A new synergistic control strategy based on tetragonal–pseudocubic (T–PC) boundaries and ordered /disordered oxygen octahedral tilting boundaries is provided, advancing understanding of the structure and property relationships in piezoelectric materials.

Rational design of reaction interfaces (e.g., coordination characteristics, metal-support interaction, etc) and polymer intermediate status (e.g., folding state, entropy adjustment, etc) with innovative methodological framework being proposed in thermal plastic waste upcycling can significantly foster circular economy and ecological restoration.

The instability of anode catalysts during the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is a central obstacle to commercializing proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers. In the highly oxidative and acidic anode environment, catalysts suffer from dissolution, mechanical detachment, and impurity-driven degradation—failure modes that are tightly interconnected and cannot be solved through material optimization alone. This perspective evaluates these coupled degradation pathways and the limitations of current material, structural, and system-level strategies. We argue that durable acidic OER requires mechanistic insight under realistic operating conditions and the coordinated advancement of catalyst design, operando characterization, engineering improvements, and data-driven modeling. Such an integrated framework is essential for developing stable anodes and enabling large-scale, long-lifetime PEM electrolyzers.

A research team from Lanzhou University, China, has improved tree-ring simulations of a widely used forest growth model, 3-PG, by adding a carbon storage component. The new model version significantly enhances the model’s ability to simulate variations in both tree-ring widths and stable carbon isotope (δ¹³C). The upgrade addresses a key limitation in previous versions and provides a more physiologically accurate picture of how trees grow and store carbon over time.

Published in Forest Ecosystems, a seven-year study of loblolly pine plantations shows that crowded forests favor big trees in diameter growth, while smaller trees grow faster in height. Thinning rows and removing weaker trees slowed this dominance, letting smaller trees catch up and creating a more balanced forest. This shift also boosted overall wood production, offering insights for smarter forest management.

A new study of European beech trees reveals that their root systems respond more to short-term changes in soil water than to the long-term wetness of their growing sites. During dry periods, beech trees grow thinner, longer roots with more tips, enhancing water absorption, while wetter conditions lead to shorter, thicker roots. This seasonal root flexibility allows the trees to adapt rapidly to fluctuating soil moisture, highlighting the importance of monitoring short-term water availability for understanding tree resilience to drought.

In an article published in Science China Earth Sciences, two senior scientists at China University of Geosciences (Beijing) and University of Science and Technology of China present comprehensive arguments for the past and present of intracontinental orogens, developing a holistic model of mountain building from intracontinental reworking of fossil plate margins. The intracontinental orogeny involves dual dynamic mechanisms via either far-field compressional stress transmission from remote plate margins or near-field extensional stress focus from local plate bottom. This provides new insights into the formation and evolution of continental tectonics with respect to inheritance and development in both structure and composition from preceding plate margins.