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A long-lived butterfly’s secret to graceful ageing

Stem cells banish severe autoimmune disease for 15 years

Is AI ruining our skills? Early results are in — and they’re not good

Cell transplant across the tree of life hints at how animals emerged

Fast formation to reinforce lithium-rich cathodes

Reconfigurable quantum computer juggles 98 qubits

Freezing brain damage in its tracks: cooling drugs limit stroke injury in mice

Light-controlled microgripper punches above its weight

Ring Strain Engineering of Cyclic Ethers for High‐Performance Sodium Metal Batteries

ABSTRACT 1,3‐dioxolane is a promising solvent for low‐temperature batteries owing to its low freezing point and low viscosity. However, its tendency toward ring‐opening polymerization leads to reduced ionic conductivity and deteriorated electrochemical stability. Here, we establish an electronic–geometric coupling design principle to regulate solvent stability in weak–weak electrolyte systems for sodium metal batteries. A dual‐descriptor framework combining ring strain energy (RSE) and a sterically corrected electrostatic descriptor, defined by the lowest negative electrostatic potential normalized by molecular volume (ESP min /Volume), is introduced to guide cyclic ether solvent design. Following this principle, 2,4‐dimethyl‐1,3‐dioxolane is identified with reduced RSE and moderate ESP min /Volume, enabling enhanced resistance to polymerization and improved Na‐compatibility/ion transport. Molecular dynamics simulations and density functional theory calculations reveal that, the electrolyte forms an aggregate‐dominated solvation structure with a high lowest unoccupied molecular orbital level, promoting the formation of a thin, uniform, and inorganic‐rich solid electrolyte interphase. Consequently, the electrolyte delivers accelerated interfacial kinetics and stable operation across a wide temperature range. Na||Na symmetric cells cycle stably for 1800 h at room temperature, while Na||Na 3 V 2 (PO 4 ) 3 full cells with high cathode loading (20 mg cm −2 ) operate for over 200 cycles at 25 °C and more than 900 cycles at −40° C.

Should nicotine be regulated like a narcotic? A Pacific nation makes the case

Bond Length as a Unified Descriptor for Stable Iodine Battery

ABSTRACT Dissolution of active materials in the electrolyte and their subsequent shuttling are common challenges for realizing stable electrodes in rechargeable batteries. These issues become particularly pronounced in cathodes with high solubility, including high‐energy iodine electrodes. The interaction strength of iodine with the host electrode and electrolyte is critical for determining electrochemical stability, yet there is a lack of an appropriate parameter to quantify it. Our findings reveal that, as a weak Lewis acid, iodine's interaction strength is highly influenced by the nucleophilicity of surrounding ligands. We propose the I−I bond length, which can be conveniently probed through Raman tests, as a unified descriptor to predict the iodine electrode stability. The asset of this descriptor is demonstrated in (i) rational design of complex electrodes to enhance the binding strength between iodine and host and (ii) efficient screening of electrolyte solvents to minimize the shuttle. The collective effects enable stable cycling of Li−I 2 batteries under the challenging current rate of 0.1 C for over 4000 h. Overall, the unified descriptor provides a powerful means to expedite electrode and electrolyte design for overcoming active material dissolution challenges.

Chloride‐Regulated Depolymerization of Aluminosilicate Networks for Fast Ion Transport Compliant Interfaces in Sustainable All‐Solid‐State Sodium Batteries

ABSTRACT All‐solid‐state sodium‐ion batteries (ASSSIBs) provide a sustainable and cost‐effective solution for large‐scale energy storage. Sodium aluminosilicate (NASO) represents a resource‐sustainable electrolyte option owing to their low cost, natural abundance, and electrochemical stability. However, their strong covalent network leads to intrinsic low ionic conductivity, and poor interfacial compatibility. This work employs Cl incorporation to depolymerize the hyperconnected covalent network of NASO, forming a modified NaAlSiOCl (NASOC) structure with discrete short‐chain segments, which turns stress‐induced large‐scale cooperative rearrangement into localized deformation. Replacing a strong O─bridge with a weaker Cl─bridge further reduces the Young's modulus. Additionally, chloride doping effectively reduces the Na + migration barrier by decreasing both the elastic deformation energy and the chemical binding energy. Consequently, this Cl‐mediated depolymerization approach simultaneously reduces stiffness and improves ionic conductivity. The optimized NASOC electrolyte exhibits a low Young's modulus of ∼5 GPa and a high Na + conductivity of 0.45 mS cm −1 , which together facilitate superior ion transport and intimate electrode contact. The ASSSIBs employing NASOC retain 80.9% of their capacity after 500 cycles at 0.1 C. This work demonstrates a Cl‐mediated depolymerization strategy that concurrently enhances ionic conductivity and mechanical compliance in solid electrolytes, providing key insights for designing high‐performance and sustainable energy storage materials.

