Not all universities and colleges have the equipment people use in industry, which puts students at a disadvantage compared to those who can access and use these instruments.

A rule proposed by the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) would give political appointees final authority over discretionary grant decisions ahead of peer reviewers, allow agencies to terminate active grants without a formal right of appeal, and restrict international collaboration and publication funding across federal science agencies. For the optical, molecular, vibrational, and atomic spectroscopy community, the proposal could affect the grants, journal support, and student and postdoctoral positions that sustain the field.

Top articles published this week include a new “IR Spectral Interpretation” column and a preview of the upcoming American Chemical Society (ACS) Fall 2026 Meeting.

A recent study showcased an auto-focusing laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) imaging system that uses a motor-driven focusing mirror to track surface height changes in real time, cutting signal variability on irregular surfaces and improving spectral stability more than eightfold compared to conventional static systems.

This review critically examines the progress in the characterization of carbon nanotubes and graphene, emphasizing how each X-ray technique probes a different aspect of structure–property relationships.

Can spectroscopy help cities manage water quality during monsoons?

An upcoming conference will review the advances in vibrational spectroscopy.

This study synthesized and characterized α-lactalbumin-infused nickel hydroxide nanoparticles, demonstrating successful incorporation of the protein into the nanoparticle structure and highlighting their potential for future biomedical and other advanced applications.

This proof-of-concept study demonstrates that electrothermal vaporization inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry combined with multivariate analysis can accurately classify the sex of individuals from both dyed and undyed hair samples, highlighting its potential as a green, forensic tool for human sex determination.

A recent Tutorial Tuesday clip explored modern oil refining operations and the role spectroscopy plays in these operations.

An upcoming oral session at the American Chemical Society (ACS) Fall 2026 meeting will explore how women in STEM can pursue entrepreneurship opportunities.

Pittcon award winners unpack biopharma column tech and AI-driven chromatography, sharing career insights and practical method-development lessons.

A new review in Food Physics finds that combining near-infrared spectroscopy with machine learning is transforming food quality testing across sectors like meat, dairy, and produce.

The American Chemical Society (ACS) has several keynotes planned for their upcoming Fall 2026 conference.

Researchers at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad showed that Raman spectroscopy combined with chemometric modeling (PCA and PLSR) can accurately and non-destructively quantify rosuvastatin content in pharmaceutical tablets.

Curriculum design is important in preparing students for the workforce. This “Pathways in Spectroscopy” clip explores the areas of spectroscopy that need to be represented more in university curriculums.

Top articles published this week include a review article on X-ray techniques and a new “Pathways in Spectroscopy” episode that discusses an approach to teaching students about spectroscopy.

In this short feature article, we explore the topics covered at the recent International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy (ISMS).

What was covered in our last "What's Nu" newsletter? We've got you covered! This Q&A overview addresses key topics in analytical spectroscopy, such as how spectroscopy is being used in materials science and battery analysis.

A European study of nearly 9,000 cropland soil samples found that combining visible–near-infrared (vis-NIR) spectroscopy with climate and topographic data only improves soil carbon and nitrogen prediction accuracy at spectral resolutions of 10 nanometers or finer.

Spectroscopy is playing a key role in analyzing materials in lithium-ion batteries.

The upcoming 2026 Vibrational Spectroscopy Seminar will focus on time-resolved spectroscopy and vibrational imaging, with structured mentorship component for doctoral and postdoctoral attendees.

A new artificial intelligence (AI) interpretability method developed at Zhejiang Police College was designed to improve transparency in Raman spectroscopy classification by segmenting spectral data into continuous regions and quantifying each region's contribution to model decisions.

This paper demonstrates the use of optical photothermal infrared (O-PTIR) spectroscopy for the detection, identification, and localization of microplastics in tissue samples.

A review of selected X-ray analysis work published on Spectroscopy Online from 2022–2026.

How does a college professor pull from their experience in government and the private sector to educate students pursuing careers in spectroscopy?

What is infrared thermography and how can it be used to help us learn more about the Giza Pyramids?

Top articles published this week include the debut episode of “Spectroscopy Around the Globe,” a new episode of “Pathways in Spectroscopy,” and more.