A new study published in Big Earth Data presents phenological metrics derived from Earth observation (EO) satellite time series—such as greening onset, senescence, and growing season length—which are essential for crop monitoring but challenged by the massive scale of EO data exceeding local processing capacities, and introduces a free, open-source Web Crop Phenology Metrics Service (WCPMS) built on the Brazil Data Cube platform for server-side extraction from large datasets. It further demonstrates the tool’s effectiveness by estimating soybean sowing dates in Brazil using phenological metrics and validating the results against field data.

A research paper by scientists from South China University of Technology designed a fabric-based ultrathin flexible microelectrode array with novel stimulation–inhibition electrode units that reduces current diffusion and improves focusing, improving tactile feedback accuracy and clarity.

The new research paper, published on Apr. 1 in the journal Cyborg and Bionic Systems, proposed a fabric-based microelectrode array (FMA) incorporating a stimulation–inhibition electrode unit structure, aiming to improve the precision of tactile perception, especially for applications in VR environments.

A research paper by scientists from Peking University introduced an octopus-inspired underwater gripper with rapidly tunable stiffness, integrated into an upward transport robot designed for efficient underwater object manipulation.

The new research paper, published on Mar. 31 in the journal Cyborg and Bionic Systems, unveil a soft robotic gripper that softens in 1.3 seconds and rigidifies in 0.8 seconds, enabling versatile grasping and silent vertical transport in cluttered underwater environments.

This study reveals pronounced genomic divergence between high- and low-altitude lineages of shepherd’s purse and identifies candidate genes underlying local adaptation to heterogeneous environments in China.

MEMS gyroscopes are expected to deliver stable, precise motion sensing in ever more demanding devices, yet hidden phase mismatches inside their control systems can quietly erode that precision. 

Professor Cui Yunhuo and Professor Lei Hao from the Institute of Curriculum and Instruction at East China Normal University have been named to Elsevier's 2025 "Highly Cited Chinese Researchers" list in Education. Prof. Cui receives the honor for the fourth consecutive year, and Prof. Lei for the third, highlighting their sustained impact in the field.

Professor Ke Zheng of East China Normal University launches the "Education Powerhouse Research Series," addressing China's transition from a "large" to a "strong" education system. Grounded in real-world challenges, the series seeks to bridge the gap between theory and practice while contributing Chinese perspectives to global education governance.

Erectile dysfunction is one of the most frequent and distressing complications after radical prostatectomy, significantly impairing patients’ quality of life. A new review published in UroPrecision summarizes current evidence on penile rehabilitation strategies, including oral medications, intracavernosal injections, and vacuum devices, and proposes a risk-stratified algorithm to guide clinical decision-making. 

This review is part of the themed issue “Distinct Themes for the Advanced Practice Providers in Andrology”