Israel E. Wachs, the G. Whitney Snyder Distinguished Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Lehigh University, has been elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), one of the highest professional honors in the field of engineering. Wachs was recognized “for establishing fundamental structure–activity/selectivity rules governing molecular engineering of mixed oxide catalysts” that guide the rational design of solid catalysts (materials that accelerate and control chemical reactions) for air pollution remediation, sustainable energy, fuels, chemicals, plastics, and pharmaceuticals.

An international research collaboration co-led by UCLA has developed a nickel-iron battery, reviving a chemistry favored by Thomas Edison.

In the study, the team grew extremely tiny clusters of metal using proteins, then embedded them in an ultrathin carbon-based conductor to make electrodes.

The resulting battery charged in seconds and kept working after more than 12,000 cycles of draining and recharging, suggesting a potential application in storing renewable energy. 

Building on their groundbreaking 2018 research into how some of the body’s cells, such as neurons and cardiac tissue, communicate via ions that flow through cellular channels, chemists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst demonstrated a “leakiness” to a particularly mysterious type of channel, known as a “big potassium,” or BK channel. This leakiness is key to further study the body’s electrical infrastructure, which, when it goes haywire, can result in maladies like epilepsy and hypertension.

A team from the Institute of Industrial Science, The University of Tokyo, uses a multi-model approach to improve climate modeling. Isotope analysis allows researchers to track the global water cycle and identify changes in atmospheric dynamics in a warming climate. Their simulation data, identification of parameter sensitivity, and discovery of ongoing challenges in understanding the behavior of atmospheric water vapor provide a baseline for better general climate models in the future.

Researchers have developed a Unity-based Virtual Reality (VR) system for the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) experiment. This system enables immersive visualization of complex detector geometry and events information, thereby refining simulations and enhancing physics analysis.

Across the world, significant tree planting campaigns are underway. However, Professor Subke believes the recent findings show that using forests and deposition of carbon to deep soils may not be as safe a long‑term option as previously hoped.

For the first time, an international team led by Smithsonian researchers estimated the extent of coral bleaching worldwide during a global marine heatwave, finding that half of the world’s reefs experienced significant damage between 2014 and 2017. Another heatwave began in 2023 and is ongoing.