The COVID-19 pandemic presented several challenges, leaving the specific impact of class closures on student performance unclear. To address this, researchers examined the effect of pre-pandemic class closures due to influenza outbreaks on students’ test scores in Japan. They found that class closures adversely affected the math scores of elementary school boys from low-income households, likely due to lost instructional time and unhealthy behaviors. Fortunately, high-quality teachers could help students recover from the learning loss.

Researchers have asked over 400 international experts which climate policies work best. There is no single solution that everyone agrees on – except for border carbon adjustment on trade between countries, which a surprisingly large majority supports. Otherwise, the study shows that climate policy should be adapted to the specific conditions and needs of each country.

The demand for polymer-based dielectrics with a low dielectric constant and a low dissipation factor is rising, owing to the expansion of 5G and 6G telecommunications networks. However, polymer designs that satisfy both requirements have been difficult to realize. Now, researchers from Japan have developed a new family of ultralow dielectric loss polymers, presenting a new strategy for developing next-generation dielectrics that are suitable for future beyond-6G telecommunications.

When it comes to clean energy, solar and wind often dominate the headlines. But in the lush, river-rich landscapes of Southeast Asia, another renewable powerhouse is quietly making waves—hydropower. A major new study published on August 4, 2025, in Carbon Research proves that hydropower isn’t just a side player in the region’s energy mix—it’s a leading force in cutting carbon emissions, with the potential to reshape the future of sustainable development.

The US Department of Justice's increasing use of deferred prosecution and non-prosecution agreements (D/NPAs) over the past two decades has sparked debate about their merits compared with traditional plea deals, which often result in criminal convictions. As D/NPAs gain traction in the United States and internationally, this study highlights a trade-off: while D/NPAs mitigate harm to innocent stakeholders, they are less effective at deterring future misconduct than traditional prosecutions.