Researchers at EAST have successfully accessed a theorized 'density-free regime' for fusion plasmas, achieving stable operation at densities beyond conventional limits. This breakthrough provides new insights into overcoming one of the most persistent physical obstacles on the path toward nuclear fusion ignition.
Researchers developed a 3D electrical imaging technique to study defect passivation in perovskite films. The study found that bulk and surface passivation strategies improved charge transport, with filmstreated with both showing the most uniform conductive pathways.
A study published in Science Advances explores the impact of mountain building and climate cooling on alpine biodiversity, revealing that these processes are key drivers of rich plant diversity. The research found that mountain uplift and cooler global temperatures enabled plants to evolve into new species and connect isolated regions.
A research team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences has developed a confined crystallization strategy to improve spray-coated perovskite device performance. The approach enables precise control over nucleation behavior during film formation, resulting in low-defect, high-quality perovskite films.
A new study found a hidden pattern inside plant stem cells, controlling the stiffness of their walls. This bimodal pattern prompts precise control over cell division and development. The researchers identified a key enzyme gene and a mechanism to regulate its activity, ensuring healthy plant growth.
Researchers have identified Tapt1 as a key gene in maintaining the balance between protein synthesis and degradation, crucial for normal brain development. The study reveals that Tapt1, along with its partner Suco, ensures proper neural stem cell proliferation and differentiation.
Researchers have developed flexible perovskite solar modules with power conversion efficiency (PCE) over 20% using acid-treated carbon nanotubes as window electrodes. These modules exhibit improved stability, bendability, and scalability, making them a promising solution for sustainable energy systems.
Researchers discovered the biosynthetic pathway of glycitein, a key soybean isoflavonoid, and its role in plant immunity. They found that GmIF6H1 enzyme catalyzes the production of glycitein, which acts synergistically with glyceollins to defend soybeans against infection by Phytophthora sojae.
Researchers discovered that bridgmanite acts like a microscopic 'water container', allowing early Earth to retain substantial amounts of water in the mantle as it solidified. This retained water played a crucial role in transforming the planet from an inferno into a habitable world.
Physicists have directly measured the masses of phosphorus-26 and sulfur-27, crucial for determining the nuclear reaction rate during X-ray bursts. The new data reveal a significant enhancement in the reaction rate, increasing the abundance ratio of sulfur-27 to phosphorus-26.
Researchers have identified a previously unknown sodium-binding site on GlyT2, which supplies the energetic drive required for glycine transport. The study also uncovered a distinctive allosteric binding pocket for lipid-based inhibitors, providing a foundation for rational design of improved analgesics.
Research team created first high-resolution maps of tree species richness and structural diversity in China's natural forests. The study reveals that precipitation seasonality and forest age drive these two dimensions, with projections suggesting future biodiversity gains and challenges.
Researchers found that Chang'e-6 soil has a substantially higher angle of repose than near-side samples, exhibiting flow behavior characteristic of cohesive soils. The elevated angle is attributed to friction, van der Waals forces, and electrostatic forces, particularly in fine non-clay mineral particles.
Researchers elucidated the structure of GPR1 bound to chemerin and β-arrestin, revealing a dynamic transition from a pre-coupled state to a fully engaged state. The study sheds light on the molecular mechanism underlying arrestin-mediated modulation of non-canonical GPCRs.
The JUNO experiment has successfully measured solar neutrino oscillation parameters with a factor of 1.5 to 1.8 better precision than previous experiments. This confirms the existing discrepancy known as the solar neutrino tension, which could be proved or disproved using both solar and reactor neutrinos.
A new fabrication method has been developed to create wafer-scale energy storage capacitors with astonishing heating and cooling rates of up to 1,000 °C per second. This 'flash annealing' technique enables the synthesis of high-performance relaxor antiferroelectric films on silicon wafers in just one second.
