A new scientific review highlights major advances in the use of iron enhanced biochar as a powerful tool for cleaning contaminated environments and supporting sustainable agriculture. The study synthesizes recent breakthroughs in modifying biochar with iron to dramatically improve its ability to capture pollutants, catalyze chemical reactions, and stabilize nutrients in soil and water systems.

Researchers in the University of Georgia's College of Veterinary Medicine have engineered a live bacterium to function as the delivery driver for Levodopa, the gold-standard drug for treatment of the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease. The UGA team developed and tested the probiotic bacterium Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 to continuously produce and deliver L-DOPA, which is converted to dopamine in the brain. This new living therapy addresses motor deficits that occur after prolonged L-DOPA use and could mean fewer pills and better quality of life for people with Parkinson's disease.

Countless everyday products from plastic squeeze bottles to outdoor furniture are derived by first turning propane into propylene. Researchers at the University of Rochester developed algorithms that show the key atomic features driving the complex chemistry when the nanoscale catalysts turn propane into propylene.

University of Maine students will soon be able to gather around lab-scale ocean structures, attach sensors, run tests and watch real-time data stream into a digital dashboard as part of a new internship program. These experiences will center on digital twin technology, in which participants use this data-driven, virtual modeling approach to support smarter decision-making. This effort will support 48 undergraduate and graduate students through eight-week summer and year-round internships over the next three years, preparing them for careers in digital twin technology and the blue economy.

A research team from the Urban and Transportation Systems Laboratory, Department of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Toyohashi University of Technology has developed an innovative evaluation framework that quantitatively evaluating the quality of life (QOL) in future smart cities by integrating physical accessibility (transportation networks) and digital accessibility (ICT networks). The study shows that while digital services such as telework, online learning, and e-commerce can improve convenience and support sustainability, essential in-person services and physical social interactions remain critical for well-being and equity. The findings were published in the international academic journal Sustainability (MDPI).