New research in perennial ryegrass identifies LpCbDR1, a drought-responsive transcription factor, as a molecular switch that helps the plant decide when old leaves should yellow and when stress defenses should rise.

Floral scent is more than a pleasant trait: it shapes pollinator attraction, plant communication, and the market value of ornamental flowers. In herbaceous peony, one of the world's most valued garden and cut-flower plants, the molecular recipe behind fragrance has remained only partly understood. 

Freezing can turn a productive subtropical orchard into a landscape of damaged leaves and stalled growth, but triploid loquat appears to carry an internal defense. 

The commercialization of liquid lithium-ion batteries has revolutionized the consumer electronics industry. However, conventional lithium-ion batteries with graphite anodes and organic electrolytes are approaching their intrinsic performance limits and struggle to meet the growing demands for higher energy density, reliability, and safety in electric vehicles and large-scale energy storage. Solid-state batteries utilizing lithium or sodium metal anodes are considered promising next-generation energy storage solutions. Despite this potential, the formation of dendrites during charge–discharge cycling remains a critical challenge. Dendrite growth can initiate a destructive feedback loop of crack propagation and further dendrite intrusion, ultimately leading to battery failure and performance degradation. Previous studies have predominantly focused on single physical domains, such as electrochemical, stress, or thermal fields. However, such single-physics approach limits the understanding of dendrite evolution under realistic, coupled multiphysics conditions. This review first compares the morphological characteristics of dendrites in liquid and solid-state metal batteries. It then critically examines the key factors and predictive models of dendrite formation, initially from single-physics and subsequently from an integrated multiphysics perspective. Finally, strategies for mitigating dendrite growth via multiphysics field regulation are summarized. By establishing a comprehensive framework that integrates morphology evolution, multiphysics modeling, and suppression strategies, this work provides a foundational theoretical understanding for addressing dendrite formation in solid-state lithium and sodium metal batteries.

Fluorescence molecular imaging is an evolving technology for precision tumor diagnosis and therapy. By means of fluorescence probes, it enables the visualization of tumor-associated molecules, cells, or microenvironmental components, thereby facilitating the efficient identification and localization of lesions. With recent advances in the near-infrared II (NIR-II) window, targeted probes, microenvironment-responsive probes, multimodal imaging strategies, and theranostic integrated probes, fluorescence molecular imaging is shifting from a modality primarily used to “visualize lesions” toward a more comprehensive platform for tumor identification, therapy facilitation, and treatment-response monitoring. Meanwhile, artificial intelligence, particularly deep learning, can support image denoising, enhancement, resolution improvement, and three-dimensional localization, and may further assist in tumor recognition and grading, minimal residual disease assessment, and metastatic risk estimation. Overall, the integration of fluorescence imaging with AI is advancing oncology toward a more precise, intelligent, and integrated paradigm; however, key challenges remain, including probe biocompatibility and safety, clinical translation, and the lack of standardized imaging protocols.

A research team has identified 252 heat shock protein 20 (Hsp20) genes across seven representative species of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, revealing their evolutionary relationships and potential roles in plant development and environmental adaptation. 

A research team has revealed that pitaya peel color arises from coordinated changes in several pigment pathways rather than from a single coloring compound. 

A research team has completed the first genome-wide analysis of the UDP-glycosyltransferase (UGT) gene family in passion fruit (Passiflora edulis), identifying 149 genes and revealing their potential roles in flavonoid production, anthocyanin metabolism, fruit development, and environmental responses. 

A research team has shown that returning rice straw to paddy fields increases soil organic carbon by strengthening soil aggregates and promoting stable chemical bonds between carbon and iron oxides.