Tech & Engineering
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 9-Nov-2025 01:11 ET (9-Nov-2025 06:11 GMT/UTC)
From molecules to megawatts: Green electrocatalysis for a sustainable future
KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Electrochemical conversion of small organic molecules offers a promising route to simultaneously generate hydrogen or electricity and value-added chemicals—without emitting carbon dioxide. This dual-function strategy enhances energy efficiency and sustainability, especially when using waste-derived organics, alcohols, or biomass as feedstocks. A recent review highlights how cutting-edge catalyst design, advanced electrochemical reactors, and mechanistic insights are advancing this field. Innovations in non-noble metal catalysts and tailored device architectures have shown potential in overcoming challenges related to selectivity, stability, and scalability. This comprehensive progress positions electrocatalytic conversion as a key technology in carbon-neutral energy systems and green chemical manufacturing.
- Journal
- eScience
- Funder
- National Natural Science Foundation of China, GuangDong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation, Shenzhen Science and Technology Program, Start-up Funds for Young Teachers of Shenzhen University
Evolution patterns of water ecology and systematic governance in the Yangtze river basin
KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Peer-Reviewed Publication
The Yangtze River is the mother river of the Chinese nation. It plays a crucial role in ecological functions and economic and social development. Dr. Dianchang Wang, from the National Engineering Research Center of Eco-environment in the Yangtze River Economic Belt of China Three Gorges Corporation, led a research team to unveil the evolutionary characteristics of the water ecological pattern in the Yangtze River Basin from multiple dimensions, taking the past century as a temporal perspective. They identified different evolutionary stages of the basin’s water ecological pattern and their driving mechanisms, and proposed water system governance strategies for the new era that aim at harmonious coexistence between humans and nature.
- Journal
- Water & Ecology
New lithium mines could cut EU imports by half
Lund UniversityPeer-Reviewed Publication
The most important mineral in today's electric car batteries is lithium. China completely dominates the market, with no extraction taking place in Europe. However, a new study shows that there is great potential for European lithium production, which would bring improvements in competitiveness, the climate and security. The study also points out that there are complex international trade dependencies that affect supply and demand.
- Journal
- Cell Reports Sustainability
Creating the building blocks of technology, multiple rings at a time
Nagoya UniversityPeer-Reviewed Publication
A group from Nagoya University in Japan has succeeded in performing a previously difficult-to-perform reaction to build the bases that make the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons used in organic LEDs, transistors, and solar cell technology. Their technique allows the creation of these complex molecules in a new, cleaner, more efficient way by linking multiple aromatic rings together with a carbon-to-carbon bond.
- Journal
- Nature Communications
New biomaterial developed by NUS researchers shows how ageing in the heart could be reversed
National University of SingaporePeer-Reviewed Publication
A new lab-grown material has revealed that some of the effects of ageing in the heart may be slowed and even reversed. The discovery could open the door to therapies that rejuvenate the heart by changing its cellular environment, rather than focusing on the heart cells themselves. The research, published recently in Nature Materials, was carried out by a team led by Assistant Professor Jennifer Young from the Department of Biomedical Engineering in the College of Design and Engineering at the National University of Singapore (NUS). Asst Prof Young is also a scientist at the NUS Mechanobiology Institute (MBI).
- Journal
- Nature Materials
Fusobacterium nucleatum in colorectal cancer: Ally mechanism and targeted therapy strategies
ResearchPeer-Reviewed Publication
In recent years, the regulatory role of the gut microbiota in the initiation and progression of colorectal cancer (CRC) has attracted growing attention. Among the key microbial contributors, Fusobacterium nucleatum (Fn) has been identified as a critical pathogenic factor in CRC. As an oral anaerobic commensal, Fn is rarely found in the lower gastrointestinal tract of healthy individuals. However, under pathological conditions, it can ectopically colonize the gastrointestinal tract. Once enriched in the colorectal environment, mounting evidence suggests that Fn is involved in multiple aspects of CRC pathogenesis, including initiation, progression, metastasis, and resistance to conventional therapies such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy. A recent review by Wei Wei and Diwei Zheng's team at the Institute of Process Engineering systematically outlines the pathogenic mechanisms of Fn in CRC and summarizes both current and emerging strategies for its therapeutic targeting. Furthermore, the authors propose potential approaches to overcome existing challenges in Fn modulation, aiming to facilitate more effective therapeutic interventions and improve clinical outcomes.
- Journal
- Research
- Funder
- National Natural Science Foundation of China, National Key Research and Development Program of China, China Postdoctoral Science Foundation