Unlocking gadolinium’s secrets: how crown ethers tune isotope separation at the molecular level
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 31-Dec-2025 11:11 ET (31-Dec-2025 16:11 GMT/UTC)
A theoretical study reveals how functionalized crown ethers selectively capture light gadolinium isotopes, offering a cleaner, more efficient path for nuclear and planetary science applications.
Discover the future of satellite technology with space computing power networks (Space-CPN). This innovative architecture integrates communication and computation across low-Earth-orbit (LEO), medium-Earth-orbit (MEO), and geostationary-Earth-orbit (GEO) satellites, addressing challenges in data transmission, onboard processing, and resource allocation. Learn how Space-CPN can transform global connectivity and intelligent data processing in space.
The ability to generate and detect ultrashort light pulses in the ultraviolet UV-C range (100-280 nm) is crucial for many applications. This work demonstrates a UV-C source-sensor platform that combines nonlinear optical crystals for the generation of femtosecond UV-C laser pulses with photodetectors based on atomically-thin semiconductors. The platform has potential for different technologies, from broad-band imaging to spectroscopy on femtosecond timescales. As a proof of concept, the source-sensor is used to demonstrate free-space communication.
Tokyo, Japan – Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have studied the relationship between numerical information in our vision, and how it affects our perception of space. Volunteers were asked to identify the center of lines and squares filled with numbers; how far they were from the true center revealed unexpected biases. Crucially, their work with squares showed how our perception of space is a complex interplay between “object-based” processing and our processing of numerical information.
Large-scale Low Earth Orbit (LEO) constellations have become a focal point for providing round-the-clock high-fidelity information services. However, their efficient and economical batch deployment faces severe challenges from growing demands and multiple constraints, with existing methods struggling to address the computational complexity in large-scale scenarios. To meet this pressing need, this study published in the Chinese Journal of Aeronautics proposes an innovative deployment optimization framework. At its core, it constructs a novel partial time-expanded network and employs an efficient hybrid algorithm to significantly reduce constraint explosion, enhancing solution efficiency and scalability. The framework supports dual-channel, multi-configuration rocket strategies and flexible deployment under multiple mission triggers through weighted optimization. Ultimately, it effectively reduces deployment costs, improves optimization efficiency, and provides reliable decision support for large-scale constellation deployment.