Chemistry isn’t always known for its sustainable methodologies and simple execution, though the possibilities for finding more direct and efficient ways to synthesize products are limitless. Conventional methods for modifying drug intermediates with the addition of a carboxyl group (a functional group consisting of a carbon double-bonded to an oxygen molecule, with a single bond to a hydroxyl group, or -OH) using carbon dioxide (CO₂) in a process called carboxylation often are expensive, have poor stability and high activation energy costs. Alternatively, this study focuses on newer advances in the carboxylation of heteroaromatic compounds, which are organic molecules arranged in a ring format, making them very stable and necessary building blocks for many organic compounds. The advancements shown here use CO₂ as a raw material to develop a greener, highly selective and efficient way to add CO₂  to heteroaromatic compounds under mild conditions.

In a newly published research article in Space: Science & Technology, an international team of researchers from the Aerospace Information Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences; the Italian National Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN); the China Academy of Space Technology; the National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences; the Yunnan Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences; and the China University of Geosciences jointly presents a detailed account of the successful deployment of the INRRI laser retroreflector on the lunar farside by the Chang’e-6 mission.

The escalating advancements in wireless communication and electronic devices have intensified electromagnetic pollution, driving an urgent demand for high-performance microwave absorption materials (MAMs). The core challenge in designing high-performance MAMs is the simultaneous achievement of excellent impedance matching and a strong attenuation capability. Early research primarily focused on conventional materials such as carbon-based structures and ferrites. Although carbon materials such as graphene and carbon nanotubes offer strong dielectric loss, their high conductivity often leads to poor impedance matching and surface reflection. Furthermore, although ferrites provide magnetic loss, their low Snoek's limit restricts their application at high frequencies.

Researchers propose a novel scheme to produce isolated attosecond pulses using relativistic electron mirrors, paving the way for next-generation ultrafast spectroscopy.

Osaka Metropolitan University researchers successfully synthesized spherical Rh-Pd-Ir-Pt-Au HEA NPs with a mean diameter of approximately 10 nm in an aqueous mixed metal salt solution without any additional chemical reductants.

Epigenetic regulation is central to the development, progression, and treatment resistance of glioblastoma (GBM), a highly aggressive grade IV brain tumor whose management is hindered by the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and pronounced tumor heterogeneity. Nanomedicine—through the rational design of nanocarriers—offers a transformative strategy to overcome these challenges, enabling targeted delivery of epigenetic modulators while improving drug solubility, stability, and controlled release.  The convergence of nanotechnology and epigenetic therapy is redefining GBM treatment, providing a promising platform to penetrate the BBB, overcome drug resistance, and enhance therapeutic outcomes when combined with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and immunotherapy.

This study successfully designed and synthesized a novel magnetic molecularly imprinted composite material, Fe₃O₄@PCN-222@MIP, which integrates Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles, zirconium-based metal-organic framework (PCN-222), and molecularly imprinted polymer. This composite exhibits excellent magnetic responsiveness, high specific surface area, and characteristic recognition, enabling efficient enrichment and specific identification of sulfamethoxazole (SMX). The molecularly imprinted cavities provide complementary spatial structures and functional sites for SMX through hydrogen bonding and π-π interactions, achieving precise recognition. Notably, the composite also exhibits inherent peroxidase (POD)-like activity. Upon binding to SMX, electrons transfer from Fe to the sulfur atom in SMX, inhibiting its catalytic activity and reducing H2O2 decomposition efficiency, thereby establishing a direct colorimetric detection mechanism. The authorsdeveloped a microfluidic chip sensor integrating magnetic solid-phase extraction (MSPE) with colorimetric detection was developed. This method achieves a broad linear range (100–4200 nmol·L^-1) and low detection limit (632.74 nmol·L^-1) for SMX. When applied to complex food samples such as milk and honey, its recovery rates reaches 90%–110% without complex elution steps, demonstrating outstanding practicality and showing high consistency with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). This study not only introduces innovative functional materials but also provides solutions for integrated, simplified equipment suitable for potential field applications.