Chinese researchers identify black holes as likely source of high-energy component of cosmic ray 'knee'. The study reveals a new 'high-energy component' in the proton energy spectrum, indicating that cosmic rays primarily originate from micro-quasars.
Researchers have identified crystalline hematite and maghemite formed by major impact events in lunar soil samples. This finding provides direct sample-based evidence of highly oxidized materials on the lunar surface.
A new study finds that mangrove tree stems release significant amounts of methane, offsetting up to 27.5% of the blue carbon sequestered by mangroves. The researchers' comprehensive database provides a global-scale assessment of stem methane emissions.
A decade-long study by Chinese Academy of Sciences researchers found that soil microbial communities reorganize to form more stable networks, reducing carbon emissions. Microbial thermal adjustment and efficient microorganisms mitigate the effects of climate warming.
A new study reveals that grassland degradation increases soil microbial diversity while reducing plant richness, leading to a decline in ecosystem functioning and multifunctionality. The research highlights the critical importance of conserving soil microbial communities for sustainable restoration of degraded grasslands.
A research team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences found that lunar surface water has a global source in the solar wind, with its distribution mainly controlled by latitude and regolith maturity. The study used samples from China's Chang'e-6 mission and NASA's Apollo missions to analyze the abundance and origin of lunar surface water.
A new study has found that the Southern Ocean releases substantially more carbon dioxide during the dark austral winter than previously thought. The findings suggest that the region plays a more complex and dynamic role in the global carbon cycle, with implications for climate models.
The High Intensity heavy-ion Accelerator Facility (HIAF) successfully completed commissioning with beam on October 28, producing high intensity heavy-ion beams across a broad range of energies. The facility aims to support cutting-edge applications in fields such as energy research, healthcare, materials science, and aerospace.
A Chinese research team has identified a rare natural allele in wild soybeans that increases seed protein content and was lost during domestication. The found allele, PC08 Ins, boosts gene expression, raises ABA levels, and promotes storage protein accumulation.
Researchers uncovered the oldest known complex three-dimensional burrow systems in Hubei's Shibantan Biota, dating back approximately 550 million years. These trace fossils show that complex animal behaviors emerged nearly 10 million years earlier than previously thought.
Researchers at Chinese Academy of Sciences identify a key gene and protein involved in controlling DNA looping, leading to increased grain yield and nitrogen efficiency. The discovery paves the way for future crop breeding strategies to improve sustainability.
A new study published in Nature Geoscience reveals that China's cropland soils have stabilized in pH levels since 2013, linked to agricultural policy reforms. However, recovery has been slow and uneven across different types of farmland, with paddy fields showing signs of improvement but dryland soils remaining acidic.
A recent study found that plasticine models, commonly used in ecological experiments, may not accurately capture real-world biotic interactions due to their reliance on visual cues. The research team deployed over 2,400 models across two habitats and found similar attack rates regardless of color, shape, or size.
Scientists have discovered olivine-bearing clasts from a lunar regolith sample, shedding light on the migration of Carbonaceous Ivuna-type chondrites to the Earth-Moon System. The findings provide new insights into the origin of water on the lunar surface.
Researchers found that tumor-associated macrophages produce acetate through a metabolic interaction involving lactate and the lipid peroxidation–ALDH2 pathway. This acetate promotes histone H3 acetylation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in hepatocellular carcinoma cells, enhancing metastasis.
Researchers have unveiled the molecular mechanisms underlying L1's retrotransposition and integration into genomic DNA. The study reveals that ORF2p interacts primarily with the DNA backbone through electrostatic forces, enabling site-specific cleavage during retrotransposition.
The study identified MYB61-PS1 as a critical regulatory module shaping the 3D structure of xylem vessel pits in rice, improving yield by sustaining vessel hydraulics and facilitating nitrogen transport. Rice plants harboring PS1 Hap2 displayed significantly improved nitrogen transport efficiency, leading to increased grain yield.
