Rechargeable magnesium batteries (RMBs) have been considered a promising “post lithium-ion battery” system to meet the rapidly increasing demand of the emerging electric vehicle and grid energy storage market. However, the sluggish diffusion kinetics of bivalent Mg²⁺ in the host material, related to the strong Coulomb effect between Mg²⁺ and host anion lattices, hinders their further development toward practical applications. Defect engineering, regarded as an effective strategy to break through the slow migration puzzle, has been validated in various cathode materials for RMBs. In this review, we first thoroughly understand the intrinsic mechanism of Mg²⁺ diffusion in cathode materials, from which the key factors affecting ion diffusion are further presented. Then, the positive effects of purposely introduced defects, including vacancy and doping, and the corresponding strategies for introducing various defects are discussed. The applications of defect engineering in cathode materials for RMBs with advanced electrochemical properties are also summarized. Finally, the existing challenges and future perspectives of defect engineering in cathode materials for the overall high-performance RMBs are described.

Led by Drs. Mijeong Han and Young Hun Kang at the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), the team combined carbon nanotubes with Bi₀.₄₅Sb₁.₅₅Te₃ (BST) in a porous foam structure to maximize thermoelectric performance.

A research team from the School of Biomedical Sciences, LKS Faculty of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), in collaboration with Queen Mary University of London and the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, has unearthed the ancient evolutionary origins of genes critical to stem cell biology, dating back over 700 million years. Drawing on insights from evolutionary processes, this discovery reveals that tools borrowed from ancient single-celled organisms—and even recreated proteins from life’s earliest days—can transform mouse somatic cells into pluripotent stem cells capable of developing into any cell type in multicellular animals. This breakthrough challenges the longstanding belief that only animal genes possess this transformative ability, paving the way for new protein designs in novel therapies for regenerative medicine and disease studies to combat ageing and related health issues. The findings were recently published in Nature Communications.

Since its launch in 2015, the journal Engineering has been committed to international academic exchanges and engineering science and technology (EST) innovation. In this editorial, the editors-in-chief reflect on the journal’s decade-long journey. They emphasize the crucial role of EST in human development, from its impact on daily life to its role in driving civilization forward. With a new round of scientific and technological revolution underway, Engineering aims to become a top scholarly journal and a premier platform for international EST academic exchange. The editors express gratitude to those who have supported the journal and look forward to continued collaboration in serving the global academic community and contributing to EST innovation.

Concordia researchers became the first to show that the Dyslexia Adult Checklist, a free online resource developed by the British Dyslexia Association and among the most widely used dyslexia checklists globally, is both valid and reliable as an indicator of dyslexia. They do recommend, however, lowering the threshold of mild dyslexia from its current level.

Scientists have identified a key gene that regulates sugar metabolism and dramatically improves tomato fruit quality and resilience after harvest. 

Toxic chemicals, called PFAS, pose alarming danger to animals and humans in the Arctic, scientists say

Researchers from the Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology (SIAT) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, along with collaborators, uncovered a promising role for the neuronal guidance factor Semaphorin 3A (Sema3A) in significantly slowing the progression of knee osteoarthritis by inhibiting nerve infiltration and maintaining cartilage health.