A review published in Science China Materials provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in lanthanide-based luminescence thermometry, covering fundamental photophysics, materials design, and emerging applications. Spanning six classes of materials, the review highlights strategies for overcoming thermal quenching and approaches to comprehensive performance evaluation, while outlining key challenges and future perspectives for the development of reliable luminescent thermometers.

Researchers from Chongqing University and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University revealed how eggshell membranes (ESMs) promote rapid biomineralization via shared interfacial features. Inspired by this, they designed a biomimetic fibrous membrane (b-FM) with superior crystallization-inducing capacity. In a 30-day cooling-water test, the b-FM achieved low-energy water softening and suppressed pipe scaling, offering a sustainable industrial water-treatment strategy.

In February–March 2025, Arctic sea ice extent reached a record low despite a decadal slowdown in ice loss. A weak La Niña alone could not explain this event. Using observations, reanalysis data and a linear baroclinic model, researchers show that La Niña and a concurrent South Indian Ocean warm anomaly jointly triggered a northeast-propagating Rossby wave, producing an anticyclonic anomaly over the Sea of Okhotsk that accelerated ice melt.

A recent study published in National Science Review has reconstructed glacier mass balance across High Mountain Asia from 1975 to 2013 using historical satellite imagery, revealing a 54% acceleration in glacier mass loss after 2000 and striking regional contrasts. The findings suggest that the so-called "Karakoram anomaly" may instead be centered around the circum-Tarim Basin, challenging its traditionally recognized geographic extent and providing a new benchmark for understanding long-term glacier changes.

In a study of 976 patients who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) after myeloablative conditioning, the presence of donor-derived unlicensed natural killer cells (U-NK cells) was associated with faster hematopoietic recovery and improved clinical outcomes. Further experiments explored the potential underlying mechanisms, demonstrating that U-NK cells enhanced the in vitro colony-forming capacity of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. In vivo infusion of U-NK cells accelerated donor neutrophil and platelet engraftment after myeloablative conditioning and increased the numbers of granulocyte-monocyte progenitors, megakaryocyte-erythroid progenitors, and multipotent progenitors during the early post-transplantation period. These changes were accompanied by elevated plasma levels of factor VII and serum amyloid A1, providing further clues to the mechanisms by which U-NK cells may promote hematopoietic recovery. In summary, U-NK cells may provide a valuable reference for donor selection in HSCT and may facilitate the development of therapeutic strategies for poor hematopoietic engraftment or graft failure.