Uiseong wildfires, they are one of the worst wildfires in South Korea’s history. Initially beginning in Uiseong on March 22, they spread rapidly across Gyeongsangbuk-do. The fires traveled through multiple cities and villages, with the estimated burned ground equal to approximately 80% of the area of Seoul. Complete evacuation orders have been assigned to Andong, Cheongsong, and Yeongdeok, while partial evacuation orders have been assigned to Uiseong, Yecheon, Yeongyang, Uljin, and Pohang.The blaze impacte

Have you ever seen an experiment where flowers placed in liquid nitrogen are shattered? Most materials become more brittle and fragile as their temperature decreases. However, some metal alloys exhibit the opposite phenomenon, becoming stronger as the temperature decreases. Recently, a research team led by Professor Hyoung Seop Kim (GIFT, MSE) discovered the principle behind this phenomenon. Equipment used in extreme environments such as spaceships and deep submergence vehicles requires special metals that can withstand cryogenic temperatures. Alloys made by combining several metal elements be

A research team led by Professor Chulhong Kim (EE, CiTE, ME, GSCST) and Prof. Yong Joo Ahn (CiTE, GSCAT) has made a breakthrough in stroke treatment, with an advanced technology that combines light and sound. The findings have been published in Advanced Science, an international academic science journal.Ischemic strokes occur due to the blockage of blood vessels that supply blood to the brain. It is difficult to recover from it unless treated promptly, as the damage to brain tissue accelerates over time. Formerly existing technologies, such as CT or MRI scans, had limitations in monitoring cha

The so-called “2030 generation,” which includes young people in their 20s and 30s, has given up on finding jobs. The tight job market has been a persistent issue for several years, yet the situation has not improved. Instead, it has worsened, as more young people are now choosing to stop job hunting altogether.According to the Korean Statistical Information Service (KOSIS), the number of people in their thirties who identified themselves as “rested” reached 316,000 in February, marking a record high for the month. The “rested” category refers to individuals who reported that they were “simply

Apple has delayed its highly anticipated Siri AI enhancements, initially set to launch this spring, pushing their release to 2026. Showcased last year as part of Apple Intelligence, the upgrades promised a more proactive Siri capable of interacting across multiple apps and utilizing personal context for tasks. However, Apple cited unexpected challenges, stating, “It is going to take us longer than we thought to deliver on these features and we anticipate rolling them out in the coming year.”The delay raises concerns about Apple’s competitiveness in AI. While Apple has introduced features like

A research team led by Professor Jinah Jang (ME, LIFE, CiTE, GSCST) has successfully developed a 3D gastric cancer model capable of accurately predicting drug responses in cancer patients. This achievement was made through collaborative research with Prof. Charles Lee’s team at The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine in the United States. This study, while preserving the characteristics of patient tissues, evaluates individual drug responses and suggests the potential for predictive applications. This research was published in the international journal Advanced Science.One of the most sign

A research team led by Professor Junsuk Rho (ME, CE, EE), along with ME Ph.D. candidates Seokwoo Kim, Joohoon Kim, Kyungtae Kim, and Minsu Jeong has proposed a groundbreaking approach to overcome the limitations of planar optics. Their study redefines the metasurface sampling theory to improve optical performance. This research was published in Nature Communications.Planar optics enable ultra-thin optical devices. Bulky lenses hinder miniaturization in cameras and AR/VR devices. In contrast, metasurfaces, which consist of nanoscale structures that sample the phase distribution of light, can pe

The majority of universities in Korea have recently decided to increase tuition fees, breaking the long-standing trend of a tuition freeze. While it is widely known that many universities have been suffering from financial difficulties due to the prolonged tuition freeze policy, many are expressing concerns about the additional financial burden on university students.According to the Korean Association of Private University Presidents (KPU), it is confirmed that 124 universities have increased tuition fees for the 2025 spring semester as of Feb. 11. This accounts for 65.3% of the 190 universit

No echoes. No voices. Not even whispers. Indescribable anguish roars across our nation in silence. Every hour, a person throws himself to die, and yet, the press no longer reports, and lawmakers offer only half-hearted responses. The public remains indifferent as if the crisis has faded into mere statistics. Headlines shout about cancer and cardiac diseases as a severe matter, but little knows that suicide is the number one cause of death among the young generation.It has been decades since Korea’s suicide rate became overwhelmingly highest among all OECD countries. Referring to 2023 statistic

A research team led by Professor Gil-Ho Lee (PHYS) along with Hyeon-Woo Jeong (PHYS Ph.D. student) collaborated with Dr. Kenji Watanabe and Dr. Takashi Taniguchi from the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS) in Japan to uncover the effects of edge states in bilayer graphene on electron transport and non-local transport mechanisms. This research was published in Nano Letters.Bilayer graphene, a material consisting of two layers of graphene, can control the bandgap, which plays a crucial role in electron movement, using external electric fields. This feature has made it a key material

A research team led by Professor Won Jong Kim (CHEM) and the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) has developed a biodegradable polymer-based carrier that could deliver mRNA efficiently. This research was recently published in Biomaterials.After the COVID-19 pandemic, the potential of mRNA vaccines has gained a lot of attention. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), which have been mainly utilized in previous vaccines, have fatal weaknesses although they have high delivery efficiency. LNPs spread throughout the body after injection move to the liver, where they are accumulated and cause to

Martial law has a significant meaning to South Koreans, closely related to the country’s modern history in the 20th century. Most Koreans’ view towards the activation of martial law is closer to the negative side, and this perspective derives from the history of hard-fought democracy. There have been several declarations of martial law in the 20th century, and most have led to a dictatorship and limited civilian rights of the people.In 1960, Rhee Syngman, the first and also second and third president of the Republic of Korea, declared martial law to continue his regime as the president. The 12

More than three weeks of ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles have caused at least 28 billion USD in insured damages. At least 28 people died in the blazes, and tens of thousands of people evacuated their homes. Although some fires are contained, new fires are emerging in Southern California. The primary fires in Los Angeles are the Palisades fire and the Eaton fire. The first report of the Palisades fire was on the morning of Jan. 7. The Santa Ana winds that blow from the inland to the coast spread the fire rapidly. The fire destroyed thousands of structures and killed 11 people. It has consumed