Red-backed shrikes fly thousands of kilometres to reach Africa – and they do so with astonishing precision. Aided by new technology, researchers at Lund University in Sweden have been able to track the birds’ journeys in detail. It turns out that they may have a more complex genetic migration programme than researchers have previously been able to show.

Researchers report a molecular design strategy for high-voltage organic cathodes in aluminum batteries. By constructing a sulfur-heterocyclic polymer with weak electron-donating effect and super-crosslinked sites, the cathode achieves a high voltage of ~1.7 V and a high capacity of 150 mAh g⁻¹. The designed organic cathode achieves a record 255 Wh kg⁻¹ energy density, breaking the upper limit of conventional graphite cathodes (~200 Wh kg⁻¹).

A nonfused ring electron acceptor (NFREA), designated as TT-Ph-C6, has been synthesized with the aim of enhancing the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of organic solar cells (OSCs). By integrating asymmetric phenylalkylamino side groups, TT-Ph-C6 demonstrates excellent solubility and its crystal structure exhibits compact packing structures with a three-dimensional molecular stacking network. These structural attributes markedly promote exciton diffusion and charge carrier mobility, particularly advantageous for the fabrication of thick-film devices. TT-Ph-C6-based devices have attained a PCE of 18.01% at a film thickness of 100 nm, and even at a film thickness of 300 nm, the PCE remains at 14.64%, surpassing that of devices based on 2BTh-2F. These remarkable properties position TT-Ph-C6 as a highly promising NFREA material for boosting the efficiency of OSCs.

Thermoelectric (TE) materials, being capable of converting waste heat into electricity, are pivotal for sustainable energy solutions. Among emerging TE materials, organic TE materials, particularly conjugated polymers, are gaining prominence due to their unique combination of mechanical flexibility, environmental compatibility, and solution-processable fabrication. A notable candidate in this field is poly(2,5-bis(3-alkylthiophen-2-yl)thieno[3,2-b]thiophene) (PBTTT), a liquid-crystalline conjugated polymer, with high charge carrier mobility and adaptability to melt-processing techniques. Recent advancements have propelled PBTTT’s figure of merit from below 0.1 to a remarkable 1.28 at 368 K, showcasing its potential for practical applications. This review systematically examines strategies to enhance PBTTT’s TE performance through doping (solution, vapor, and anion exchange doping), composite engineering, and aggregation state controlling. Recent key breakthroughs include ion exchange doping for stable charge modulation, multi-heterojunction architectures reducing thermal conductivity, and proton-coupled electron transfer doping for precise Fermi-level tuning. Despite great progress, challenges still persist in enhancing TE conversion efficiency, balancing or decoupling electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient and thermal conductivity, and leveraging melt-processing scalability of PBTTT. By bridging fundamental insights with applied research, this work provides a roadmap for advancing PBTTT-based TE materials toward efficient energy harvesting and wearable electronics.