Researchers at Fudan University have achieved a breakthrough by fabricating the first Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) based on wafer-scale two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor materials. Integrating approximately 4,000 transistors, the chip represents a historical leap, moving 2D electronics from simple logic circuits to complex, reconfigurable functional systems. Critically, the 2D FPGA exhibits inherent radiation resistance, maintaining full functionality after enduring a total ionizing dose of 10 Mrad of gamma-ray irradiation, offering a physically superior core device for strategic sectors like aerospace and high-reliability computing.

Crystalline-amorphous composites comprise crystalline grains separated by amorphous boundaries. The combined role of grain size (D) and amorphous boundary thickness (l) on material properties has not been explored. Now, writing in National Science Review, a team from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology reports simulation results of mechanical properties across the (D, l) parameter space. They identify optimal (D, l) values that provide maximum strength while also enhancing ductility, successfully circumventing the classic strength-ductility tradeoff.

Scientists have designed a gradient sodium-tin alloy/sodium bilayer anode that solves the two problems of dendrite growth and sodium loss in sodium batteries. This innovative structure features an upper "ion-buffering" layer that guides sodium ions for dendrite-free deposition and a bottom reservoir that dynamically compensates for lost sodium. The resulting batteries achieve an unprecedented energy density and ultralong cyclability in lab tests, paving the way for more powerful and durable energy storage.

Human-machine intelligent interaction (HMII) technology, which is an advanced iteration of human-machine interaction technology, has garnered widespread attention owing to its significant achievements in healthcare and virtual reality research. Herein, this work reports a self-powered, transistor-like iontronics pressure sensor based on an MXene/Bi 2D heterojunction for advanced human-machine intelligent interaction. The free-standing device uses MXene@Zn and MXene@Bi interdigitated electrodes, a PVDF-HFP-GO solid electrolyte and a CNF isolation layer to mimic a p-type MOSFET, where pressure “gates” ion transport and generates encodable voltage outputs. The sensor exhibits 1.1 V open-circuit voltage, millisecond-level response (66.59 ms), excellent linearity (99.5%) and durability over 50,000 cycles, enabling self-powered monitoring of physiological signals and robotic motions, wireless transmission, and deep-learning-assisted gesture recognition with 95.83% accuracy in a single-device HMII system.

Aging plays a significant role in the disease onset and progression of multiple cerebrovascular events. Identification of the core aging-related genes involved in intracranial aneurysm (IA) can help to further explore the pathogenesis of the disease. In a recent study published in the Chinese Neurosurgical Journal, researchers identified four aging-related genes through bioinformatics analysis that were closely associated with IA. Understanding their functions provided a deeper insight into the pathophysiology of IA.

The study investigates the complex link between offspring number and health in a large cohort of over 500,000 Chinese adults over 12 years. Addressing past research gaps, the study used a Phenome-Wide Association Study, performing separate analyses for men and women. This rigorous, sex-stratified approach, relying on Cox Proportional-Hazards Models, was used to systematically quantify health risks across a vast range of diseases and mortality while adjusting for potential confounders.

An international research team included institutions from China, the Netherlands and Belgium, uncovers the global patterns and drivers of symbiotic interactions between orchids and mycorrhizal fungi. Their global meta-analysis concludes that an orchid's mycorrhizal fungal community is determined primarily by its physiology and geographic location—not by its phylogenetic relationships.

In a paper published in Frontiers of Engineering Management, a team of researchers from Zhejiang University and Beijing Jiaotong University present a new strategic roadmap called the "5S framework" to tackle the growing challenges of integrating electric vehicles (EVs) with power grids. This framework—smart charging, synergistic infrastructure, and storable grid for a stable and sustainable power system—aims to harmonize the transportation and power systems, addressing grid instability and infrastructure shortfalls to accelerate the path to Net Zero Emissions.