A research project led by Prof. Wei Wang from Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen) and Dr. Xi Chen from Chengdu University of Technology has introduced a novel strategy for constructing active colloidal assemblies. This work, published in Research (2024, 7, 0490; DOI: 10.34133/research.0490), provides fresh insights into the design of smart materials with real-time, on-demand reconfiguration.

This study summarizes the current research status of the impacts of crop domestication and improvement on root characteristics and the structure and function of related microbial communities, deeply analyzes the influencing mechanisms, and provides a solid theoretical basis for future breeding work.

The Nano Materials Research Division at the Korea Institute of Materials Science (KIMS), led by Dr. Tae-Hoon Kim and Dr. Jung-Goo Lee, has successfully developed a groundbreaking grain boundary diffusion process that enables the fabrication of high-performance permanent magnets without the use of expensive heavy rare earth elements. This pioneering technology, marks the world’s first achievement in this field.

A new study published in Engineering explores the significance of mixing intensification in advanced materials manufacturing. Scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Beijing University of Chemical Technology investigated its role in chemical reactors. Their research covers multiphase mixing, macromixing, and micromixing, and shows how mixing intensification benefits industries like lithium battery, optical materials, and agriculture. The study also offers insights into future research directions for better industrial applications.

SAN ANTONIO — March 13, 2025 —Just hours after touching down on the surface of the Moon on March 2 aboard Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost 1 lander, the Southwest Research Institute-led Lunar Magnetotelluric Sounder (LMS) was activated and deployed its five sensors to study the Moon’s interior by measuring electric and magnetic fields. The LMS instrument is the first extraterrestrial application of magnetotellurics.