A new review article published in Med Research explores the application of microcalorimetry to measure the "four properties" (cold, hot, warm, and cool) of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). By interpreting these ancient concepts through modern thermodynamics and biological heat monitoring, researchers propose a standardized, scientific framework called the "Stylization of TCM" to enhance quality control, clinical safety, and international acceptance.

In an innovative twist to sustainable agriculture, a new study reveals how sugarcane waste can be transformed into biochar—a powerful soil amendment that enhances soil quality. This research not only highlights a green approach to waste management but also provides a significant boost to soil health, offering a win-win for both the environment and farming practices.

A research team led by Dr. Hyun-Ae Cha from the Nano Materials Research Division at the Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS) has developed a high-performance heat-dissipating composite material that achieves both eco-friendliness and low-cost processing. The team utilized a protein foaming process based on egg whites to create a three-dimensional magnesium oxide (MgO) heat-dissipating structure, which forms efficient thermal pathways that enable rapid and effective heat transfer. As a result, the developed material demonstrated a thermal conductivity up to 2.6 times higher than that of conventional heat-dissipating composites.

Highspeed Internet, autonomous driving, the Internet of Things: data streams are proliferating at enormous speed. But classic radio technology is reaching its limits: the higher the data rate, the faster the signals need to be transmitted. Researchers at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) have now demonstrated (DOI: 10.1038/s42005-025-02273-0) that weak radio signals can be efficiently converted into significantly higher frequencies using this material that is just several tens of nanometers thick. And at room temperature, at that. The results open up prospects for future generations of mobile communications and high-resolution sensor technology.

A research team led by Dr. Jong-Woo Kim from the Nano Materials Research Division and Dr. Da-Seul Shin from the Materials Processing Research Division at the Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS) has successfully developed Korea’s first full-cycle magnetic cooling technology, encompassing materials, components, and modules. This breakthrough is expected to address the environmental issues associated with conventional gas-based refrigeration technologies and pave the way for eco-friendly, high-efficiency alternative cooling solutions to enter the market.

In a remarkable stride towards environmental sustainability, researchers at the Department of Biotechnology and Medical Engineering, National Institute of Technology Rourkela, India, have developed a novel approach to predict the adsorption capacity of biochar using machine learning. This breakthrough, detailed in their latest study titled "Machine Learning-Driven Prediction of Biochar Adsorption Capacity for Effective Removal of Congo Red Dye," offers a powerful solution to combat dye pollution.

Multi-element co-doping has become an effective approach to optimize thin-film quality and enhance device power conversion efficiency (PCE) in studies related to CZTSSe solar cells. However, most of co-doping studies have primarily concentrated on the isolated effects of individual doping elements on CZTSSe thin films, often neglecting the potential interactions between co-doping elements. This study investigates the interactions between Li and Ag in CZTSSe thin films, revealing the underlying mechanism by which Ag incorporation enhances the Li tolerance. These findings provide valuable insights and guidance for future studies on co-doping strategies.

The atomically precise [Au₁₃Ag₁₂(PPh₂Py)₁₀Cl₈]PF₆ supported on activated carbon (AC) were utilized as a catalyst for epoxide cycloaddition with CO₂. The reaction shows high efficiency and wide substrate tolerance. Mechanistic study reveals the that structural flexibility at the waist Ag-Cl bonds dominates the coordination of epoxide, and then the electrophilic attack of CO₂ and the cyclization enables the catalytic reaction. This study implies that the structural flexibility of the surface blocks might be an advantage of metal nanoclusters in catalysis.