7-Apr-2026 Machine learning reveals how biochar can curb phosphorus pollution from farmland Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University A new study has shown that biochar, a carbon-rich material produced from biomass, can significantly reduce phosphorus losses from agricultural soils, offering a promising solution to one of the leading causes of water pollution worldwide. By combining environmental science with machine learning, researchers have developed a powerful predictive tool to optimize how biochar is used in real-world farming systems. Journal Biochar
7-Apr-2026 Engineered biochar and bacteria team up to lock toxic metals in polluted soils Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University Heavy metal contamination from industrial activities remains a major environmental challenge worldwide, especially at sites affected by lead and zinc smelting. Now, a new study offers a promising, low-cost strategy to stabilize multiple toxic metals in soil using a novel combination of biochar and beneficial bacteria. Journal Biochar
7-Apr-2026 Biochar and plant hormone team up to protect wheat from toxic metals and drought Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University A new study reveals that combining biochar with a natural plant hormone can significantly improve wheat’s ability to withstand two major agricultural threats: cadmium contamination and drought. Journal Biochar
7-Apr-2026 How to plan electricity expansion in hydro-dependent systems? Escuela Superior Politecnica del Litoral In hydro-dependent power systems, water availability varies due to droughts and climate variability, increasing the risk of supply shortages. We present an integrated framework for planning generation and transmission expansion under hydrological uncertainty. The approach uses Monte Carlo simulations to estimate hydropower availability factors and a multi-stage MINLP model that integrates reservoir operation and transmission line reconductoring. It is applied to a 24-bus equivalent system over the 2025–2040 period and evaluated under three scenarios with 19,200 simulations. The full renewable scenario reduces total system cost and unserved power Journal Energy Conversion and Management
6-Apr-2026 Artificial intelligence for organelle segmentation in live-cell imaging Research Recently, Assoc. Prof. Bo Peng (Northwestern Polytechnical University) and Prof. Lin Li (Xiamen University), et al., systematically reviewed the evolution of organelle segmentation algorithms in live-cell imaging, highlighting key challenges such as three-dimensional segmentation, simultaneous multi-organelle segmentation, and cross-modality generalization. Journal Research Funder National Natural Science Foundation of China, Key Research and Development Program of Shaanxi, Fujian Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China, Innovation Foundation for Doctorate Dissertation of Northwestern Polytechnical University, Postdoctoral Fellowship Program of CPSF, Startup Program of XMU, Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, Australian Research Council
6-Apr-2026 Turning biomass into better rubber: Biochar emerges as a sustainable alternative to carbon black Biochar Editorial Office, Shenyang Agricultural University A new review highlights how biochar, a carbon-rich material made from agricultural and organic waste, could help transform the rubber industry by reducing reliance on fossil-derived carbon black while maintaining strong material performance. Journal Biochar
6-Apr-2026 Unraveling the compatibility of ether-based solvents with Li-metal anodes under O2 atmosphere Science China Press Professor Jiang Chunhai (Xiamen University of Technology) and Professor Qiao Yu (Xiamen University) studied the compatibility of typical G2, G3, and G4 ether solvents with Li-metal anode under harsh O2 environment from the perspectives of Li/Li symmetric batteries and Li-O2 batteries. The experimental results indicate that G2 solvent helps enhance the cycling stability of Li/Li symmetric batteries, while G4 solvent is more conducive to promoting the reaction reversibility of Li-O2 batteries. Journal Science China Chemistry
6-Apr-2026 New membrane technology enables long-term gas analysis in batteries, revealing failure mechanisms Science China Press Researchers have developed a membrane-separated differential electrochemical mass spectrometry (MDEMS) system that enables long-term gas evolution analysis in batteries using volatile electrolytes. By incorporating a graphene oxide-based membrane that selectively blocks organic solvent molecules while allowing gases to pass, the team overcame key limitations of traditional DEMS, which often fail within days due to solvent evaporation and interference. Applying this technique, they uncovered how electrolyte additives and cathode coatings interact to suppress gas-generating side reactions in lithium-ion batteries, providing new insights for extending battery life, especially at high temperatures. Journal Science China Chemistry
