Researchers developed a biomimetic COF membrane that selectively separates lithium ions from complex brines, achieving selectivity comparable to biological ion channels. The membrane's unique structure and design enable efficient single-step purification of lithium, making it a promising route for sustainable extraction.
Researchers have found that mice can instinctively exhibit rescue-like behavior toward anesthetized conspecifics without prior training or external rewards. Oxytocin neurons in the paraventricular nucleus are activated when detecting distress signals, releasing OXT and coordinating emotional and motor responses.
Researchers found that human activity, including military conquests and agricultural practices, led to the sudden collapse of swamp forests in the Pearl River Delta region around 2.1 thousand years ago. This event marked the beginning of a decline in biodiversity, contributing to local extinctions of various species.
A pangenome study has constructed an unprecedented map of wild and cultivated rice, decoding the genetic architecture and diversity of rice. The researchers found 3.87 billion base pairs of novel genetic sequences absent from the single acknowledged reference genome, as well as 69,531 genes spanning the pangenome.
Chinese scientists enhance adhesion of top layers to improve flexible tandem solar cells' performance by utilizing an antisolvent-seeding strategy. The new approach resulted in a stable efficiency of 24.6%, one of the highest reported values for flexible thin-film solar cells.
Researchers developed ZTE materials that nearly restore voltage recovery in aging lithium-ion batteries, doubling battery lifespan. The innovation also sheds light on self-healing function design of high-performance devices.
Researchers have uncovered the molecular mechanism of ATG-9 in regulating lysosome integrity by modulating phospholipid distribution. This study suggests that reduced ATG-9 scramblase activity facilitates lysosome biogenesis and repair, highlighting ATG-9 as a promising therapeutic target for diseases related to lysosomal dysfunction.
Researchers develop novel synthesis method for multi-shelled gold clusters and precisely remove atoms to study magnetic spin influence on catalytic behavior. They find that spin density concentrates more on iodine atoms than sulfur atoms, indicating potential role in tuning catalytic properties.
A study reveals the critical role of α-synuclein's fuzzy coat in its pathological transmission, with implications for disease progression and potential therapeutic targets. The researchers identified two structural variants of α-synuclein fibrils, which differ in their dynamic nature and ability to seed new aggregates.
A Chinese Academy of Sciences research team has identified the first mechanism of citrus resistance to citrus greening disease and developed an AI-assisted therapeutic approach. The discovery addresses the challenge of naturally occurring resistant genes in citrus, offering hope for global agricultural sustainability.
The discovery of Jurassic fossil acanthocephalan Juracanthocephalus provides crucial reference for understanding evolutionary innovations and body plan of thorny-headed worms. It suggests that acanthocephalans may have originated in terrestrial environments and diverged from Rotifera no later than the Middle Jurassic.
Chinese scientists have discovered that the Moon's farside mantle contains less water than the nearside, according to analysis of basalts collected by the Chang'e-6 mission. The research team found a significant disparity in water content between the two hemispheres, mirroring lunar surface asymmetries.
Researchers have developed a novel semiconductor material that significantly improves the efficiency of photocatalytic water splitting by eliminating charge recombination and facilitating efficient charge separation. The Sc-doped TiO2 semiconductor achieves a record-breaking quantum yield of 30.3% and a solar-to-hydrogen efficiency of ...
The study reveals conserved neural patterning mechanisms in mammalian hypothalamus development, tracing how brain cells emerge from neural progenitors during growth. The researchers identified four adaptive evolutionary divergences in human neurons, including a unique subtype and enhanced neuromodulation.
Researchers developed a new ultrafine platinum-based high-entropy alloy octahedra catalyst that enhances methanol oxidation reaction activity and durability. The senary alloy outperformed ternary alloys and commercial platinum-on-carbon catalysts in terms of performance, offering a promising advance for direct methanol fuel cells.
A research team has discovered microglia in the peripheral nervous system (PNS) that regulate neuronal soma size throughout evolution. The study challenges long-held beliefs about microglia's absence from the PNS, revealing a common molecular signature and role in regulating neuron size.
