Researchers discovered a previously unknown solar radio pattern — periodic beaded stripes — using the Chashan Broadband Solar Radio Spectrometer during a 2024 flare. These narrow, drifting radio bands, dotted with rhythmic “beads”, reveal rapid plasma processes in the Sun’s corona. The team attributes their formation to the double plasma resonance effect, modulated by magnetohydrodynamic waves. Observations suggest a weak magnetic field (~1 G) above the flaring loops in an active solar region.

Stainless steels are basic corrosion-resistant materials, but they still suffer from environmental erosions by ubiquitous chemical reactions, resulting in typical corrosion rates at dozens of mm∙yr^-1. Here a strong-field laser passivation strategy is proposed, with which up to 100,000-fold reduction in the corrosion rates of AISI 304 is achieved respectively in saline, acidic, and alkaline solutions. The generality is exemplified by exhibiting the similar anticorrosion enhancements for AISI 316, 420, 201, 430 and 2205 steels.

In the marine green alga Codium fragile, unusual carotenoids rapidly dissipate harmful chlorophyll triplet states, protecting the organism from light-induced damage. Using EPR spectroscopy and quantum chemical simulations, the study revealed the structural and electronic principles behind this photoprotection, offering insights for potential bio-inspired solar technologies.

The University of Osaka researchers developed a world-first sustainable method for synthesizing pharmaceutical-grade NOBIN. By cooperatively utilizing a vanadium catalyst and energy-efficient LED light, the process eliminates byproducts, reduces waste, and allows for ideal raw material ratios, paving the way for greener and more efficient chiral molecule production.

A novel electrochemical method promises faster battery charging times and extended operational lifespan.