The researchers revealed how nuclear clustering in the hypernucleus $_{\Lambda }^{21}Ne$ disappears as temperature increases, employing the finite-temperature Skyrme–Hartree–Fock method. This work provides broader insight into how thermal effects influence the structure and behavior of hot nuclear systems.

Professor Pan Xu's research group at Southeast University reported a photocatalytic hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) strategy, successfully achieving the deconjugated olefin isomerization reaction of α,β-dehydroamino acids. This resulted in the efficient synthesis of β,γ-dehydroamino acids, which are difficult to prepare using traditional methods, under mild conditions. The reaction uses decatungstate (TBADT) as a photocatalyst, selectively extracting the γ-C–H bond of the substrate under 390 nm illumination to form a delocalized allylic radical. Subsequently, through hydrogen atom transfer and tautomerism steps, the reaction drives the reverse thermodynamic double bond isomerization. This method exhibits good substrate applicability, excellent (E)-selectivity, and 100% atom economy, providing a new route for the synthesis of β,γ-dehydroamino acids and their derivatives, and showing significant application potential in medicinal chemistry and natural product modification. The article was published as an open access Research Article in CCS Chemistry, the flagship journal of the Chinese Chemical Society.

Researchers in James Tour’s lab at Rice University showed that Thomas Edison’s original carbon-filament light bulbs could have inadvertently produced graphene more than a century ago. By recreating Edison’s 1879 design and applying modern analysis, the team demonstrated that briefly heating carbon filaments can form turbostratic graphene, linking historic experiments to cutting-edge materials science.

Miho Yanagisawa, an associate professor at the University of Tokyo; Hiroki Sakuta, a project assistant professor; Arash Nikoubashman, a Heisenberg Professor at the Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research Dresden; and their colleagues have identified a new physicochemical principle governing liquid–liquid phase separation in polymer solutions. Their research demonstrates that during the separation of a polymer mixture into two fluid phases, coexisting ions are unequally distributed between the phases. Using an established aqueous two-phase system composed of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and dextran (Dex), the researchers discovered that positively charged ions preferentially accumulate in the Dex-rich phase due to its slightly more negative charge than PEG. This ion partitioning drives the selective localization of negatively charged biomolecules within the Dex-rich phase. The study provides the first direct quantitative evidence of ion accumulation in liquid–liquid phase-separated systems. It offers new insights into molecular selectivity relevant to intracellular phase separation and biomolecular separation technologies.

A pioneering open-source modeling framework is enabling mapping of high-resolution, stakeholder-informed pathways to net-zero emissions for nations worldwide. Researchers at Princeton University describe a new standard for decision-support modeling, drawing from their experiences leading the influential Net-Zero America project and catalyzing an expanding global network of "Net-Zero X" studies.

Associate Professor Yuichiro Matsushita of Materials and Structures Laboratory, Institute of Science Tokyo, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Associate Professor Takahide Umeda of Institute of Pure and Applied Sciences, University of Tsukuba and Quemix Corporation  announced today that they have achieved the world’s first¹ elucidation of how hydrogen produces free electrons² through the interaction with certain defects³ in silicon. The achievement has the potential to improve how insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) are designed and manufactured, making them more efficient and reducing their power loss. It is also expected to open up possibilities for future devices using ultra-wide bandgap (UWBG) materials.⁴

Researchers have successfully constructed Bayesian Neural Network models to describe fragment yields in photon-induced fission reactions of thorium isotopes, ranging from ²¹⁶Th to ²³²Th. The models not only accurately reproduce experimental data but also reveal the systematic evolution of fission mechanisms from asymmetric to symmetric fission along the thorium isotopic chain, providing crucial theoretical support for nuclear data libraries and advanced reactor design.

Researchers from University of Rostock and University of Hamburg have demonstrated for the first time that hidden symmetries can be used to transfer quantum states. Their experiments in a photonic system show that even in networks without any visible symmetry, reliable high-fidelity quantum state transfer is possible. Their findings pave the way towards new architectures for secure quantum communication and cryptography.