A research team led by The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has developed a biomimetic nanocoating that could significantly extend the lifespan of batteries used in smartphones, electric vehicles (EVs), and other electronic devices. Inspired by the stress-buffering function of human cartilage, the team has developed an innovative cartilage-inspired polymer nanocoating that effectively suppresses the degradation and wear of battery cathode materials at the source. The new technology not only enables batteries to retain exceptionally high capacity after thousands of charge-discharge cycles but also opens a promising new pathway toward the industrial deployment of next-generation nickel-rich lithium-ion batteries.

Researchers from UNIST, Ewha Womans University, TUM and the ILL report in Nature Communications a more than threefold increase in modeled storage time with up to 97% of liquid hydrogen’s theoretical volumetric capacity.

A study by IRCCS Fondazione Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta and Politecnico di Milano, published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, demonstrates that it is possible to coat mitochondria with innovative materials (MOF) without compromising their ability to produce energy, opening up new prospects for diseases linked to their dysfunction

Biological Diversity has opened submissions for its special issue themed on resilient nature under global change, guest‑edited by Professor Qing Ye, Professor Hui Liu and Professor Feilong Li. Against mounting anthropogenic pressures including climate disruption, land‑use shift and biological invasion, the issue targets research untangling links between biodiversity, ecosystem function, stability and resilience. It welcomes basic theories, technical advances, long‑term monitoring data, assessments and practical restoration cases, spanning multi‑stressor effects, ecological tipping points, diverse restoration strategies, soil‑microbiome recovery, smart restoration evaluation and adaptive governance. APCs are fully waived. Authors need to select the corresponding special‑issue option in the submission system, and all manuscripts are due by 31 August 2027.

A new analysis of Senegalese croplands using an artificial intelligence developed at the University of Cambridge shows how technological benefits enjoyed by industrial agriculture could be brought to smallholder farms in Senegal and other countries in the Global South.

Sultan Qaboos University researchers developed micro- and nanoscale surfaces that reduced bacterial and microalgal attachment under laboratory conditions. The findings offer a promising step toward developing more effective antifouling materials for marine and industrial applications.

Researchers at Tohoku University ran flood simulations on current-day Marumori Town, Japan, and compared it to data from over one hundred years ago. Their analysis shows how flood risk changes as we install anti-flooding infrastructure, and how this also affects where communities deem it safe to put down roots.

Software created by University of Queensland scientists could help AI platforms overcome a blind spot limiting their value in plant research.