Piezoelectric energy harvesting from the thorax vibration of freely flying bees
Peer-Reviewed Publication
Updates every hour. Last Updated: 24-Oct-2025 15:11 ET (24-Oct-2025 19:11 GMT/UTC)
A research article published by the Beijing Institute of Technology presented a piezoelectric energy harvester (PEH) weighing only 46 milligrams. By matching the thoracic vibration frequency and optimizing the center of gravity distribution of bees, the device achieved high energy output (5.66 V and 1.27 mW/cm³), with experimental verification showing minimal interference with normal flight behaviors.
High-entropy materials (HEMs) have emerged as a promising frontier in electrochemical energy storage systems due to their unique compositional versatility and tunable physicochemical properties. By incorporating multiple principal elements with distinct chemical functionalities, HEMs exhibit tailored electronic/ionic configurations, enabling unprecedented structural adaptability and application potential. This review systematically analyzes the fundamental principles underpinning the entropy-driven optimization of electrochemical performance in battery materials, with a focus on the interplay between compositional disorder and functional enhancements. For the first time, recent advances in NASICON-type HEMs spanning cathodes, solid-state electrolytes, and anodes were comprehensively reviewed. Through investigations, the profound impact of high-entropy strategies on critical material parameters were elucidate, including lattice strain modulation, interfacial stability reinforcement, charge-transfer kinetics optimization, and ion transport pathway regulation. Furthermore, the current challenges in high-entropy NASICON-type battery design are evaluated, and actionable strategies for advancing next-generation high-entropy battery systems are proposed, with emphasis placed on rational compositional screening, entropy-stabilized interface design, and machine learning-assisted property prediction.
Zinc (Zn) is a vital micronutrient for all living organisms, and its deficiency can adversely impact crop yield and quality. Despite its importance, the regulatory mechanisms underlying Zn signal perception and transduction in plants remain inadequately understood. In a recent publication in Science Bulletin, Professor Cun Wang and colleagues from Northwest A & F University presented their study, " Plasma membrane-associated calcium signaling modulates zinc homeostasis in Arabidopsis." The researchers elucidated the critical role of the Ca2+-CBL1/4/5/8/9-CIPK3/9/23/26-ZIP12 signaling pathway in regulating Zn homeostasis in plants. This study provides a theoretical foundation and novel insights for the molecular breeding of crops with enhanced tolerance to Zn deficiency and the development of hyperaccumulator crops for beneficial trace elements.
Two-dimensional porphyrin-based COFs show great promise for photocatalytic CO2 reduction, yet their π-π stacking often impedes active site exposure and charge transfer. Researchers developed a series of porphyrin COFs with tunably twisted linkers. The N-N-linked twisted unit in NN-Por-COF creates a remarkably undulating layered structure that enhances mass transport and exposes more active sites, while simultaneously modulating the electronic structure of cobalt-porphyrin to reduce reaction barriers. This dual structural and electronic optimization yields outstanding photocatalytic performance, achieving CO production rates of 22.38 and 3.02 mmol g−1 h−1 under pure and 10% CO2, respectively, surpassing most porphyrin-based photocatalysts.
A new study categorizes corporate climate risks into physical, transition and perceived categories. Researchers propose an integrated assessment framework combining exposure data, management capabilities and market perceptions. The work highlights supply chain vulnerabilities in physical risks, ESG limitations in transition risks, and AI applications for perceived risks. Findings help firms navigate climate challenges while identifying green energy opportunities.
Excess submental fat is a common facial aesthetic concern. It not only makes people look less attractive and overweight, but it has negative impact on feeling/emotional well-beings. This study developed and validated a 5-point Chinese version of clinician-reported SMF rating scale.
This study assesses the accuracy of ChatGPT in conducting literature reviews by prompting the AI tool to find relevant articles based on established criteria from published systematic reviews. The findings reveal a concerning rate of inaccurate citations, highlighting the limitations of current generative AI in healthcare research and emphasizing the need for human oversight to ensure accuracy and reliability.
This study investigates the effectiveness of China’s Urgently Needed Overseas Drug (UNOD) policy, which aims to expedite access to innovative drugs for patients with unmet medical needs. Analyzing data from 2012 to 2019, the research reveals that the UNOD designation did not significantly reduce launch delays for new drugs compared to the United States. This finding suggests a potential overlap in benefits with other existing policies, undermining the intended prioritization of UNOD drugs.