Whether in our bodies or in fuel cells, phosphoric acid plays an important role in many chemical processes because it is exceptionally good at transporting charges. Researchers from the Department of Molecular Physics at the Fritz Haber Institute gained new molecular insights into this remarkable property of the small molecule.

Scientists from the Faculty of Physics at the University of Warsaw, in collaboration with teams from the Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Sapienza University of Rome, University of Central Florida, Laboratoire National des Champs Magnétiques Intenses, National University of Singapore, CNR-IFN, as well as research centers in the Czech Republic (University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague) and Japan (National Institute for Materials Science), have observed a new microscopic mechanism enabling precise control of the magneto-optical properties of excitons in alloys of two-dimensional semiconductors. This discovery opens up tangible prospects for technological applications in devices exploiting valleytronics. The research findings were published in the prestigious journal Physical Review Letters.

Scientists have developed an AI-powered multi-agent system, named eNRRCrew, to tackle the challenge of producing sustainable ammonia. By automatically mining and analyzing over 2,300 scientific papers, this AI "crew" built a massive database and used it to identify key factors for designing efficient catalysts. The system can predict catalyst performance, recommend novel materials, and has already proposed a promising candidate that was validated by computational simulations and experiments. This AI-driven approach offers a new paradigm for accelerating scientific discovery in catalysis and beyond.

As an important quantum communication protocol, quantum teleportation has broad applications in quantum information science and technology. Toward the application, it is essential to enhance the ability of quantum teleportation by teleporting multiple quantum states simultaneously. Recently, the group led by Xiaolong Su at Shanxi University presents controllable deterministic quantum teleportation of multiple sideband qumodes simultaneously with the assistance of continuous-variable quantum entanglement. They show that the number of teleportable sideband qumodes in continuous-variable quantum teleportation are controllable by tuning the phase of the classical channel. The work presents a novel method for quantum teleportation of multiple quantum states simultaneously and take a crucial step in enhancing the teleporting ability of quantum teleportation.

Chinese researchers have developed China's first compact high-temperature superconducting magnetoplasmadynamic thruster, achieving a revolutionary reduction in power consumption from 285 kW to under 1 kW and weight from 220 kg to 60 kg. Published in National Science Review, the breakthrough utilizes YBCO superconducting material operating at liquid nitrogen temperatures (-196°C) to replace traditional copper coils. The thruster demonstrates an exceptional specific impulse of 3,265 seconds at 12 kW input power—more than ten times higher than conventional chemical propulsion. The team also established a comprehensive analytical magnetohydrodynamic model that accurately predicts performance parameters. This advancement solves the critical propulsion bottleneck for small satellites, enabling lightweight, cost-effective spacecraft with dramatically reduced fuel requirements for deep space missions.

A large-scale synchronized observation across 37 cities in North China Plain reveals a critical transition in urban ozone formation mechanisms, from predominantly VOC-limited regime to VOC–NO_x co-limited regime. This finding indicates that China’s ozone control efforts have passed through the most challenging phase, in which NO_x reductions tended to exacerbate ozone pollution. Further reductions in both NO_x and VOC emissions are now expected to be broadly effective, offering greater flexibility, feasibility, and optimism for future ozone mitigation in China.