A new study reveals that breast cancer cells exploit the amino acid arginine to drive aggressive tumor behavior and resistance to immunotherapies. Cancer cells act as 'arginine factories,' saturating the tumor microenvironment with this nutrient, which is then used by immune cells to suppress cancer-fighting CD8+ T cells.
Researchers developed a new theory to explain metal-support interactions in single-atom catalysis, achieving high activity and stability in hydrogenation reactions. The Frontier Molecular Orbital (FMO) theory predicts that reducing support size increases LUMO energy, promoting hybridization and enhancing catalytic activity.
A team of scientists has discovered that the circadian clock plays a crucial role in regulating F. oxysporum's response to zinc starvation and controlling secondary metabolism, enhancing its virulence. The study provides new insight into host-pathogen interactions and could lead to innovative approaches for crop protection.
A new study has revealed that Beagle dogs carrying mutations in the Shank3 gene exhibit face processing abnormalities, similar to those observed in human ASD patients. The research provides direct experimental evidence that mutations in Shank3 lead to ASD-like deficits in face processing, contributing to social impairments.
A new study reveals that tomato plants adapt to heat stress by delaying shoot apical stem cell development, allowing for stable yields. This redox-controlled mechanism enables the plant to temporarily suspend its maturation program during adverse conditions, resulting in significant yield losses prevention.
A team of Chinese researchers identified a novel intercellular signaling mechanism between adipocytes and hepatocytes in endoplasmic reticulum stress response. The study reveals that ceramide, a fat molecule, plays a key role in activating the unfolded protein response pathway in hepatocytes.
Researchers uncover a novel immune mechanism by which wheat tandem kinase proteins (TKPs) combat pathogen invasion, establishing a new paradigm for cooperation between TKPs and NLR proteins. The discovery offers a foundation for engineering crop varieties with broad-spectrum pathogen resistance.
A multidisciplinary study reveals Middle Paleolithic Quina technology in East Asia, dating back to approximately 60,000-50,000 years ago. The discovery suggests potential Neanderthal dispersal into Southwest China and reshapes the understanding of East Asia's evolutionary landscape.
Researchers at USTC identify a novel approach to preventing acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) in allo-HSCT by considering the recipient's circadian rhythms. Infusing stem cells early in the day can efficiently reduce the incidence and severity of aGVHD.
The discovery of Lophiostroma leizunia extends the fossil record of stromatoporoid reefs by 20 million years and sheds light on early biomineralization strategies. This ancient sponge, dated to approximately 480 million years ago, was found in Yuan'an, Yichang, South China, and is unique for constructing its skeleton using fluorapatite.
Researchers developed a biomimetic adsorbent inspired by the natural porous structure of the Chinese sweet gum tree's fruit. The hierarchical nano-trap framework significantly enhanced ion diffusion and increased uranium adsorption capacity, outperforming competitive ions in real seawater tests.
HEPS achieved a world-class electron beam emittance of 93 pm·rad in its storage ring, producing brighter synchrotron radiation. The facility successfully demonstrated a swap-out injection scheme, reducing infrastructure costs and enhancing environmental sustainability.
Researchers at USTC successfully demonstrated real-time quantum key sharing and encrypted communication between Beijing and Stellenbosch using a satellite. The study paves the way for global deployment of the quantum internet, providing a viable alternative to fiber networks.
A recent study reveals that climate warming and heatwaves are significantly reducing surface dissolved oxygen levels in lakes worldwide. The research found that 83% of studied lakes exhibited significant deoxygenation, with an average rate of decline exceeding that of oceans and rivers.
A recent study reveals that microplastic pollution decreases photosynthetic efficiency by 7.05–12.12% across terrestrial plants, marine algae, and freshwater algae, leading to estimated annual losses of 4.11–13.52% for key staple crops like rice, wheat, and maize.
The Chinese Meridian Project Phase II establishes a comprehensive ground-based monitoring network for the entire Sun-Earth space environment. The project enables unprecedented three-dimensional monitoring of space weather phenomena, from solar eruptions to Earth's atmospheric responses.
Researchers have uncovered a key mechanism involving Intermolecular Coulombic Decay (ICD) in aqueous environments initiated by heavy-ion irradiation, providing insights into the effectiveness of such irradiation. This process significantly increases the biological effectiveness of heavy-ion therapy.
