Bamboo, palm, and banana trees look and act like trees, but are actually closer to grasses in how they grow because—unlike trees—their stems do not grow wider over time. A new analysis by New York University scientists offers a clearer picture of these organisms, labeling them “grassy trees,” which combine the canopy structure of trees with the resilience of grasses—and can more easily adapt to and recover from extreme weather conditions than can trees.

To discover how machine learning (ML) is revolutionizing molecular crystal design and crystallization, a new review in Engineering explores ML’s role in accelerating solvate and co-crystal development, predicting crystal properties, and optimizing crystallization processes. Learn about the latest advancements and future prospects in this field.

Researchers have successfully tested an 80-kA REBCO cable-in-conduit conductor (CICC) for high-field fusion applications. The prototype demonstrated stability under extreme conditions, marking a significant step towards practical high-temperature superconductors (HTS) technology for future fusion reactors. Further work is needed to address remaining challenges, but this achievement brings us closer to realizing large-scale, high-field magnet applications.

Constructed wetlands (CWs) effectively remove low concentrations of dissolved carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus pollutants, and prevent contamination and algal blooms from occurring in freshwater bodies. A team of Chinese researchers have identified factors that affect the removal efficacy of CWs and listed strategies to make CWs more effective. These findings can increase the deployment of CWs across diverse environments.

New research, led by Queen Mary University of London, demonstrates that a double-layer electrode design, guided by fundamental science through operando imaging, shows remarkable improvements in the cyclic stability and fast-charging performance of automotive batteries, with strong potential to reduce costs by 20–30%. 

Research led by the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) has revealed how pressure can transform atomically thin bismuth from a semiconductor into a metal, opening a pathway to reconfigurable, ultra-thin electronics.