A joint research team led by Prof. Jie Zhang found the reasons of discrepancies between experimental results of neutron spectral moment analyses and hydrodynamic predictions in nuclear burning plasmas in the recent inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments conducted at the National Ignition Facility, through unprecedented kinetic simulations incorporating large-angle collisions. These collisions generate supra-thermal ions during the deposition of alpha particles, causing deviations from the equilibrium state and falling outside the scope of the hydrodynamic descriptions. The kinetic simulations further reveal that large-angle collisions play a pivotal role in advancing the ignition moment and augmenting the deposition of α-particles in ICF nuclear burning plasmas.

Among the hundreds of thousands of chemical compounds produced by plants, some may hold the key to treating human ailments and diseases. But recreating these complex, naturally occurring molecules in the lab often requires a time-consuming and tedious trial-and-error process. Now, chemists from Scripps Research have shown how new computational tools can help them create complex natural compounds in a faster and more streamlined way.

A NASA X-ray imager is heading to the Moon as part of NASA's Artemis campaign, where it will capture the first global images of the magnetic field that shields Earth from solar radiation.

The Lunar Environment Heliospheric X-ray Imager, or LEXI, instrument is one of 10 payloads aboard the next lunar delivery through NASA’s CLPS (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) initiative, set to launch from the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida no earlier than mid-January, with Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Lander. The instrument will support NASA’s goal to understand how our home planet responds to space weather, the conditions in space driven by the Sun.

A research team led by Prof. Jintao Zhang (School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University) demonstrates the in-situ loading of molybdenum carbide nanoclusters (MoC) and zinc single atoms (Zn-SA) within porous carbon fibers to invoke the electrocatalytic conversion of iodine at the interface, providing robust guidance for constructing advanced iodine catalysts and optimizing their battery performance.

In the solar system, Icy Worlds such as Europa and Enceladus hold great potential for extraterrestrial life and may provide humanity an answer, within this century, to the age-old question of life beyond Earth. Exo-AUV technology shows promise in life detection in the icy shell, at the ice-water interface and on the seafloor of Exo-ocean. Space agencies, including NASA and DLR, are enthusiastic about deploying Exo-AUVs to explore life in these regions. However, the where and how to find life, the technologies to be utilized and the goals to be achieved are crucial aspects for future Exo-AUV life detection missions on Icy Worlds. This study delves into a hypothetical mission of life detection on Europa, discussing science goals, detectable objects, potential regions and biogenic analysis for Icy Worlds. It proposes a life detection strategy for Icy Worlds based on Exo-AUVs, presents key contextual elements for Exo-AUV operations, outlines technological requirements for hull, payloads and autonomy, introduces the current state of Exo-AUV research and addresses existing challenges. This study also suggests a roadmap for conceptual development of Exo-AUV and a Concept of Operations for Multiple Exo-AUV System (ConOps for MEAS). This system aims to assist planetary scientists and astrobiologists in exploring Icy Worlds, identifying robust biosignatures and potentially discovering extant organisms, even prebiotic chemical systems.