Massive volumes of digital data are generated every day from AI training, big data analytics and smart devices. As conventional hard drives and cloud storage are increasingly constrained by high costs, limited capacity, high power consumption and short lifespans, molecular data storage has emerged as a breakthrough storage alternative. Researchers at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) have pioneered a method that uses engineered proteins to store digital data and, for the first time, completed the full process from data storage to data retrieval in de novo designed unnatural proteins. This demonstrates the potential of establishing a protein-based storage framework with sustainability, high storage capacity and high stability, offering a promising solution to the explosive AI-generated growth in data globally.

Researchers with the University of Cincinnati and Johns Hopkins Medicine developed a potential treatment for brain cancer that uses nanofibers embedded with a combination of drugs that work in concert to target tumors.

Researchers from Kyushu University and DENSO IT Laboratory, Inc. have proposed a new design method for coding schemes to improve depth precision in Indirect Time-of-Flight (I-ToF) cameras while considering practical sensor constraints. The method enhances noise robustness and measurement stability, making it suitable for real-world applications in autonomous robots and automotive systems.

The cradles of baby stars have a wheel-and-spoke like shape, with streams of gas converging toward a dense central hub. Using 3D simulations, researchers from Kyushu University and Nagoya University found that when an external shockwave strikes a gas cloud with a pinched magnetic field, it reorganizes the cloud into radial filaments. These findings open a new window into the environments where massive stars and star clusters are born.

High-performance piezoceramics are urgently needed for precision actuation, but conventional lead-based materials face environmental restrictions. The BiFeO₃‑BaTiO₃ (BF-BT) lead-free system offers high Curie temperature yet suffers from large leakage current and poor process stability. A team led by Prof. Bo-Ping Zhang at University of Science and Technology Beijing developed a one-step sintering method to fabricate 0.7BiFeO₃‑0.3BaTiO₃ ceramics, achieving a d₃₃ of 201 pC/N, a high-field d₃₃* of 1021 pm/V, a large strain of ~0.38%, and a Curie temperature of 501 °C. Through precise Fe non-stoichiometry defect engineering, the study reveals the temperature-dependent leakage conduction mechanisms in the BF-BT system and the synergistic role of internal bias fields on strain behavior, providing insights into defect–property relationships for lead-free piezoceramics.

The escalating complexity of the electromagnetic environment calls for advanced electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption materials capable of efficient multi-frequency attenuation. Silicon carbide (SiC) is a promising dielectric candidate but is hindered by intrinsic impedance mismatch and limited polarization loss. Herein, we report a novel ternary heterostructure absorber consisting of SiC nanowires synergistically coupled with dual rare-earth silicides (Ce₅Si₄ and Pr₅Si₄), fabricated via a combined magnesiothermic/carbothermal reduction process using an MFI-type zeolite precursor. This unique architecture creates an intricate porous network featuring abundant multiple heterogeneous interfaces (SiC/Ce₅Si₄, SiC/Pr₅Si₄, and Ce₅Si₄/Pr₅Si₄). The simultaneous incorporation of Ce and Pr optimizes the complex permittivity for impedance matching and induces intense multi-interface polarization relaxation. Consequently, the designed composite achieves efficient and strong EMW absorption performance in the C-band (4.30 GHz), X-band (8.24 GHz), and Ku-band (16.51 GHz), demonstrating remarkable multi-frequency points absorption performance. Radar cross-section (RCS) simulations further demonstrate its significant stealth capability, highlighting the potential of dual rare-earth synergistic engineering. This work provides a pioneering strategy for designing high-performance, multi-frequency SiC-based absorbers through the construction of ternary rare-earth silicide heterostructures.

Triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) technology can harvest low-frequency and low-power energy. However, there is limited research on harvesting energy from secondary effluents using TENG. Now, researchers have developed a droplet-based electricity generator system capable of harvesting energy from treated municipal wastewater. Using TENG technology, the system converts low-frequency energy from secondary effluents into usable electricity while simultaneously supporting wastewater treatment processes. The findings highlight a promising low-carbon pathway for sustainable wastewater resource recovery and energy utilization.