Ferroelectric materials are indispensable for next‑generation non‑volatile memories, sensors, and microwave devices. Among them, SrBi₂Ta₂O₉—a lead‑free Aurivillius‑phase layered compound—offers ultra‑low leakage current along the out‑of‑plane direction, yet its inherent structural anisotropy severely limits the in‑plane ferroelectric response in randomly oriented ceramics. Now, researchers at Harbin Institute of Technology have developed a synergistic strategy combining grain texturing and calcium doping to simultaneously boost the in‑plane remnant polarization and suppress in‑plane leakage, paving the way for high‑performance SrBi₂Ta₂O₉‑based devices.

Electromagnetic wave absorbers often face a fundamental challenge in balancing impedance matching with dielectric loss, limiting their broadband absorption performance. To overcome this limitation, Researchers developed lightweight SiC-based fibrous ceramic membranes by integrating electrospinning with the polymer-derived ceramics (PDC) route through precise control of the precursor composition and pyrolysis conditions. The optimized material achieved a minimum reflection loss of −27.12 dB and an effective absorption bandwidth of 8.22 GHz with a thickness of only 2.7 mm. By establishing a clear composition-structure-property relationship, this work provides a practical strategy for designing next-generation lightweight, broadband electromagnetic wave absorbers with significant potential for aerospace, stealth technology, and electromagnetic protection.

Researchers have developed CogDrive, a cognition-driven framework that helps autonomous vehicles anticipate uncertain human behaviors and make safer decisions in mixed traffic. By integrating multimodal trajectory prediction with safety-aware planning, the system models interaction semantics such as yielding and merging while maintaining robust fallback strategies. Tests on large-scale datasets demonstrate improved prediction accuracy and smoother, more reliable driving performance in dense urban environments.

A new study contrasts Landsat-8, SPOT-7 and field hyperspectral datasets in Hunshandak Sandland, proving high-resolution imagery and red-edge spectral metrics outperform traditional vegetation indices for tracking grassland plant alpha and beta diversity.

According to the research published in the journal Utilities Policy, for the Basque Country to achieve energy self-sufficiency by 2050, in a just, public and independent manner, it would have to reduce energy consumption by 51% and increase regional generation of renewable energy by 386%. The research, carried out by Ortzi Akizu and Erlantz Lizundia of the LCTG group at the EHU, Martin Lallana at LAB and Unai Pascual at BC3, aims to promote debate on the current energy model.

Biodegradable food packaging materials offer a sustainable alternative to conventional plastics, but their applications are often limited by lower oxygen barrier performance and mechanical strength. Now, Professor Andi Dirpan from Hasanuddin University, along with researchers from India and Malaysia, have developed multilayered polylactic acid films reinforced with microcrystalline cellulose and oxygen scavenger butylated hydroxytoluene. The resulting bioplastic improved oxygen-scavenging functionality with strength, offering the promise of a safe and sustainable solution for food packaging.