The near-Earth asteroid Apophis will make an extremely close flyby of Earth on April 13, 2029, at a distance of approximately 38,000 km—an event that occurs on average only once every 7,500 years, offering an unprecedented opportunity for planetary science and planetary defense. However, significant uncertainties remain regarding the physical parameters of Apophis, such as its shape, spin state, internal structure, and material composition, and predictions of tidal effects—including potential orbital changes, spin acceleration, surface material displacement, and dust ejection during the flyby—are highly dependent on model assumptions. Although multiple nations have planned exploration missions, how to coordinate global observational resources within the limited time window, optimize rapid-response mission architectures, and translate scientific understanding into effective planetary defense strategies remain critical challenges to be addressed.

Surface ozone has overtaken fine particles as China’s top air pollutant despite falling PM₂.₅ levels. This new analysis in Engineering unpacks the tricky chemical link between NOₓ, VOCs and rising ozone, plus two practical fixes. Deep cuts to nitrogen oxides offer an immediate, workable control path for cities, while energy-free catalytic wall coatings can locally break down ozone cheaply. Read on to learn how these dual strategies ease nationwide ozone pollution.

The Skala AI model, developed by Microsoft Research AI for Science, is now available through the CP2K software ecosystem. Thanks to Skala, researchers can perform quantum mechanical simulations of larger molecular systems while achieving a higher level of accuracy. In early 2026, Microsoft’s research division and the CP2K team at the Center for Advanced Systems Understanding (CASUS) at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf started a collaboration to integrate the Skala AI model into CP2K. The global CP2K community is expected to test the AI model’s applicability to a wide variety of problems in chemistry, physics, materials science, and engineering.

A new spatial assessment across 21 seagrass meadows in Indonesia – a world seagrass hotspot – has revealed not just hotspots but also degraded coldspots and vulnerable outliers. The research team, led by Professor Rohani Ambo-Rappe from Hasanuddin University, used the Seagrass Ecological Quality Index (SEQI), integrating five ecological indicators, to map this ecological mosaic. These findings provide a spatial framework to guide seagrass conservation and restoration and protect Indonesia’s important blue carbon ecosystems.

PCOS is a common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age, imposing substantial health and economic burdens worldwide. In a recent large-scale study involving more than 14 million pregnant women across Chinese Mainland, researchers explored how the prevalence of PCOS has increased since the implementation of the universal two-child policy. The article discusses how pregnant women with PCOS face higher risks of various adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes, highlighting the need for targeted obstetric management.

Earth's inner core, composed primarily of iron with a small percentage of light elements, may enter a superionic state at extreme pressure and temperature, according to experimental results from researchers at Science Tokyo. Using laser-heated and electrically wired diamond-anvil cells, the researchers identified experimental signatures of superionic iron hydride at conditions relevant to Earth’s core. These findings provide new insights into the composition and dynamics of Earth's deep interior.

Robot-assisted knee replacement surgery is more precise than a surgeon on their own, but does not currently lead to improvements in patient outcomes, according to the RACER-Knee trial, the world's largest clinical study of its kind. This trial makes an important contribution to the evidence on robotics in health care and where future advances and research should focus. The trial, coordinated by the University of Warwick and University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust, is published in The Lancet, the world's oldest and best-known general medical journal.

Researchers have developed a plug-and-play technology that enables customised biomaterials to be created using blue light, vitamin B2 and common biological building blocks.

- KAIST research team led by Professor Kwang-Hyun Cho identifies the ‘molecular lock’ that keeps cells trapped in an altered state

- Team develops technology to release the lock and restore cells to their original condition, opening new possibilities for cancer and aging research