Researchers are pioneering new frontiers in materials science and optics with impactful applications. University of Nottingham unveiled antibacterial plastic surface microtopographies without antibiotics. Advances in silicon meta-optics achieve high-fidelity full-color imaging enabling compact optical devices. Germanium disulfide emerges as a superior UV-visible transparent material promising breakthroughs in nanophotonics. New breakthroughs in parallel optical computing enable processing at unprecedented speeds with multi-wavelength multiplexing. Additionally, carbon nanofiber integration enhances the strength and toughness of carbon fiber composites, key for aerospace and automotive uses.