As published in Nature, researchers from Purdue University and Columbia University report a naturally evolved gene-editing system that can activate genes, offering an advantage over existing CRISPR gene-editing systems that merely find and cut DNA. The research includes two complementary studies, one examining the biological function of the system and the other revealing the molecular mechanism that enables it.

MIT researchers discovered that dendrites, cracks that harm the performance of solid-state batteries, can grow at far lower stresses than previously understood. The findings reveal why developing stronger solid electrolytes alone hasn’t solved the dendrite problem; more chemically stable materials will be needed to finally fulfill the promise of these batteries.

New research has shown that perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are remarkably resilient to dust during production, challenging the industry belief that high-performance solar technology must be manufactured in sterile and expensive "cleanrooms”.

New research provides insights into the severe 2022 outbreak of Fusarium head blight in Ethiopia and identifies emerging fungal pathogens that could have broader implications for global wheat production.

Solar energy is a promising source of green energy, yet conventional solar cells cannot fully utilize it due to efficiency limits in semiconductors. Researchers have now found a strategy to overcome this barrier with a new design strategy for exciton amplification. Using a molybdenum-based “spin-flip” emitter, they harvest multiplied excitons generated by singlet fission. The system achieves quantum yields of around 130%, surpassing the conventional 100% limit and opening possibilities for solar cells and LEDs.