Scientists have developed a new material that can use sunlight and water to convert carbon dioxide (CO₂) into carbon monoxide (CO) – a key building block for making fuels, plastics, pharmaceuticals and other everyday chemicals.

A comprehensive review published in SCIENCE CHINA Chemistry explores the Chiral Induced Spin Selectivity effect in chiral nanomaterials—a quantum phenomenon where electron spin is filtered by chiral structures without external magnets. The work details underlying mechanisms like spin-orbit coupling and spin filtering, advanced characterization techniques, and transformative applications in spintronics, electrocatalysis, and photocatalysis. These insights pave the way for energy-efficient electronics, selective chemical production, and sustainable energy technologies.

Scientists from the University of Manchester have played a leading role in the discovery of a new subatomic particle at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The particle, known as the Ξ_cc⁺ (Xi‑cc‑plus), is a new type of heavy proton-like particle containing two charm quarks and one down quark.

Researchers have designed two isostructural metal-organic frameworks featuring cage-type pores and functionalized surfaces for highly efficient methane purification from natural gas. These MOF-adsorbents exhibit outstanding adsorption capacity and selectivity toward C₃H₈ and C₂H₆ over CH₄, enabling one-step production of high-purity CH₄ (>99.9%) with excellent stability. This work provides a promising strategy for constructing cage-structured MOFs with balanced adsorption and selectivity for natural gas upgrading.