A joint research team led by Professors Donghee Son and Jin-Hong Park at SKKU has developed a stretchable, self-healing, and reconfigurable electronic circuit platform that can autonomously recover from damage and be disassembled and reassembled on demand. This work introduces a new paradigm for electronic devices that simultaneously addresses long-term stability and personalized reconfigurability, which are critical for electronic skin (e-skin) and next-generation wearable and implantable electronics. The work was published in Nature Electronics and supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Research Foundation of Korea.

New research from the University of Waterloo shows that even tiny amounts of black carbon pollution trapped in snow can significantly alter how sunlight filters through to the ground, disrupting plant growth and fragile northern ecosystems. Using advanced computer simulations and global field data, researchers found that black carbon changes the wavelengths of light that snow reflects and transmits—affecting processes such as seed germination, chlorophyll production and plant dormancy. These subtle shifts may help explain “greening” observed in high-latitude and alpine regions, where vegetation is emerging earlier or expanding into new areas. The findings highlight how industrial pollution can influence biodiversity, growing seasons and carbon storage, reinforcing the need to better understand climate-driven environmental change.

The association of season and vitamin D status with pregnancy outcomes remains poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between vitamin D deficiency (VDD) during pregnancy in different seasons and adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs).

Researchers have developed a multilevel dispersion strategy that synergistically combines in situ confined growth, ultrasonication, atomization, and rotational shearing to incorporate triphenylamine-based graphdiyne nanoparticles into polymer membranes for ethanol recovery. The method can effectively mitigate nanoparticle agglomeration, a persistent challenge that diminishes the efficacy of graphdiyne. The resulting mixed matrix membrane demonstrated a permeate flux of 2.35 kg·m⁻²·h⁻¹ alongside a separation factor of 11.31 for a 5 wt% ethanol/water solution. Compared to the stirring-casting method, these performances represent enhancements of 41% in permeate flux and 80% in separation factor.

POSTECH researchers demonstrate a foundation model for automating analog circuit layout design.

Among caregivers of older adults with multiple chronic conditions in Chinese rural areas, self-efficacy and family support were full parallel mediators of the relationship between caregiver burden and subjective well-being, accounting for 26.15% and 73.85% of the total indirect effect, respectively.

The increasing emission of carbon dioxide (CO₂) has intensified global efforts toward its conversion and utilization. Electrocatalytic CO₂ reduction reaction (CO₂RR) has emerged as a promising sustainable strategy to address interconnected energy and environmental challenges. Among the various products of CO₂ reduction, methanol has attracted significant research attention as both an essential chemical feedstock and a promising renewable energy carrier. This review comprehensively summarizes recent advances in the electrocatalytic conversion of CO₂ to methanol, with systematic discussions on fundamental reaction mechanisms and pathways, innovative reactor configurations, diverse catalysts, and auxiliary optimization strategies. Particular emphasis is placed on categorizing and evaluating various catalysts, including mono-/bimetallic catalysts, molecular catalysts, enzyme catalysts, and carbon-based materials, while exploring their structure-activity relationships and performance enhancement strategies for improving methanol selectivity. Furthermore, the techno-economic viability of current processes is analyzed, assessing the cost-effectiveness and commercial potential of electrocatalytic methanol production. Finally, based on current research progress and existing challenges, key research directions are outlined to advance the development of commercially feasible electrocatalytic CO₂-to-methanol systems, providing practical guidance for future investigations.

Comprehensive review reveals how nanostructure engineering can slash costs and boost durability for clean energy applications