Jackson Somers, assistant professor of agricultural and resource economics in the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR), investigated participation rates and the economics behind residential composting programs. Somers published his findings in the Journal of Environmental Economics and Management.

Somers found that on average, there is a 2.3-pound reduction in the amount of organic waste going into landfills per household per week when a city implements a composting program, using Austin, Texas as an example. This represents only about 30% of the average weekly food waste generated by a U.S. household.

Potassium- and calcium-modified ilmenite oxygen carriers, developed by Institute of Science Tokyo, significantly improve hydrogen yields and redox reaction efficiency in chemical looping systems. The chemical modification of ilmenite results in the formation of a calcium titanate phase with iron substitution. This advancement enhances the oxide ion diffusion, accelerates hydrogen production, and also enables a polygeneration system for simultaneous hydrogen production, carbon dioxide capture, and power generation—paving the way to scalable, carbon-neutral energy systems.

Sellar chondrosarcomas are a very rare form of bone cancer occurring in the base of the skull, which are not only poorly understood but also frequently misdiagnosed. Now, researchers have explored the clinical outcomes of non-invasive surgical techniques for these tumors, while additionally exploring their diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. They also provide valuable recommendations on using clinical and imaging data for accurate preoperative diagnosis of these tumors.

Researchers at Soochow University have conducted a comprehensive electrokinetic study on cation-coupled electrochemical CO₂ reduction to formic acid or formate. Published in Science Bulletin, the study provides compelling experimental evidence that supports existing computational predictions: the reaction proceeds through sequential electron and proton transfers, rather than a concerted proton-coupled electron transfer pathway.

In a paper published in National Science Review, a research team proposed a highly sensitive soft smart contact lens, establishing an eye-machine interaction (EMI) system for controlling external coded objects. The lens demonstrates excellent biocompatibility, and its feasibility for practical applications has been successfully validated through drone flight control experiments.

Researchers at the College of Design and Engineering at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Urban Analytics Lab have developed an open-source AI model that maps carbon emissions from individual buildings using only publicly available data. Applied to more than 500,000 buildings across five global cities (Singapore, New York, Melbourne, Seattle and Washington DC) the model accurately identifies emission hotspots and reveals how a city’s planning history, building density, and income levels shape urban carbon footprints. The tool, which uses satellite imagery, street views, and other open geospatial data, aims to help cities design more targeted and equitable climate policies.