Researchers at Oxford University and the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute) are proposing a new way to observe tightly bound supermassive black hole binaries. Formed naturally when galaxies merge, only widely separated systems have confidently been observed to date. In a paper published today in Physical Review Letters, the researchers suggest hunting down the hidden systems by searching for repeating flashes of light from individual stars lying behind the black holes as they are temporarily magnified by gravitational lensing as the binary orbits. 

Researchers at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon recently introduced a fully recyclable ink for 3D printing that is made from the abundant industrial byproduct lignin. This ink, presented in a paper published in the Journal ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, could substitute fossil-based materials that are currently used to print various consumer goods, product prototypes and technological components. Its unique properties enable the printing of items with excellent resolution, shape stability at temperatures up to 200 °C, and their recycling via a rehydration process. 

A recent study maps the limitations of today’s lithium-ion batteries and outlines several promising alternatives, including lithium-sulfur, lithium-metal, lithium-air, zinc-air, sodium-ion, and redox flow batteries. The authors argue that breakthroughs such as solid-state electrolytes, self-healing components, and flexible energy-storage architectures will be essential to meet future demands for greater safety, better performance, and stronger sustainability goals. They also emphasize the need for a chemistry-neutral battery roadmap beyond 2030, one in which artificial intelligence and advanced materials-discovery tools accelerate the shift toward safer, more reliable, and climate-neutral energy-storage technologies.

Next-generation sodium- and potassium-ion batteries offer resource-unconstrained, cost-effective, and sustainable energy storage systems. In a recent review, researchers from Japan redefine the electrode-electrolyte interphase (SEI and CEI) to improve battery stability and performance. By systematically analyzing these overlooked layers, the team demonstrates how controlling interfacial reactions can influence electrochemical performance and safety. Their findings could accelerate the development of the next-generation battery systems for grid storage, electric vehicles, and other energy applications.