A study from the Research Center for Materials Nanoarchitectonics (MANA) has uncovered a theoretical mechanism showing how the electronic band structures of strongly correlated insulators can be reshaped by spin and charge perturbations, opening up new possibilities for electronics with tunable band structures.

A new culprit: While billions of dollars have been spent targeting Amyloid beta (Aβ) in Alzheimer’s patients, a newly reevaluated, shorter peptide known as P3 forms toxic clumps faster than Aβ and may also contribute to the disease.

Explaining stalled progress: The overwhelming focus on Aβ, and the erroneous assumption that P3 is harmless and water-soluble, may explain why current Alzheimer’s treatments show limited success and fail to stop the disease’s progression.

A study in National Science Review reports that periphyton—microbial biofilms at the soil–water interface—captures 6–24% (12% on average) of fertilizer nitrogen in Chinese rice paddies. Combining a 840-field survey with in situ ¹⁵N tracing across climatic zones, this study shows this transient N pool (~0.8 Tg N yr−1) helps close long-standing nitrogen budget gaps in paddy fields.

Researchers have experimentally realized an optical effect predicted over 75 years ago: the Tellegen effect, where electric and magnetic responses intertwine in a nonreciprocal way. Using nanoscale cobalt–silicon structures, the team achieved a Tellegen response 100 times stronger than in any natural material without external magnets. This breakthrough opens new paths toward compact, bias-free nonreciprocal optical devices and laboratory platforms for axion-like physics.

Researchers  led by Prof. ZHANG Xiqi from the Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have developed a photocatalytic membrane reactor that dramatically improves the synthesis of imines—a class of compounds essential to the production of pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and advanced synthetic materials.

A research team led by Professors Caichao Wan and Yiqiang Wu at Central South University of Forestry and Technology reports on synergistic strategies that combine ultramicropore confinement with electronic-state modulation in sustainable lignin-derived hard carbon (N-S@HDM) to achieve robust sodium-ion batteries.

Researchers from Tsinghua University explore how supramolecular self-assembly can revolutionize solid-state lithium batteries. By utilizing reversible non-covalent interactions like hydrogen bonding, they have developed dynamic electrolyte networks with self-healing capabilities and high ionic conductivity. This framework effectively suppresses lithium dendrite growth and reduces interfacial impedance, offering a transformative strategy for next-generation, high-safety energy storage systems for electric vehicles.

Tokyo, Japan – Scientists from Tokyo Metropolitan University have devised a rotating tabletop device to study wireless charging in electric vehicles. Testing on real tracks takes up vast areas at significant cost. The team not only built a prototype but used simulations to demonstrate safety and similar charging to a linear track. They successfully reproduced movement at 40 kilometers per hour, promising accelerated global research into next-gen charging for EVs.