Tellurene, a chiral chain semiconductor with a narrow bandgap and exceptional strain sensitivity, emerges as a pivotal material for tailoring electronic and optoelectronic properties via strain engineering. This study elucidates the fundamental mechanisms of ultrafast laser shock imprinting (LSI) in two-dimensional tellurium (Te), establishing a direct relationship between strain field orientation, mold topology, and anisotropic structural evolution. This is the first demonstration of ultrafast LSI on chiral chain Te unveiling orientation-sensitive dislocation networks. By applying controlled strain fields parallel or transverse to Te’s helical chains, we uncover two distinct deformation regimes. Strain aligned parallel to the chain’s direction induces gliding and rotation governed by weak interchain interactions, preserving covalent intrachain bonds and vibrational modes. In contrast, transverse strain drives shear-mediated multimodal deformations—tensile stretching, compression, and bending—resulting in significant lattice distortions and electronic property modulation. We discovered the critical role of mold topology on deformation: sharp-edged gratings generate localized shear forces surpassing those from homogeneous strain fields via smooth CD molds, triggering dislocation tangle formation, lattice reorientation, and inhomogeneous plastic deformation. Asymmetrical strain configurations enable localized structural transformations while retaining single-crystal integrity in adjacent regions—a balance essential for functional device integration. These insights position LSI as a precision tool for nanoscale strain engineering, capable of sculpting 2D material morphologies without compromising crystallinity. By bridging ultrafast mechanics with chiral chain material science, this work advances the design of strain-tunable devices for next-generation electronics and optoelectronics, while establishing a universal framework for manipulating anisotropic 2D systems under extreme strain rates. This work discovered crystallographic orientation-dependent deformation mechanisms in 2D Te, linking parallel strain to chain gliding and transverse strain to shear-driven multimodal distortion. It demonstrates mold geometry as a critical lever for strain localization and dislocation dynamics, with sharp-edged gratings enabling unprecedented control over lattice reorientation. Crucially, the identification of strain field conditions that reconcile severe plastic deformation with single-crystal retention offers a pathway to functional nanostructure fabrication, redefining LSI’s potential in ultrafast strain engineering of chiral chain materials.

Thermo-mechanical energy storage (TMES) technologies have attracted significant attention due to their potential for grid-scale, long-duration electricity storage, offering advantages such as minimal geographical constraints, low environmental impact, and long operational lifespans. A key benefit of TMES systems is their ability to perform energy conversion steps that enable interaction with both thermal energy consumers and prosumers, effectively functioning as combined cooling, heating and power (CCHP) systems. This paper reviews recent progress in various TMES technologies, focusing on compressed-air energy storage (CAES), liquid-air energy storage (LAES), pumped-thermal electricity storage (PTES, also known as Carnot battery), and carbon dioxide energy storage (CES), while exploring their potential applications as extended CCHP systems for trigeneration. Techno-economic analysis indicate that TMES-based CCHP systems can achieve roundtrip (power-to-power) efficiencies ranging from 40% to 130%, overall (trigeneration) energy efficiencies from 70% to 190%, and a levelized cost of energy (with cooling and heating outputs converted into equivalent electricity) between 70 and 200 $/MWh. In general, the evolution of TMES-based CCHP systems into smart multi-energy management systems for cities or districts in the future is a highly promising avenue. However, current economic analyses remain incomplete, and further exploration is needed, especially in the area “AI for energy storage,” which is crucial for the widespread adoption of TMES-based CCHP systems.

To help sound travel between air and water, Hesam Bakhtiary Yekta simulated a metamaterial that will sit at the air-water interface and improve sound transmission. His metamaterial is made from three parallel plates with “ribs” separating them, and sitting at the boundary between the two materials, it works by passing the vibrations through its structure, helping to transfer the energy between the two. Bakhtiary Yekta hopes that his metamaterial will help facilitate communication between underwater and airborne vehicles, such as an underwater robot and a drone.

Sound and noise have a major impact on our ability to focus and communicate, which is why acoustic requirements often feature in green building standards. Acoustic consultant George Edgar evaluated multiple materials, including timber, steel, and concrete, for their sound insulating properties along with their global warming potential. He found that concrete could have a far higher GWP than timber, and walls that incorporated timber outperformed standard steel studs, even when they needed more wall linings to achieve the same acoustic performance.

The KATRIN experiment has searched with unprecedented precision for signs of a fourth type of neutrino, that could reveal new physics beyond the Standard Model. No signal was found, tightening the constraints on one of the most debated puzzles in neutrino research.