A research team led by Professor Xiaonan Wang from Tsinghua University has published a comprehensive review on AI-enhanced multi-scale smart systems for decarbonizing the chemical industry. The study, featured in Technology Review for Carbon Neutrality, explores innovations from micro-level materials discovery to macro-level industrial park optimization, highlighting how intelligent approaches enhance efficiency, sustainability, and carbon neutrality. It also examines cross-scale modeling for complex chemical processes and identifies key challenges such as data management and industrial integration. The review concludes with future research directions, advocating interdisciplinary strategies to drive the industry toward a greener and more efficient future.

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) has significantly increased the computational load on data centers, resulting in substantial carbon emissions. To mitigate these emissions, future data centers should be strategically planned and operated to fully utilize renewable energy resources while meeting growing computational demands. This study aims to investigate how much carbon emission reduction can be achieved by using a carbon-oriented demand response to guide the optimal planning and operation of data centers. An empirical study based on the proposed models is conducted on real-world data from China. The results from the empirical analysis show that newly constructed data centers are recommended to be built in Gansu Province, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Sichuan Province, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and Qinghai Province, accounting for 57% of the total national increase in server capacity. 33% of the computational load from Eastern China should be transferred to the West, which could reduce the overall load carbon emissions by 26%.

Energy sector decarbonization is a key battleground in China’s march toward carbon neutrality, and understanding what it means and takes is crucial for its policy-making and sustainable implementation. Here we analyze the structural challenges and review the necessary supporting technologies and systems of energy sector decarbonization in China. This work could achieve a better understanding of technology development and deployment, and to make more thoughtful policy recommendations.

The CCT sensitivity calculation method proposed in this study provides a new tool for stability analysis in power systems with a high proportion of power electronic devices. By considering the effects of current limiting and control switching, as well as scenarios where stability boundaries are controlled by periodic orbits (POs), the method quantifies the impact of various parameters on system stability and offers guidance for adjusting inverter control parameters. Future research could further refine the CCT calculation method and integrate CCT sensitivity into optimization models to enhance system stability through improved inverter control strategies.

This study presents evidence that dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis exacerbates periodontitis through the activation of the NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2)/reactive oxygen species (ROS) axis in M1-like macrophages. This study, which combines animal models and single-cell RNA sequencing analysis, reveals that colitis significantly aggravates periodontal inflammation by upregulating ROS levels in oral macrophages. The researchers found that the NOX2/ROS pathway in M1-like macrophages plays a central role in linking colitis and periodontitis, leading to increased bone resorption and tissue damage in the periodontal region. Notably, administration of a NOX2 inhibitor reduced ROS expression in periodontal tissue, alleviating both periodontal and intestinal inflammation while restoring the balance of the periodontal and intestinal microbiota. By uncovering the pathogenic mechanisms connecting colitis and periodontitis, this study provides new insights into potential therapeutic strategies for treating periodontitis and its associated systemic inflammatory conditions.

A new study in Forest Ecosystems unveils innovative design strategies to dramatically improve Pinus tabuliformis, a cornerstone species of northern China's forests. The research focused on optimizing advanced generation breeding, revealing that direct selection significantly outperforms combined selection, delivering impressive gains: a 7.72% increase in diameter, a substantial 18.56% jump in height, and a remarkable 31.01% surge in overall volume. Furthermore, addressing the critical issue of inbreeding, the researchers developed the Improved Adaptive Genetic Programming Algorithm (IAPGA). This innovative strategy demonstrably reduces inbreeding by a significant 14.36% within advanced seed orchards established using the selected breeding population. The results are pivotal for sustainable forest management, promising enhanced ecological resilience and substantial economic benefits through increased timber yield and improved forest health. This study provides valuable insights for optimizing breeding programs and ensuring the long-term vitality of Pinus tabuliformis forests in China.

Imagine a world where batteries can repair themselves, extending their lifespan, improving safety, and making electronic devices more resilient. This once futuristic concept is now becoming a reality. Inspired by nature’s ability to heal wounds, self-healing batteries can autonomously recover from physical and chemical damage, making them particularly valuable for flexible electronics, wearable devices, and other high-stress applications. A recent review published in Energy Materials and Devices explores the cutting-edge progress in self-healing materials for battery components, shedding light on the challenges and opportunities in this emerging field.

A study in Forest Ecosystems reveals that Australia's cool temperate rainforests are more disturbance-resilient than previously thought. Researchers found that Nothofagus moorei thrives under higher disturbance intensities through basal coppicing. 60% of species can resprout after disturbance, with N. moorei showing faster growth and better recruitment in response to canopy removal. These findings suggest that conservation strategies should not completely exclude disturbance but instead use controlled burning and selective logging to maintain ecological diversity.A study in Forest Ecosystems reveals that Australia's cool temperate rainforests are more disturbance-resilient than previously thought. Researchers found that Nothofagus moorei thrives under higher disturbance intensities through basal coppicing. 60% of species can resprout after disturbance, with N. moorei showing faster growth and better recruitment in response to canopy removal. These findings suggest that conservation strategies should not completely exclude disturbance but instead use controlled burning and selective logging to maintain ecological diversity.