Early fruit ripening is a valuable trait for grape cultivation, but the underlying epigenetic mechanisms have remained elusive. 

Fruit firmness plays a critical role in apple quality, influencing both shelf life and consumer preference. 

Cataracts are a prevalent ocular condition characterized by a progressive decline in vision, ultimately leading to blindness. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and the subsequent migration of lens epithelial cells are major contributors to cataracts formation. Nonetheless, the mechanisms underlying this transition remain largely unknown.

Neuropathic pain (NP), a chronic and debilitating condition caused by nerve damage, significantly impairs patients' quality of life. Super-enhancers (SEs), important cis-regulatory elements, have been implicated in various pathological processes; however, their specific role in NP remains unclear. This study explores the molecular mechanisms by which SEs contribute to NP progression and identifies potential therapeutic targets.

Rechargeable magnesium batteries (RMBs) have been considered a promising “post lithium-ion battery” system to meet the rapidly increasing demand of the emerging electric vehicle and grid energy storage market. However, the sluggish diffusion kinetics of bivalent Mg²⁺ in the host material, related to the strong Coulomb effect between Mg²⁺ and host anion lattices, hinders their further development toward practical applications. Defect engineering, regarded as an effective strategy to break through the slow migration puzzle, has been validated in various cathode materials for RMBs. In this review, we first thoroughly understand the intrinsic mechanism of Mg²⁺ diffusion in cathode materials, from which the key factors affecting ion diffusion are further presented. Then, the positive effects of purposely introduced defects, including vacancy and doping, and the corresponding strategies for introducing various defects are discussed. The applications of defect engineering in cathode materials for RMBs with advanced electrochemical properties are also summarized. Finally, the existing challenges and future perspectives of defect engineering in cathode materials for the overall high-performance RMBs are described.

A research team from the School of Biomedical Sciences, LKS Faculty of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong (HKUMed), in collaboration with Queen Mary University of London and the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, has unearthed the ancient evolutionary origins of genes critical to stem cell biology, dating back over 700 million years. Drawing on insights from evolutionary processes, this discovery reveals that tools borrowed from ancient single-celled organisms—and even recreated proteins from life’s earliest days—can transform mouse somatic cells into pluripotent stem cells capable of developing into any cell type in multicellular animals. This breakthrough challenges the longstanding belief that only animal genes possess this transformative ability, paving the way for new protein designs in novel therapies for regenerative medicine and disease studies to combat ageing and related health issues. The findings were recently published in Nature Communications.

Since its launch in 2015, the journal Engineering has been committed to international academic exchanges and engineering science and technology (EST) innovation. In this editorial, the editors-in-chief reflect on the journal’s decade-long journey. They emphasize the crucial role of EST in human development, from its impact on daily life to its role in driving civilization forward. With a new round of scientific and technological revolution underway, Engineering aims to become a top scholarly journal and a premier platform for international EST academic exchange. The editors express gratitude to those who have supported the journal and look forward to continued collaboration in serving the global academic community and contributing to EST innovation.