A new study has found land and ocean weathering processes are linked and together they influence the amount of carbon stored or released into the atmosphere.

The powerful light field manipulation capability of metasurfaces offers a novel development perspective for the quantum precision measurement. By applying the phase-gradient metasurface (PGM) to atomic magnetometers (AMs), we have proposed and experimentally demonstrated a new type of compact single-beam elliptically polarized atomic magnetometers (EPAMs). Employing the fabricated chiral beam splitter PGM with high cross-polarization transmittance, a new atomic spin chirality detection method was devised, enabling the ultra-high sensitivity for extremely weak magnetic field measurement and achieving a high sensitivity of 2.67 pT/Hz^1/2 under an external magnetic field of approximately 10000 nT. The new AMs combine the pumping and probing polarized light, achieving a compact design. The fabricated PGM has a size of only 3 mm × 3 mm × 0.7 mm, which is beneficial for the miniaturization and integration of AMs. This work effectively expands the application of metasurfaces in the field of quantum precision measurement, and also provides a new viewpoint for the design and development of high-sensitivity and miniaturized AMs.

Perovskites, a class of materials known for their stellar performance in solar cells, are now making waves in the world of advanced optics. These versatile semiconductors can capture and emit light in ways that traditional materials like silicon cannot, offering a cheaper and simpler way to create cutting-edge technologies. Perovskites, a class of materials known for their stellar performance in solar cells, are now making waves in the world of advanced optics. These versatile semiconductors can capture and emit light in ways that traditional materials like silicon cannot, offering a cheaper and simpler way to create cutting-edge technologies.

Researchers from DTU, EPFL and ESRF have developed a new in-operando two-dimensional X-ray imaging technique that reveals how salt formation happens in CO₂ electrolyzers during operation. By mapping salt buildup and water distribution with micrometer resolution, the team discovered that salt accumulates preferentially under gas-flow channels rather than land areas. This insight provides a critical step toward designing more stable and durable electrolyzers, paving the way for efficient large-scale CO₂ conversion into fuels and chemicals.