Rice researchers weigh in on graphite’s rise to critical mineral status, mapping out trajectories toward more resilient, clean and efficient supply practices and systems.

In California’s Death Valley, where summer temperatures regularly soar above 120 degrees Fahrenheit, life seems almost impossible. Yet among the cracked earth and blinding sunlight, one native plant not only survives — it thrives. That plant, Tidestromia oblongifolia, has helped Michigan State University scientists uncover how life can flourish in extreme heat, revealing a potential blueprint for engineering crops that can adapt to our changing climate. In a new paper published in Current Biology, Research Foundation Professor Seung Yon “Sue” Rhee and Research Specialist Karine Prado report that T. oblongifolia grows faster in Death Valley’s summer conditions by rapidly adjusting its photosynthetic system to withstand the heat. 

An international study involving INRAE and coordinated by China Agriculture University has shown that the practice of crop rotation outperforms continuous monoculture in terms of yield, nutritional quality and farm revenues. The results, based on more than 3600 field observations from 738 experimental trials across six continents, have now been published in Nature Communications.

Dr. Johnson V. John, Ph.D., Assistant Professor at the Terasaki Institute for Biomedical Innovation, has been appointed as a standing member of the NIH Musculoskeletal Tissue Engineering (MTE) Study Section. His four-year term begins in November 2025. The appointment recognizes Dr. John’s leadership in biomaterials and regenerative medicine and his ongoing contributions to advancing musculoskeletal tissue repair and engineering.

This review presents a comprehensive analysis of the electromagnetic shielding mechanisms, advanced synthesis techniques, and material optimization strategies for ceramic-based electromagnetic shielding materials. Meanwhile, this review discusses the research progress of traditional ceramics (such as oxides, carbides, borides, nitrides and ferrites) and emerging ceramics (such as polymer-derived ceramics, MAX phase ceramics and high-entropy ceramics). Furthermore, the review outlines future research directions in four key areas: microstructure engineering for high-efficiency electromagnetic shielding ceramics, advanced manufacturing technologies, multifunctional integration of shielding properties, and the development of artificial intelligence-driven design approaches for ceramic materials.

FAU’s “Art of Science” contest turns research into stunning visual stories. The top image, “First Selfie … Cephie,” shows an octopus seemingly posing for a camera, showcasing its incredible dexterity. Other top winners are the “Sea Turtle Beginning,” capturing embryonic development inside an egg, and “Journey to Space,” a high-altitude balloon bursting nearly 100,000 feet above Earth. The contest celebrates creativity across science, art, and the community, revealing the hidden beauty and wonder of discovery.