Zinc–air batteries offer attractive characteristics for electrochemical energy storage, but their practical performance is still constrained by the slow kinetics of oxygen reduction and oxygen evolution at the air electrode. A recent study published in the Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts presents a strategy that uses carbon curvature and metal-support interactions to regulate Co-N₄ single-atom sites. Through a Zn volatilization-induced pyrolysis process, the researchers constructed cobalt nanoparticles and Co-N₄ sites on curved, nitrogen-doped biomass-derived carbon. The resulting structural distortion and electronic polarization strengthened metal-support interactions, altered the electronic structure of Co-N₄ sites and improved oxygen intermediate adsorption. The catalyst delivered a half-wave potential of 0.87 V for oxygen reduction and an overpotential of 290 mV at 10 mA cm^-2 for oxygen evolution. A zinc-air battery using the catalyst reached a peak power density of 172 mW cm^-2 and operated for more than 400 h.

A new study published in Nature Aging on August 25 reports that a single gut bacterium—Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum (BP)—together with a small molecule it produces, 5-aminovaleric acid betaine (5-AVAB)—can alleviate multiple hallmarks of aging and extend the healthy lifespan in mice, opening a promising avenue toward healthier aging in humans.

Researchers from POSTECH have developed an all-dielectric single-layer metasurface that enables triple-color printing under white light and high-efficiency holography under coherent light. By engineering three distinct meta-atoms, the device achieves independent control of phase and spectral response, going beyond conventional single-functional metasurfaces. The approach provides a compact route toward integrating multiple optical functions within a single ultrathin device. This multifunctional platform enhances the potential of metasurface-based technologies for optical security, anti-counterfeiting, and information storage.

Soil acidification threatens agricultural productivity across large areas of the world, but predicting how well biochar can restore acidic soils remains difficult. A new review suggests that artificial intelligence could help scientists move from trial-and-error applications toward more precise, mechanism-guided biochar management, provided that researchers improve the quality and biological relevance of the data used to train AI models.

Silver ions are widely used in industrial and antimicrobial applications, but their high mobility and toxicity can create serious risks when they enter aquatic environments. A new study published in Biochar shows that nano-biochar can rapidly convert dissolved silver ions into silver nanoparticles under carefully controlled alkaline conditions, revealing a key role for superoxide radicals in the process.

CHICAGO, August 27, 2026. NEW HORIZON PRESS LIMITED participated as an exhibitor at ACS Fall 2026, held from August 23 to 27 in Chicago, connecting with researchers, scholars, and students from around the world and introducing its academic journals and publishing initiatives to the international scientific community.

For centuries, foresters have watched prized timber trees grow for decades before they finally flower—a delay that frustrates breeding and conservation alike. 

The presence and location of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) could be valuable for risk evaluation in acute myocarditis. However, the predictive value of right ventricular LGE (RV LGE) remains unclear. 193 patients with acute myocarditis in China were enrolled and followed up for 3.6 ± 2.5 years. We revealed that RV LGE is an independent predictor of MACE in patients with acute myocarditis. RV LGE may be valuable for the risk stratification of acute myocarditis.

Immunotherapy for gynecological tumors is in a period of rapid development, bringing new hope to patients but also facing some new problems. How to achieve better clinical translation and improve treatment strategies based on current experimental research requires our joint efforts.