Researchers led by Prof. DENG Dehui and Associate Prof. LIU Yanting from the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) proposed a "seawater to hydrogen and fresh water (STHW)" route that couples alkaline water electrolysis (AWE) with low-temperature vacuum distillation desalination.

A research team from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has developed a new modeling and optimization framework that helps researchers design modularized autonomous experimentation (MAE) platforms for new materials by determining the optimal combination of equipment before construction begins, thereby reducing both time and cost before the platform is physically built.

- Professor Sang Ouk Kim’s team in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering highlights advances in high-performance graphene fibers based on graphene oxide liquid crystals and their significance in a News & Views commentary in Nature Materials

- Graphene oxide liquid crystals, first discovered by the team in 2011, have provided a foundation for 15 years of research worldwide into graphene fibers with high strength and thermal conductivity

- With applications already commercialized in antibacterial toothbrushes and functional sportswear, the technology is advancing into materials with potential uses in electronics, electric vehicles, aerospace, and wearable

Large livestock and poultry operations can generate manure containing a mixture of emerging contaminants, including antibiotic residues, antibiotic resistance genes and microplastics. A new review suggests that these pollutants should not always be considered separately. Microplastics may act as mobile carriers that concentrate antibiotics and antibiotic resistance genes, creating hotspots where antibiotic resistance can persist and spread more easily.

Intensive vegetable farming can produce large harvests, but it often comes with heavy fertilizer use and low nitrogen use efficiency. A new field study in Southern China suggests that adding the right amount of biochar could help farmers grow more vegetables while making better use of nitrogen fertilizer and improving soil quality.

Five University of Texas at Dallas faculty members received 2026 Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) awards from the National Science Foundation to support research aimed at making computer networks more resilient, developing next-generation electronics, strengthening software security and advancing mathematical understanding of complex systems.

The recipients of the five-year awards are Dr. Waseem Abbas, assistant professor of systems engineering; Dr. Sourav Dutta, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering; Dr. Kirill Lazebnik, assistant professor of mathematical sciences; Dr. Kyle McCall, assistant professor of materials science and engineering; and Dr. Xinda Wang, assistant professor of computer science.

UC SanDiego researchers are using AI and "virtual cells" based on 4D movies to predict how cells will respond to drugs, which could speed up drug discovery for cancer, Alzheimer’s and more.

Rare earths aren’t truly rare—they’re just difficult to access. A WPI-led team has received a $3.3 million NSF award to explore whether processes inspired by diatoms, sea sponges, and plants could help extract rare earths and other critical minerals trapped in coal ash, red mud, and mine tailings.

Two milestones in AI-enabled learning: the commercial launch of its first Immersive AI Cases via INSEAD Publishing and the expansion of its Immersive Learning portfolio to reach over 40 AI-powered learning experiences in the INSEAD classroom.