Where does the periodic table of chemical elements end and which processes lead to the existence of heavy elements? An international research team reports on experiments performed at the GSI/FAIR accelerator facility and at Johannes Gutenberg University (JGU) in Mainz to come closer to an answer to such questions. They gained insight into the structure of atomic nuclei of fermium (element 100) with different numbers of neutrons. The results were now published in the scientific journal Nature. “Using a laser-based method, we investigated fermium atomic nuclei, which possess 100 protons, and between 145 and 157 neutrons. Specifically, we studied the influence of quantum mechanical effects on the size of their atomic nuclei,” explains Sebastian Raeder, the head of the experiment at GSI/FAIR.

For these measurements, an international collaboration of 27 institutes from 7 countries examined fermium isotopes with lifetimes ranging from a few seconds to a hundred days. This was enabled using different methods for producing the fermium isotopes. The short-lived isotopes were produced (by fusion reactions) at the GSI/FAIR accelerator facility. The neutron-rich, long-lived fermium isotopes (^255,257Fm) were produced in picogram amounts by irradiations in high-flux research reactors. A first irradiation in the HFIR (High Flux Isotope Reactor) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, TN, USA produced isotopes up to ²⁵⁷Fm. From this mixture of produced elements, radiochemists at Mainz University extracted the neighbouring element einsteinium (element 99), that was then irradiated in the high flux reactor of Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) in Grenoble, France. The so produced ²⁵⁵Es, with 9‑months half-life, keeps decaying to ²⁵⁵Fm, with only 20 h half-life. The latter was repeatedly radio-chemically extracted at Mainz University (and used for laser spectroscopy). Radiochemists call this process “milking” a fermium cow.

In a paper published in Science Bulletin, Professor Xin Li and Dr. Yanlong Guo from the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research review the paradigm shift in scientific research from traditional methods to data-intensive discovery and further anticipates the rise of robot scientists driven by AI advancements. The study highlights how AI technologies transform the scientific process and provides an in-depth analysis of the shifts in each step of the research cycle, including observation, data analysis, hypothesis generation, prediction formulation, hypothesis testing, and theorization.

In Fenton-like reactions, high-valent cobalt-oxo (Co^IV=O) has the advantages of high redox potential, long lifetime, and anti-interference, but low generation selectivity due to high generation energy barrier. In this paper, we systematically investigated the effects of support on Co^IV=O generation from activated peroxymonosulfate (PMS) over cobalt single-atom catalysts (Co-SACs), and found that the steady-state concentration of Co^IV=O is positively correlated with the work function of supports. The highest work function support, anatase TiO₂-loaded Co-SACs exhibited the highest selectivity for the Co^IV=O generation. This paper emphasizes the critical role of supports in regulating the Fenton-like oxidation pathway and developing efficient single-atom catalysts.

In a recent paper published in National Science Review, researchers developed a bottom-up approach for magnetic regulation of oxygen metabolism related cellular activities via magnetic-field-dependent ¹O₂ reactivity. By incorporating the magnetic field effect of chemical reactions into biological systems through the implementation of radical pair mechanism, the authors demonstrate the potential of utilizing magnetic field effect to regulate biological processes and aid in the treatment of diseases.

In a recent publication in the International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing, the team, led by Prof. Ying Cai from the Department of Rehabilitation at Xiangya Hospital and Prof. Mingchun Zhao from the School of Materials Science and Engineering at Central South University, reviewed the use of porous tantalum for 3D printing of bone implants. This review focuses on the material design aspects that relate the morphology, structure, and modification of porous tantalum (pTa) to its bioactivity.

Their work represents a significant step in understanding the relationship between the design and biological performance of porous tantalum materials, providing crucial directions for using porous tantalum in orthopedic implants.

The space charge layer in the solid electrolyte of fuel cells has been considered a major factor to inhibit ion conduction, but it has been very difficult to demonstrate experimentally. A research group of The University of Tokyo succeeded in direct observation of the space charge layer by local electric field observation using a cutting-edge electron microscope. These results are expected to lead to the establishment of guidelines for improving the performance of battery materials.

An Osaka Metropolitan University-led research team conducted perhaps the first long-term observation of CO₂ budget in a permafrost forest. During the 20 years from 2003-2022, the team uncovered intriguing findings in the interior of Alaska.