Soft porous crystals (SPCs), particularly soft metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), have emerged as a revolutionary class of materials distinguished by exceptional porosity, tunable structures, and most notably, structural adaptivity. These unique dynamic properties enable stimuli-responsive structural transitions—such as gate-opening or breathing effects—allowing them to selectively adsorb, sense, or separate molecules in ways that their rigid counterparts tend to lack. Despite growing interest, most current applications remain at the proof-of-concept stage, and certain application areas have yet to be extended to SPCs. This is primarily constrained by challenges such as long-term stability issues, inherent lack of conductivity, and difficulties in large-scale production. Rational design strategies—such as hybridization, doping, and functionalization—hold great promise for addressing these challenges. A team of scientists has recently summarized key progress in SPCs, shedding light on “dose-sensitive” applications and “scaling softness”. Their work is published in Industrial Chemistry & Materials on July 16, 2025.

A new study introduces an innovative method to monitor sludge moisture content in real-time, combining jet imaging and deep learning to transform wastewater treatment processes.

In a recent study published in the National Science Review, researchers from China proposed an Open and Shared Sustainable Mega-Constellation (OSSMC) to address the critical issue of space sustainability. By integrating a novel "Sensors+Network+AI" (SNAI) satellite architecture and a "cloud-pool-terminal" (CPT) paradigm, the OSSMC is proposed for the development of space-based intelligence. Only 48,000 intelligent satellites can meet all kinds of service needs of global users, which provides a Chinese solution for building a community with a shared future for mankind in space systems.

Every three seconds, someone in the world develops dementia—a condition expected to nearly double in prevalence every 20 years, reaching 78 million cases by 2030. This rising tide poses profound medical, social, and economic challenges.

With the advancement of high-throughput sequencing technologies and precision medicine, researchers are beginning to uncover the complex biological mechanisms of dementia. These breakthroughs are paving the way for earlier detection, personalized interventions, and more effective strategies to slow disease progression.

The demand for deep human-machine fusion propels the development of artificial neuron. However, emulating the neuronal spiking in aqueous environments remains challenging. Inspired by the biocompatibility of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), Zhao et al. reported a MOF neuron with biochemical perception for the first time. Based on the real neurotransmitter—dopamine (DA) mediation, the neuron not only emulated some sophisticated neuronal functions but also controlled peripheral equipment, providing a new perspective for artificial neuron development.

A recent study published in National Science Review analyzes a new type of solar energetic particle event with faster particles arriving later than slower ones. The analysis of such events reveals that the energetic particles are confined and accelerated to higher energy by interplanetary shocks through the diffusive shock acceleration mechanism, which results in the late release of high-energy particles. This study challenges the traditional picture and opens a new window for diagnosing the remote interplanetary shock from observed IVD structure.