Clots that block blood flow away from the brain are one of the most common causes of strokes for younger people. If caught early, anticoagulants can sometimes resolve the issue, but the treatment fails in 20-40% of cases. Now researchers are investigating a new ultrasound technique capable of quickly and effectively removing these clots. (Image credit: abstract - C. Josh, illustration - X. Jiang and C. Shi; research credit: B. Zhang et al.; via Physics World)

Keeping wounds safe and clean is hard when bandages are so prone to coming off. A team of researchers may have found a solution, though, using ultrasound to enhance adhesion. (Image and research credit: Z. Ma et al.; via Physics World)

Manmade soundproofing tends to be porous and bulky or very limited in the range of frequencies it can handle. In contrast, moths are natural absorbers of ultrasound, having evolved to avoid reflecting those frequencies back to the bats hunting them. (Image and research credit: T. Neil et al.; via Physics World)

Assembling structures from small components is often difficult. Techniques like optical tweezers are limited to very small objects, and magnetic techniques only work with certain materials. Here, researchers use acoustical forces on bubbles to move and align centimeter-sized objects. (Image credit: top - J. Thomas, others - R. Goyal et al.; research credit: R. Goyal et al.; via APS Physics)