Phosphorus is essential for crop growth, but using it efficiently remains one of agriculture’s long-standing challenges. Farmers often apply large amounts of phosphorus fertilizer to maintain yields, yet only a small fraction is taken up by crops. The rest can become locked in soil or escape into waterways, contributing to nutrient pollution and eutrophication.

A new hydrogen sensor consumes virtually no power until the moment it detects a leak, overcoming a fundamental inefficiency of conventional monitoring systems.

Researchers in China studied summer PM1 pollution in Nanjing and found that it is now dominated (~70%) by secondary formation rather than direct emissions. Photochemical reactions drive sulfate and secondary organic aerosols, while humidity controls nitrate formation. They identified a transformation pathway from primary emissions to aged aerosols and showed that weather strongly influences pollution chemistry. 

Early-onset intervertebral disc degeneration is partly driven by cellular senescence, yet effective disease-modifying therapies remain limited. Researchers report that the senolytic combination dasatinib and quercetin reduces senescence markers, inflammatory signaling, and degenerative tissue changes in a genetic mouse model of disc disease. In contrast, navitoclax shows no benefit. The study identifies JNK (c-Jun N-terminal kinase) signaling as a key pathway underlying disease progression and therapeutic response, highlighting a potential strategy for slowing spinal disc degeneration.

How does the host immune system recognize candidalysin, a key toxin secreted by Candida albicans? A new study reveals that TREM2 on macrophages directly binds candidalysin, activating the DAP12/Syk/NF-κB pathway to rapidly produce TNF-α, which orchestrates antifungal responses including enhanced phagocytosis, neutrophil NETosis, and appropriate modulation of IL-17 signaling. This work fills a critical gap in understanding fungal immunology and host-pathogen coevolution, and opens new avenues for antifungal therapy and vaccine development.

A new study in National Science Review presents the first comprehensive 3D mapping of China's lakes. Researchers found that 65% of the nation's natural lake freshwater is stored in deep lakes of the remote western interior, rather than the water-abundant east. This discovery highlights a severe geographic imbanlance with population distribution, underscoring the vital role of artificial reservoirs and the need for region-specific water governance strategies.

Sulfur-doped NiFe layered double hydroxides (S-NiFe-LDH) were synthesized via an in-situ hydrothermal approach. The resulting catalyst delivered outstanding urea oxidation reaction (UOR) activity, stemming from an optimized electronic structure and the evolution of active sites from Fe³⁺/Ni²⁺ to high-valence Ni³⁺. Sulfur incorporation markedly lowers the thermodynamic barrier, synergistically boosting reaction kinetics and enabling energy-efficient hydrogen generation. Sulfur-doped NiFe layered double hydroxides (S-NiFe-LDH) were synthesized via an in-situ hydrothermal approach. The resulting catalyst delivered outstanding urea oxidation reaction (UOR) activity, stemming from an optimized electronic structure and the evolution of active sites from Fe³⁺/Ni²⁺ to high-valence Ni³⁺. Sulfur incorporation markedly lowers the thermodynamic barrier, synergistically boosting reaction kinetics and enabling energy-efficient hydrogen generation.

A global meta-analysis shows that carbon farming, through legume cover crops or vermicompost, enhances agroecosystem multifunctionality. Soil biota abundance was strongly linked to multifunctionality and showed more frequent win–win relationships with other functions than species richness. Across agroecosystems, abundance was primarily associated with local soil properties and climate factors. The study identified site-specific management strategies that align carbon inputs with local environmental conditions in global croplands to enhance multifunctionality.

A new international study, published in Nature Geoscience, provides a quantification of the air-sea global carbon cycle and how it might change in a warming climate.