A cheap and high-power liquid thermoelectric converter could be produced thanks to a new strategy pioneered and tested by Japan-based researchers.

Wearing sunscreen is important to protect your skin from the harmful effects of UV radiation but doesn’t cool people off. However, a new formula, described in ACS’ Nano Letters, protects against both UV light and heat from the sun using radiative cooling. The prototype sunblock kept human skin up to 11 degrees Fahrenheit (6 degrees Celsius) cooler than bare skin, or around 6 F (3 C) cooler than existing sunscreens.

Trimethoprim (TMP), a widely used antibiotic often present in wastewater treatment plant discharge, can disrupt the ecosystem and pose risks to human health when it contaminates soil and water. To address this issue, researchers from Korea have developed a convenient, disposable electrochemical sensor for rapid on-site detection of TMP in water samples. This innovative μTMP-chip enables efficient monitoring and management of environmental pollutants such as antibiotics.

Combining the adsorption properties of solids with the dissolution capabilities of liquids, researchers at Nagoya University in Japan have created a versatile and efficient material for improving oxygen separation in gases. In addition to increasing the supply of affordable oxygen, they are developing their material to separate a variety of gases, increasing its use in industry and potentially controlling greenhouse gases.