A team at TU Wien has discovered a surprising new way to turn heat into electricity—using metals instead of traditional semiconductors. By creating a kind of “electron traffic jam,” they achieved an unusually strong thermoelectric effect, potentially unlocking a powerful new method for converting waste heat from industry into usable power. This unexpected twist on a centuries-old principle could mark a turning point in energy technology.

An international team from countries including Iran, Iraq, Uzbekistan, and India has co-authored a review paper published in the journal Frontiers of Agricultural Science and Engineering (DOI: 10.15302/J-FASE-2024564). The corresponding author is Dr. Mohammad MEHDIZADEH from University of Mohaghegh Ardabili. The article outlines the potential applications of machine learning technology in weed management and provides insights for addressing the aforementioned issues. In simple terms, machine learning acts like an “intelligent brain” for farmland——it can analyze vast amounts of agricultural data, automatically identify patterns, and make precise decisions, shifting weed control from a “broad net” approach to “precision strikes”.

Recently, Dr. Muhammad Waqar Akram and his team from the Department of Farm Machinery and Power at University of Agriculture Faisalabad in Pakistan developed a “Machine Vision-Based Automatic Fruit Grading System”, offering a new solution. The related article has been published in Frontiers of Agricultural Science and Engineering (DOI: 10.15302/J-FASE-2023532).

Dr. Roaf Ahmad Parray from ICAR-indian agricultural research institute (ICAR-IARI) and his colleagues provide an answer in a study published in Frontiers of Agricultural Science and Engineering (DOI: 10.15302/J-FASE-2024572). In this research, an international team of scientists from India, Denmark, and the United States developed an innovative technology integrating spectral sensors, machine learning models, and an intelligent spraying system, successfully applying it to control black rot disease in cauliflower. This technology, comprising three core components—non-destructive detection, intelligent decision-making, and targeted pesticide application—significantly reduces pesticide use and offers new insights for green agriculture.

The latest annual meeting for the Global Education Deans Forum brought together 53 representatives from 40 institutions across 29 countries in Shanghai and Lijiang, China. An article published online in ECNU Review of Education on May 27, 2025, attempts to  capture how a group of global education leaders view the promise and perils of AI amidst a rapidly changing educational landscape.

A new UC Riverside-led study reveals how common small particles produced by nature as well as human activities can transform upon entering plant cells and weaken plants’ ability to turn sunlight into food. The discovery offers a path to control this issue. 

Fluorinated compounds are used everywhere—from pharmaceuticals and agrochemicals to advanced materials in imaging techniques. One promising method for the synthesis of fluorinated compounds is using quaternary ammonium fluorides, but these fluorinating agents tend to absorb moisture (hygroscopic), which affects their reactivity. To overcome this challenge, researchers from Shibaura Institute of Technology, Japan, have synthesized a new fluorinating agent (R4NF(HFIP)3) using KF salt through ion-exchange reaction—with promising applications in electrochemical fluorination.