Researchers from UCL, the University of Southampton and the University of Nottingham have developed a reinforcement learning-based control scheme that helps wave energy converters harvest more power from the ocean without relying on a precise mathematical model of the device. By combining a proximal policy optimization (PPO) algorithm with short-term wave forecasts, the controller continuously adapts itself and generated up to 13.9% more energy than a conventional controller when tested on real sea-wave data collected off the coast of Cornwall, UK.

A research team has developed a new type of battery component that results in safer and higher-capacity batteries. It can improve lithium metal batteries’ safety, reliability, and electrochemical performance. Their work provides a feasible molecular engineering strategy for developing safe, high-performance lithium metal batteries.

Wind-assisted propulsion systems (WAPS) can convert naturally available wind energy directly into additional thrust, reducing ships’ dependence on conventional fuels. A new techno-economic review examines four major systems: rotor sails, boundary-layer control sails, wing sails and kite sails, and evaluates their aerodynamic principles, industrial readiness, design requirements, operational risks and lifecycle impacts. The authors also identify nine research priorities for turning promising performance estimates into safe, measurable and commercially viable emissions reductions.

A research team has developed an efficient, low-cost material designed to produce clean hydrogen gas from water. This research offers news perspectives and valuable insights into the development of efficient, stable, and economical noble metal-free electrocatalysts for green hydrogen production.

Current dithioester synthesis methods are cumbersome, inefficient and often toxic. A research team recently developed a green synthesis technique for dithioester generation using sulfide powder, alkyl bromides and aromatic aldehydes as precursor molecules in a photocatalysis reaction.

Exercise and time-restricted feeding can improve metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), but the molecular mechanisms remain unclear. A new study in eGastroenterology identifies miR-802 as a key molecular mediator regulated by PPARγ and targeting Psmd2. In mouse and cell models, blocking miR-802 reduced liver fat accumulation, while restoring miR-802 weakened the protective effects of exercise and dietary timing, revealing a potential therapeutic pathway.

Phenol is an organic compound that is considered a “platform molecule.” These molecules come from sustainable organic matter and can be used as a building block for other chemical compounds. Because phenol has high oxygen content and is too stable, it hasn’t been used to develop fuel. By adding hydrogen through a process called hydrogenation, phenol can be converted to cyclohexanone or cyclohexanol.

Shanghai, July 18--At the "AI for the Real World" forum during the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC), YUAN Yang, Associate Professor at Tsinghua University's Institute for Interdisciplinary Information Sciences, delivered a keynote speech--Calculus of Intelligence: A Theoretical Framework for Agents and unveiled iFuture, a new academic journal focusing on artificial intelligence(AI), alongside its supporting platform, Oscholar, demonstrating a fresh approach to academic publishing and research paradigms in the age of AI.

Dual-atom catalysts (DACs) show great promise in catalyzing oxygen reduction/evolution reactions (ORR/OER), yet facing significant challenges in achieving simultaneous high catalytic activity and stability in zinc–air batteries (ZABs). In this study, we synthesized a porous three-dimensional carbon aerogel anchored with atomically isolated FeN₄/NiN₄ dual sites and Ru₆ nanoclusters (FeN₄–Ru₆–NiN₄@PCA) to address these challenges. The adjacent Ru₆ nanoclusters effectively regulate the geometric structures of FeN₄ and NiN₄ sites and catalyze the formation of a highly graphitic carbon matrix. These structural features endow FeN₄–Ru₆–NiN₄@PCA with remarkable ORR/OER activity and stability, outperforming counterparts with only FeN₄/NiN₄ dual species and benchmark Pt/C and RuO₂ catalysts. Density functional theory calculations reveal that Ru6 clusters induce obvious electron redistribution of FeN₄/NiN₄ sites and optimize their electron transfer to the key oxygen intermediates (OH*) at the rate-determining steps, thereby accelerating the ORR and OER kinetics. When employed FeN₄–Ru₆–NiN₄@PCA as the cathode catalyst in ZABs, the resulting ZAB delivers a peak power density of 197.76 mW cm^–2 and demonstrates outstanding cycling stability over 2000 h, highlighting its great potential for use in applications of energy storage device.

Low thermal conductivity of β-Ga₂O₃ can restrict power density and accelerate device degradation of β-Ga₂O₃-based power electronics. To alleviate the thermal management problem, researchers developed a Ga-assisted strategy to realize high-quality β-Ga₂O₃ film epitaxy on diamond. The constructed β-Ga₂O₃/Diamond heterostructure presents superior thermal boundary conductance (165.4 MW⋅m⁻²⋅K⁻¹) and ultra-high interfacial fracture strength (> 2.09 GPa). The identified new interfacial phonon mode at ~60 meV can significantly enhance the phonon transport between diamond and β-Ga₂O₃.