A research team developed a new system that uses spatial immune profiling to predict hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence. The system, called TIMES, was trained on a dataset of 61 HCC patients and achieved an accuracy of 82.2% in predicting recurrence risk.
Researchers create atomically thin 2D metals using a new manufacturing technique called vdW squeezing, which allows for the production of diverse materials with enhanced physical properties. The technique enables the exploration of novel physics and new device architectures.
Chloroplast NTT proteins facilitate ATP/ADP transfer, playing a crucial role in photosynthesis and crop yields. The study's findings support the endosymbiotic theory, suggesting that chloroplasts evolved from cyanobacteria through horizontal gene transfer.
A new study reveals a region in China's Turpan-Hami Basin served as a refugium for terrestrial plants during the end-Permian mass extinction. The discovery suggests that some land areas were shielded from the worst effects of the extinction, allowing for continuous evolution and rapid ecological recovery afterward. The region's stable,...
A recent study published in Cell reveals the evolutionary history and genetic mechanisms that enable deep-sea fish to survive in extreme conditions. Researchers found two distinct pathways of evolution involving 'ancient survivors' and 'new immigrants', as well as a newly discovered genetic mechanism for pressure adaptation.
Researchers have uncovered two major genes responsible for sorghum's double-grain spikelet, leading to a significant increase in grain number and crop yield. The study found that the DG1 gene regulates floret meristem formation and differentiation, restoring fertility to the lower floret and resulting in the double-grain trait.
Zuchongzhi-3 achieves quantum supremacy by outperforming classical supercomputers by 15 orders of magnitude, demonstrating the strongest quantum computational advantage in a superconducting system to date. The processor features 105 qubits and 182 couplers, with a coherence time of 72 μs and simultaneous gate fidelities exceeding 99%.
A Chinese research team has created a single-step femtosecond laser 4D printing technology that enables rapid and precise micro-scale deformation of smart hydrogels. The innovation mimics the hierarchical structure of butterfly wings, promising applications in flexible electronics and minimally invasive medicine.
Researchers discovered that erucamide inhibits Type III Secretion injectisome assembly in Gram-negative bacteria, enhancing plant immunity and reducing disease susceptibility. Exogenous application of erucamide protects crops from bacterial diseases, offering a potential biopesticide for sustainable agriculture.
A research team discovered that a genetically engineered bacterial strain, Designer Bacteria 1 (DB1), efficiently survives in tumor tissues while being cleared from normal tissues. This is due to the interactions between DB1 and tissue-resident memory CD8+ T cells, which are reinvigorated and expanded following therapy. The high expres...
Researchers propose a new biological hypothesis that combines tree dispersal modes and mycorrhizal types to explain the latitudinal variation in forest biodiversity. Advanced spatial analysis techniques reveal a negative aggregation–abundance relationship, stronger in temperate forests, which is linked to animal seed dispersal and myco...
Researchers have made a breakthrough in creating artificial chiral-structural-color materials, exhibiting iridescent colors through microscopic structures that interact with light. The new discovery enables the creation of microdomes composed of widely available polymers that produce exceptional dissymmetry and polarization selectivity.
Researchers uncover novel formation process for free-floating planetary-mass objects, which are cosmic nomads drifting freely through space. These objects can form directly through violent interactions between circumstellar disks in young star clusters.
Scientists have cracked the code of meiotic DNA double-strand breaks, a crucial process for genetic diversity and chromosomal segregation. The study reveals that Mg2+ is essential for DNA cleavage activity and functions independently of ATP.
Researchers successfully developed CoQ10-producing rice through targeted gene editing, offering a cost-effective approach to nutritional fortification. The discovery provides great potential benefit for human health, particularly heart protection, and expands the food sources of CoQ10.
The researchers created a chemotaxic biomimetic liquid metallic entity that exhibits various behaviors like engulfing foreign substances and changing shape, similar to living cells. These liquid metal structures can autonomously climb slopes and move through complicated surfaces with versatility and potential for future applications.
A new study has discovered two Jurassic-era bird fossils in China, shedding light on the early evolutionary history of birds. The fossils, including Baminornis zhenghensis, exhibit characteristics that highlight the role of mosaic evolution in bird development.