Researchers found that increased canopy structural complexity drives positive biodiversity-productivity relationships in forests. Complementary use of canopy space by tree species enhances productivity and strengthens over time.
A new method has been developed to generate induced natural killer cells and CAR-engineered NK cells from cord blood-derived hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. This approach increases the induction efficiency of NK cells and lowers the cost of CAR engineering, offering a promising avenue for cancer immunotherapy.
Researchers have created a new system, GRAPE, that enables rapid and scalable directed evolution of genes directly in plant cells. This allows for the efficient generation of genetic variants with new properties, such as disease resistance, to enhance crop sustainability.
Researchers discovered that the functional splitting of transposon-derived RNAs drove the emergence of Type V CRISPR-Cas immunity. This innovation enabled the development of compact nucleases with flexible guide RNAs, offering design principles to create smaller and more versatile CRISPR tools.
A reanalysis of the one-million-year-old Yunxian 2 skull from China suggests a new branch in the human family tree and a possible link to Denisovans. The study proposes that the split between modern humans, Neanderthals, and this Asian clade occurred much earlier than previously thought.
The study proposes a clear, four-stage sequence showing how chewing and hearing functions were gradually split between jaw and ear. The discoveries of unique jaw joints in fossil specimens reveal multiple independent origins for jaw joint types and expand our understanding of mammalian evolution.
Researchers have identified a new population of hypothalamic neurons, Crabp1 neurons, that play a critical role in regulating energy expenditure. Silencing these neurons leads to reduced energy expenditure and obesity, while activating them enhances locomotor activity and protects against high-fat diet-induced weight gain.
Researchers have discovered how Fusobacterium nucleatum binds to human cell receptors CEACAM1 and CEACAM5, which are frequently overexpressed on many types of cancer cells. This binding mechanism is crucial for developing novel antitumor therapies.
Researchers have uncovered the step-by-step process of gas transport to form accretion disks in massive star-forming regions. The study reveals a striking layered system of gas flows, including spiral-like streams and a bar-like structure that funnels gas toward the center.
Researchers developed a dynamic soft electrode called NeuroWorm that enables wireless steering of implanted devices via external magnetic fields. This allows for noninvasive repositioning of implants, potentially eliminating surgeries due to drift or misplacement.
The researchers developed a novel cell-surface protein engineering strategy called PATCH, which applies proximity labeling to immunomodulation for the first time. This approach directly amplifies targeting signals on the tumor cell surface, identifying cells that need to be attacked by the immune system.
Researchers discovered the largest eukaryotic photosystem I-fucoxanthin-chlorophyll supercomplex in coccolithophores, which can expand its light-harvesting cross-section by three to four times while maintaining over 95% energy conversion efficiency.
Researchers have discovered a large pipe swarm with remnants of hydrogen hydrothermal activity west of the Mussau Trench. The discovery suggests that a huge amount of hydrogen may have been formed deep in the ocean lithospheric mantle, potentially leading to economically mineable reserves.
A new study reveals a hidden extinction crisis in China's native flora, showing that habitat decline over the past four decades has sharply increased extinction risks nationwide. The findings suggest that current conservation efforts are failing to keep pace with biodiversity threats.
Researchers in Chinese cities have found a distinct chemical regime governing the formation of secondary organic aerosols, driven by high VOC concentrations and gaseous nitrous acid. This shift is attributed to complex interactions between atmospheric environmental factors, which accelerate SOA formation and intensify regional pollution.
A new exosome-based therapeutic agent has been developed to treat traumatic CNS injuries, alleviating neuronal apoptosis and restoring glial homeostasis. The treatment, SeNExo, promotes neuronal repair and reduces oxidative damage, showing potent therapeutic benefits in mouse models.
The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) has successfully completed its 20,000-ton liquid scintillator detector filling and started data taking. This achievement marks a significant step towards answering fundamental questions about the nature of matter and the universe.