Hydrogel electrolytes have emerged as promising alternatives to conventional aqueous electrolytes in zinc-ion batteries owing to their high ionic conductivity and mechanical robustness. However, hydrogel electrolytes still suffer from stability challenges under wide-temperature conditions. At low temperatures, the freezing of water and the ordering of hydrogen-bond networks restrict ion transport and strengthen the hydrated structure of Zn²⁺. At high temperatures, water evaporation and intensified parasitic reactions can destroy the electrode–electrolyte interface and induce structural degradation. These coupled thermodynamic and kinetic effects indicate that achieving stable wide-temperature operation requires coordinated regulation of ion transport, solvation thermodynamics and interfacial dynamics. To address this challenge, the coordination–entropy (C-E) regulation framework is proposed as a unified design concept. Within this framework, coordination regulation reconstructs Zn²⁺ solvation environments and lowers desolvation barriers, while entropy regulation increases the diversity of accessible ionic configurations and transport states across multiple structural scales. Their intrinsic coupling enables stable ion transport and interfacial chemistry under temperature variation. This review systematically summarizes recent advances in polymer, salt, cosolvent and filler regulation strategies directed by the C-E framework, aiming to establish a unified physicochemical framework for wide-temperature hydrogel electrolytes and guide the development of durable, high-energy–density zinc-ion batteries.

- Professor Sarah Park’s research team in the Department of Chemistry develops a new electrode material that sequentially stores zinc ions and protons (H⁺)

- By controlling the storage sequence, protons are harnessed for additional energy storage, offering the potential for high capacity and rapid charging and discharging

State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. today announced the inaugural class of Simons Empire Faculty Fellows in academic fields including neuroscience, mathematics, and physics. The fellowship supports 16 tenure-track faculty positions, four at each of SUNY's University Centers, the State University of New York at Albany, at Binghamton, at Buffalo, and at Stony Brook. The Simons Foundation and Simons Foundation International established the program to stimulate faculty hiring in mathematics and the basic sciences across New York State. Simons Foundation International provides funding to participating institutions, with the program administered by the Simons Foundation.

In collaboration with partners, researchers at Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) have developed new hybrid compounds that, in laboratory studies, were shown to simultaneously reduce the viability of aggressive cancer cells and inhibit the growth of certain bacteria and fungi.

In JASA Express Letters, researchers set out to understand the acoustics behind "aegyo," the playful cuteness put on by adults to win someone’s affection. They discovered that speakers were increasing their formant frequencies when speaking with aegyo, suggesting they changed their voices to make it sound like they had a shorter vocal tract. This imitates a childlike voice, possibly eliciting a protective response from others and strengthening social bonds.

Most scientific research into snoring is aimed at treating sleep apnea, but snoring not caused by sleep apnea can still be debilitating. In Physics of Fluids, researchers developed a 3D model of the upper airway, complete with dynamic airflows, soft tissues, and sound generation, with the goal of understanding how these elements are related. They simulated the movement of air through the mouth, watching closely for any sound-producing vibrations, and found that the loudest sounds resulted from unsteady airflow across the soft tissues of the mouth, hinting at possible anti-snoring solutions.

A Kyushu University‑led team has provided direct evidence for the electric field long suspected to drive fast chemistry at water surfaces. By trapping water and air inside a carbon nanotube and imaging the interface in 3D, they resolved its shape at the nanoscale. The researchers then deduced forces exceeding classical predictions, consistent with a powerful electric field. This methodology could guide rational design of nanoporous materials for clean energy.