People who have been exposed to both PFAS and PCBs are more likely to be diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). These new research findings are based on analyses of blood samples from more than 1,800 individuals in Sweden, one of the most comprehensive studies to date on the influence of chemical environmental exposure on the development of MS.

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are emerging as a sustainable alternative to lithium-ion batteries, thanks to sodium’s abundance and low cost, but their true charging speed remains uncertain due to testing limitations. In a recent study, researchers used the diluted electrode method to shed light on hard carbon’s intrinsic fast-charging performance. Their measurements show that sodium inserts into hard carbon faster than lithium and that nanopore filling governs the overall rate, offering guidance for designing better SIBs.

A research team at Duke University has developed a new AI framework that can uncover simple, understandable rules that govern some of the most complex dynamics found in nature and technology. The research is part of a long-term mission in Chen’s General Robotics Lab, where the team aims to develop “machine scientists” to assist automatic scientific discovery.

Understanding how molecules interact with metal surfaces is fundamental to catalysis and surface chemistry. However, traditional computational methods face a trade-off: achieving high accuracy often involves prohibitively expensive calculations, limiting large-scale or complex studies. A research team from Peking University have used a machine learning framework to create advanced exchange-correlation functionals within density functional theory (DFT). This approach enables accurate predictions of CO adsorption energies and site preferences on Cu(111) and Rh(111) surfaces with computational costs comparable to standard methods. The innovative DeePKS framework not only reproduces hybrid functional accuracy but also exhibits transferability across different adsorbate coverages, opening promising avenues for catalyst discovery and surface reaction modelling.

Solar-driven interfacial desalination (SID) offers a sustainable route for freshwater production, yet its long-term performance is compromised by salt crystallization and microbial fouling under complex marine conditions. Zwitterionic polymers offer promising nonfouling capabilities, but current zwitterionic hydrogel-based solar evaporators (HSEs) suffer from inadequate hydration and salt vulnerability. Inspired by the natural marine environmental adaptive characteristics of saltwater fish, we report a superhydrated zwitterionic poly(trimethylamine N-oxide, PTMAO)/polyacrylamide (PAAm)/polypyrrole (PPy) hydrogel (PTAP) with dedicated water channels for efficient, durable, and nonfouling SID. The directly linked N⁺ and O⁻ groups in PTMAO establish a robust hydration shell that facilitates rapid water transport while resisting salt and microbial adhesion. Integrated PAAm and PPy networks enhance mechanical strength and photothermal conversion. PTAP achieves a high evaporation rate of 2.35 kg m⁻² h⁻¹ under 1 kW m^–2 in 10 wt% NaCl solution, maintaining stable operation over 100 h without salt accumulation. Furthermore, PTAP effectively resists various foulants including proteins, bacterial, and algal adhesion. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal that the exceptional hydration capacity supports its nonfouling properties. This work advances the development of nonfouling HSEs for sustainable solar desalination in real-world marine environments.