Exploring topological singularities in non-Hermitian photonic systems has recently become a frontier in modern physics and engineering. Towards this goal, researchers in China have experimentally realized the transition from a bound state in the continuum (BIC) to an exceptional point (EP) in a terahertz metasurface by tuning the incident angle. Optical pumping modulates silicon’s carrier concentration, enabling dynamic EP switching and THz beam deflection for compact sensing and non-Hermitian photonic applications.

The High Intensity heavy-ion Accelerator Facility (HIAF) of  the Institute of Modern Physics, one of China's major scientific and technological infrastructure projects, successfully completed commissioning with beam on October 28, marking a crucial milestone in its construction.

University of Sydney and startup Dewpoint Innovations have developed paint-like substance that reflects 97 percent of sunlight and can cool the painted surface by up to six degrees below ambient temperature, cooling building and passively extracting water. The innovation could help cool urban heat islands and supplement tank water.

Tokyo, Japan – Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have developed a new atomically layered material which experiences a five order of magnitude resistivity reduction when oxidized, more than a hundred times the reduction seen in similar, non-layered materials. By analyzing the structure, the team discovered a synergy between oxidation and structural modification which drives dramatic changes in physical properties. The new material promises more power efficient next-generation devices, like memristors in AI computing.

A novel hybrid meta-atom structure, utilizing atomic layer-coated nanoparticle-embedded resin (nano-PER), has been introduced to enable the scalable manufacturing of high-performance metasurfaces. By using TiO₂ nano-PER as a core material and coating it with a thin TiO₂ layer, researchers successfully implemented the optical properties of high-index materials with a printable composite. This approach significantly reduced the meta-atom height by over 27% compared to previous hybrid resin-based structures, mitigating risks like structural bending and collapse during fabrication. This breakthrough, demonstrated through the fabrication of a hyperbolic metalens via Nanoimprint Lithography (NIL) and Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD), paves the way for the practical, high-throughput integration of metasurfaces into various optical applications.

Professor Lijia Wang's group at East China Normal University, in collaboration with Academician Yong Tang of the Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, developed a nickel (II)-catalyzed asymmetric [2+2] cyclobutanization reaction. By introducing a flexible "antenna" structure into the traditional chiral BOX ligand, they successfully achieved efficient asymmetric cyclobutanization of indole-derived heterocyclic enamines with methylene malonates. Based on this method, the team completed a concise asymmetric synthesis of seven quebracho indole alkaloids with a total yield of 29%-39% in just 7-10 steps (the longest linear step). Among them, (-)-eburine, (-)-eburcine, and (-)-minovine were achieved for the first time in asymmetric total synthesis, providing a new path for the efficient preparation of complex alkaloids. The article was published as an open access research article in CCS Chemistry, the flagship journal of the Chinese Chemical Society.

Hybrid electrocatalysts can produce green hydrogen, for example, and valuable organic compounds simultaneously. This promises economically viable applications. However, the complex catalytic reactions involved in producing organic compounds are not yet fully understood. Modern X-ray methods at synchrotron sources such as BESSY II, enable catalyst materials and the reactions occurring on their surfaces to be analysed in real time, in situ and under real operating conditions. This provides insights that can be used for targeted optimisation. A team has now published an overview of the current state of knowledge in Nature Reviews Chemistry.