Researchers at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have uncovered how mutations in a specific gene can trigger a rare respiratory disease, shedding light on the critical role played by cellular structures known as cilia. Cilia are tiny and hair-like organelles extruding from the surface of most cell types, serving either sensory or motile functions. In the eyes, photoreceptor cells possess sensory cilia that are important for vision. Meanwhile, motile cilia align along the surface of the respiratory tract and function in airway clearance of mucus and inhaled pathogens.

Turning carbon dioxide into clean fuels just got more efficient. A new study in Engineering explores a promising technique that removes water vapor during CO₂ hydrogenation, helping reactions run better at lower pressures. The method supports methane, methanol, and dimethyl ether (DME) production using green hydrogen and captured CO₂. While challenges in materials and reactor design remain, this approach could make low-carbon synthetic fuels more practical for industry and energy transition.

Superhydrophobic wearable strain sensors represent an emerging frontier in flexible electronics, offering the potential to bridge the gap between laboratory prototypes and practical applications in humid, corrosive, or underwater environments. However, their widespread adoption is hindered by insufficient robustness against chemical, mechanical, and wetting state failures. The current literature lacks systematic insights into coupled multimode failures and integrated optimization frameworks, and standardized protocols for robustness evaluation remain absent. This review systematically summarizes strategies for material selection, structural design, and functional integration in superhydrophobic systems, with a focus on analyzing failure mechanisms across chemical, mechanical, and interfacial state dimensions. Key quantitative benchmarks—including resistance drift, contact angle retention, and cyclic stability—are established. We introduce a “failure-mechanism-oriented robustness optimization” framework and summarize corresponding testing standards. Finally, we discuss key future challenges and potential breakthroughs, most urgently the development of eco-friendly low-surface-energy modifiers and unified testing protocols, providing a theoretical framework and technological roadmap for the next generation of robust amphibious flexible sensing systems.

Liquid ammonia is drawing growing attention as a promising carbon-neutral fuel for engines. A new review in Engineering summarizes recent advances in liquid-ammonia injection, spray, and combustion technologies, while highlighting key challenges such as low reactivity, high latent heat, and increased nitrogen-based emissions. It also evaluates dual-fuel solutions, improved ignition methods, and engine applications, pointing out a feasible path toward low-carbon transport and power systems.

Looking for cleaner, low-carbon fuel alternatives? A new review in Engineering breaks through the complex combustion chemistry of biomass-derived oxygenated fuels. It reveals how molecular structures shape burning behaviors, summarizes key reaction patterns of five major fuel types, and points out clear research paths for more accurate kinetic models. This article offers accessible insights for anyone interested in renewable energy and sustainable combustion development.

Researchers have identified a simple and inexpensive chemical additive that overcomes a major hurdle in developing fluoride shuttle batteries, a high-energy alternative to conventional lithium-ion technologies.

By adding potassium tetrafluoroborate to a liquid electrolyte, the team significantly increased the availability of active fluoride ions without permanently trapping them, enabling reversible battery cycling.

This minimal and highly scalable approach provides a new design strategy for stable liquid electrolytes, paving the way for cost-effective and sustainable high-energy storage systems.

As renewable energy like wind and solar booms, coal-fired power plants are taking on a new flexible role. A new review in Engineering explores how intelligent perception, control, and operation technologies are upgrading these plants. It details real-world applications such as flywheel energy storage and unmanned operation, showing practical ways to boost flexibility, efficiency, and reliability while supporting a low-carbon energy transition.