Ammonia is a chemical essential to many agricultural and industrial processes, but it’s mode of production comes with an incredibly high energy cost. Various attempts have, and are, being made to produce ammonia more efficiently. For the first time, a group including researchers from the University of Tokyo combined atmospheric nitrogen, water and sunlight, and using two catalysts, produced sizable quantities of ammonia without a high energy cost. Their processes mirror natural processes found in plants utilizing symbiotic bacteria.

Scientists at Paderborn University have made a further step forward in the field of quantum research: for the first time ever, they have demonstrated a cryogenic circuit (i.e. one that operates in extremely cold conditions) that allows light quanta – also known as photons – to be controlled more quickly than ever before. Specifically, these scientists have discovered a way of using circuits to actively manipulate light pulses made up of individual photons. This milestone could substantially contribute to developing modern technologies in quantum information science, communication and simulation. The results have now been published in the journal Optica.

How are nanogenerators transforming the capabilities of intelligent robotics?

Reasearchers from Tsinghua University showcase how triboelectric and piezoelectric nanogenerators support robot autonomy and operational efficiency by converting mechanical energy into electrical energy.

Their work contributes to the integration of self-powered sensing with AI and IoT, with potential applications in healthcare, smart homes, and industrial automation.