Researchers have developed a two‑dimensional fluid model to study atmospheric pressure non‑equilibrium CO₂–H₂O plasma in a needle‑plate configuration. The model incorporates plasma chemical reactions and photoionization effects. Numerical simulations reveal that increasing initial water vapor content significantly reduces electron energy and density, causing the discharge channel to contract when the reduced electric field is below 200 Td. Higher quenching pressure enhances photoionization but plasma discharge remains primarily sustained by direct electron‑impact ionization. The study identifies the dominant reaction pathways for key products (CO, OH, and electrons) and shows that low water vapor content and elevated quenching pressure both accelerate streamer propagation.

Researchers have developed a novel CuBi₂S₄/Al₂WO₆/Ti₃C₂ MXene Schottky/Z‑scheme ternary heterojunction photocatalyst for the efficient photoreduction of nitrate and carbon dioxide, as well as photocatalytic water splitting under visible‑light irradiation. The nanocomposite achieves a nitrate reduction efficiency of 80% with N₂ as the predominant product (55% selectivity), a CO₂ photoreduction efficiency of 70% with CH₄ generation of 13.87 mL·g⁻¹·h⁻¹ (50% selectivity), and a hydrogen evolution rate of 16 mL·g⁻¹·h⁻¹ (60% efficiency) from water splitting. The catalyst also exhibits excellent reusability over five consecutive cycles.

 Researchers have developed an integrated strategy combining cathode catalytic H₂-O₂ reaction heating, machine learning, and multi-objective optimization to significantly improve the cold-start performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cells. At -20 °C, the approach achieves a temperature rise exceeding 30 °C without external load, suppresses peak ice volume fraction in the cathode catalyst layer to 3.28 vol%, and ensures post-start stability. Machine learning models accurately predict key cold-start indicators, while SHAP analysis reveals complex nonlinear interactions among operating parameters.

 The design and industrial application of autothermal reactors for CO₂-to-methanol synthesis face significant challenges due to multiscale transport phenomena, intrinsic multi-stability, and difficulties in scaling from laboratory to industrial scales. This review highlights the need for advanced modeling approaches, particularly Virtual and Digital Twins, to optimize reactor performance and enable reliable scale-up for sustainable methanol production.

Researchers have developed a novel quaternary zirconia-based electrolyte by partially replacing expensive scandia with low-cost ytterbia. The optimized composition, (Yb₂O₃)₀.₀₆(Sc₂O₃)₀.₀₄(CeO₂)₀.₀₁(ZrO₂)₀.₈₉, exhibits a pure cubic phase structure, high ionic conductivity (0.088 S·cm⁻¹ at 800 °C and 0.0020 S·cm⁻¹ at 500 °C), and enhanced thermal compatibility with electrodes. A single fuel cell using this electrolyte achieved a peak power density of 0.65 W·cm⁻² at 800 °C and operated stably for 100 hours.

AI TO EYE: Between Code and Conscience offers a concise and vivid portrait of how artificial intelligence is reshaping contemporary society. In addition to insights drawn from literature and the wider cultural record, 14 short essays and a rich mosaic of voices from more than 40 interviews unite perspectives on this topic from science, industry, journalism, film, music, and the arts. Rather than explaining AI in technical terms, this volume presents a human-centered view of how people across disciplines experience the ongoing debate and apply this powerful technology. From education and media to healthcare and the creative industries, the contributors illuminate both the emerging opportunities and the challenges of an AI-driven world. AI TO EYE blends contemporary conversations with enduring ideas from culture and intellectual history to deliver a polyphonic and highly quotable cultural document that meets AI “eye to eye.”

A recent review published in Science Bulletin outlines the evolving landscape of metabolic dysfunction‑associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), emphasizing a suite of non-invasive genetic, metabolic and microbial markers that improve disease detection and prognosis, and summarising the clinical significance of the recent FDA‑approved drugs, resmetirom and semaglutide, along with a robust pipeline of late‑stage therapeutics. Crucially, the review addresses the substantial hurdles to clinical translation in newly developed biomarkers, including validation, standardization, and cost, and proposes a roadmap for translating these scientific advances into effective, personalized patient care.

For the first time, researchers have shown through simulation that a novel X-shaped sleeper enhances trackbed stability under impact loading by redistributing loads through a denser, more uniform network of force chains, reducing stress concentrations and improving energy dissipation.