POSTECH, the University of Wisconsin–Madison, and the University of Tokyo control oxide electronic structures via local atomic arrangements at moiré interfaces.

Seeing chemistry unfold inside living cells is one of the biggest challenges of modern bioimaging. Raman microscopy offers a powerful way to meet this challenge by reading the unique vibrational “signatures” of molecules. However, cells are extraordinarily complex environments filled with thousands of biomolecules. To make specific molecules stand out, researchers often attach small chemical “probes,” such as alkyne tags, that produce signals in a so-called cell-silent spectral window where native cellular components do not scatter light. This allows Raman microscopes to selectively detect the tagged molecules against an otherwise crowded molecular background. Despite this advantage, the widespread adoption of Raman microscopy in biology has been limited by one fundamental problem: Raman signals are extremely weak. In a new study published in Angewandte Chemie International Edition, TIFR researchers report a molecular design strategy that dramatically amplifies Raman signals, enabling the development of Raman sensors that can detect biomolecules using standard spontaneous Raman microscopes. These new Raman sensors enable sensitive, ratiometric imaging of biological molecules and ions, such as hydrogen peroxide molecules, copper ions, and pH, inside living cells. The work is supported by the Department of Atomic Energy, Government of India, and the Japan Science and Technology Agency, with the research team comprising Prof. Ankona Datta and Sujit Das from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai, and Heqi Xi, Itsuki Yamamoto, and Prof. Katsumasa Fujita from the University of Osaka, Japan.

Time is almost up on the way we track each second of the day, with optical atomic clocks set to redefine the way the world measures one second in the near future. 

Researchers from Adelaide University worked with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the United States and the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) in the United Kingdom to review the future of the next generation of timekeeping.  

They found that development is happening at such a fast rate that optical atomic clocks are well positioned to become the gold standard for timekeeping within the next few years, provided some technical challenges can be addressed.  

An Osaka Metropolitan University-led research team analyzed residential energy consumption in ten cities across Japan from north to south and confirmed that significant energy savings can be achieved through enhanced insulation and innovative window design. 

Scientists have developed a model which can identify small mammals from their footprints. These animals are often crucially important to an ecosystem but hard to monitor, and many species which play very different roles in an ecosystem are very hard to tell apart without DNA analysis, which is expensive, invasive, and stressful for the animal. Now, by collecting images of footprints from two near-identical species of sengi — formerly called elephant shrews because of their long noses — and training a model to tell the difference between them, scientists have found a cheaper, simpler way of keeping an eye on these tiny mammals.  

Researchers have developed a new strategy to overcome a long-standing limitation in plasmonic loss by reshaping light–matter interactions through substrate engineering.

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) have garnered considerable attention as promising post-lithium energy storage technologies owing to their intrinsic safety, cost-effectiveness, and competitive gravimetric energy density. However, their practical commercialization is hindered by critical challenges on the anode side, including dendrite growth and parasitic reactions at the anode/electrolyte interface. Recent studies highlight that rational electrolyte structure engineering offers an effective route to mitigate these issues and strengthen the electrochemical performance of the zinc metal anode. In this review, we systematically summarize state-of-the-art strategies for electrolyte optimization, with a particular focus on the zinc salts regulation, electrolyte additives, and the construction of novel electrolytes, while elucidating the underlying design principles. We further discuss the key structure–property relationships governing electrolyte behavior to provide guidance for the development of next-generation electrolytes. Finally, future perspectives on advanced electrolyte design are proposed. This review aims to serve as a comprehensive reference for researchers exploring high-performance electrolyte engineering in AZIBs.

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) offer a safe, cost-effective, and high-capacity energy storage solution, yet their performance is hindered by interfacial challenges at the Zn anode, including hydrogen evolution, corrosion, and dendritic Zn growth. While most studies focus on regulating Zn²⁺ solvation structures in bulk electrolytes, the evolution of interfacial solvation—where Zn²⁺ undergoes desolvation and deposition—remains insufficiently explored. Here, we introduce sulfated nanocellulose (SNC), an anion-rich biopolymer, to tailor the interfacial solvation structure without altering the bulk electrolyte composition. Using in situ attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and fluorescence interface-extended X-ray absorption fine structure, we reveal that SNC facilitates the formation of a low-coordinated Zn²⁺ solvation shell at the interface by weakening H₂O coordination. This transformation is driven by electrostatic interactions between Zn²⁺ and anchored sulfate groups, thereby reducing water activity, improving interfacial stability during charge/discharge, and suppressing parasitic reactions. Consequently, a high average coulombic efficiency of 99.6% over 500 cycles in Zn|Ti asymmetric cells and 1.5 Ah pouch cells (13.4 mg cm⁻² loading, remained stable over 250 cycles) were achieved in SNC-induced AZIBs. This work underscores the importance of interfacial solvation structure engineering—beyond traditional bulk electrolyte design—in enabling practical, high-performance AZIBs.