Spotlight on Scientific Discovery & Engineering: Physics, Function & Future Frontiers

This Spotlight series traces how physics-driven methods and engineering choices are reshaping what we can detect, build, and understand in living systems and how innovation is steered by society. Ultraweak photon emission imaging suggests a label-free window into vitality and stress responses across animals and plants. Ultrasound-enabled in vivo 3D printing extends fabrication beyond the limits of light, pointing toward on-demand implants formed beneath centimeter-thick tissues. In parallel, ribosome profiling and new screening strategies are revealing thousands of overlooked microproteins, expanding the functional map of genomes and opening fresh therapeutic and vaccine targets. An editorial on engineering impact underscores that lasting advances depend on clear problem framing, measurable improvement, and reproducible methods shared transparently. A historical lens on electric vehicles reminds us that technological progress is not linear: policy, economics, and entrenched interests can accelerate, or delay, sustainable futures.