Rice cultivation is known to be resource-intensive, but a study now reveals how root microbes help rice thrive without synthetic and organic fertilizers. Researchers from Japan analyzed microbial communities in rice roots from fertilized and unfertilized fields and discovered that high-yielding rice grown in nutrient-poor soils was enriched with nitrogen-fixing root microbes that naturally support plant growth. These findings could pave the way for microbial biostimulants, promising sustainable rice farming in the future.

Researchers at Hefei University of Technology and Southeast University have comprehensively reviewed the recent advances in arc-linear motors (ALMs). Then, the major merits and demerits of various ALMs are identified and summarized. Finally, Researchers discussed the main issues and core challenges of ALMs, and proposed the perspectives as well to promote a more comprehensive understanding for ALM.

Zeolites have high ion exchange capacity and certain radiation resistance. However, their traditional synthesis methods have problems such as high temperature and pressure and difficult control of morphology. Moreover, powdered zeolites are prone to high pressure drop during dynamic adsorption, which limits their practical engineering applications. Therefore, developing spherical zeolites synthesis technology that combines high mechanical strength, excellent radiation resistance and efficient adsorption performance has become a core challenge in the field of radioactive pollution control.

The research team led by Nobel Laureates May-Britt and Edvard Moser at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) is already known for their discovery of the brain’s sense of place. Now they have shown that the brain also weaves a tapestry of time: The brain segments and organizes events into experiences, placing unique bookmarks on them so that our lives don’t become a blurry stream, but rather a series of meaningful moments and memories we can revisit and learn from.