Rock weathering can counteract river CO2 emissions induced by permafrost thaw

Scalable Art‐Inspired Tessellated Covalent Organic Framework Membranes Enable Highly Selective Ion Separation

ABSTRACT Covalent organic frameworks (COFs), distinguished by their periodic and tunable network structures, exhibit great potential for molecular and ionic separation. Nevertheless, fabricating COF membranes with angstrom‐scale pores faces challenges in precisely controlling channel dimensions and achieving seamless integration of frameworks. Here, we report the synthesis of a substoichiometric aminal‐linked COF with a pore size of ∼5 Å and develop a covalent tessellation strategy inspired by Escher's art and derived from interfacial polymerization, that successfully fabricates defect‐free tessellated COF (tCOF) membranes. The resulting tCOF membrane exhibits ultra‐microporous structures, achieving high water permeance of 10.2 L m −2 h −1 bar −1 , nearly perfect Na 2 SO 4 rejection of 99.4%, and exceptional Cl − /SO 4 2− selectivity of 1,090. The tCOF membranes can be continuously scaled up to roll‐to‐roll format with a width of 30 cm and an unlimited length. The potential applications in resource recovery are proved with a two‐stage nanofiltration process, which produces NaCl with a high purity of >99% from NaCl/Na 2 SO 4 mixtures. Therefore, the innovative covalent tessellation methodology reported in this work provides a new avenue for the development of scalable COF membranes with angstrom‐scale pores for highly selective separation.

Optical fibre gripper for high-performance 3D micromanipulation

Highly Dissymmetric and Multicolor Circularly Polarized Organic Hyperafterglow

ABSTRACT Circularly polarized organic afterglow (CPOA) materials have garnered considerable interest for their potential in information encryption, 3D displays, and sensing technologies. However, realizing CPOA materials that simultaneously offer high efficiency, long lifetime, high color purity, and large dissymmetry factor ( g lum ) remains a significant challenge. Herein, an effective CP‐hyperafterglow design strategy that rationally integrates narrowband hyperafterglow polymers with cholesteric liquid crystal matrices is proposed. The resulting polymeric films deliver multicolor narrowband CP‐hyperafterglow emission with high photoluminescence quantum yields of up to 81%, emission bandwidths as narrow as ∼40 nm, ultralong lifetimes reaching 957 s, and maximum | g lum | values of up to 1.3. Benefiting from these photophysical merits, various applications, including information encoding, multilevel encryption, and chiral display, are demonstrated. These findings offer a simple and reliable route toward high‐performance CP‐hyperafterglow, advancing the development of chiral optoelectronic materials and applications.

Prefrontal to ventral tegmental area dynamics drive contingency degradation

Copper(II/III) Redox Couple Enables C─H Methylation via a Radical Mechanism Analogous to SAM Enzymes

ABSTRACT Biological methylation is a fundamental regulatory process in gene expression, biomolecule modification, and cell repair. Many enzymatic C–H methylation reactions proceed through sequential one‐electron steps mediated by distinct redox cofactors, such as Fe 4 S 4 clusters and methylcobalamin. However, structurally faithful model complexes of these cofactors have thus far been unable to replicate the characteristic C–H methylation reactivity. Herein, we report the first isolable copper(II/III)–methyl complexes that undergo C─H methylation via a radical mechanism analogous to SAM enzymes. The copper(II)–methyl complex undergoes reversible one‐electron oxidation to a formal copper(III)–methyl species, which serves as a methyl radical reservoir capable of both generating and capturing carbon radicals. The Cu III –CH 3 complex mediates C–H methylation through hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) and methyl radical transfer, affording methylated products from substrates similar to those targeted by radical SAM methyltransferases. By merging the characteristic HAT and radical rebound reactivity within a single organometallic center, this copper(II/III)–methyl species provides a synthetic platform that mirrors key mechanistic features of enzymatic C–H methylation.

Proton Transfer Shuttle Mediated Dormant–Active Balance for Accelerated and Controlled Polymerization of <i>N</i> ‐Carboxyanhydrides

ABSTRACT Since its inception in 2003, the concept of “reversible deactivation” to control chain propagation has emerged as a promising, though still evolving, strategy for precise polypeptide synthesis. Beyond a simple polymerization method, this concept is expected to promote unique reaction pathways. Nevertheless, achieving both rapid and well‐controlled ring‐opening polymerization of N ‐carboxyanhydrides through the equilibrium between dormant and active species is rare and challenging. In this study, we report a proton transfer shuttle‐assisted strategy that accelerates chain growth via trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) /tetrabutylammonium acetate (TBAA) cooperative system. Central to this strategy is reversible acceptance and donation of proton, thereby shifting the dormant–active equilibrium without disrupting it. This modulation increases the proportion of active chain ends while maintaining control over rapid polymerization process. Moreover, cooperative TFA/TBAA catalysis has streamlined the synthesis of well‐defined polypeptides, which are amenable to further chemical modifications. Control experiments and density functional theory calculations provide insights into the origin of controllability and critical role of TFA/TBAA in regulating the reversible deactivation equilibrium. Consequently, this work establishes a robust and efficient approach for accelerated yet controlled preparation of polypeptides and generates fundamental insights that advance understanding and application of the “reversible deactivation” concept for precision polypeptide synthesis.

Fixing Pillar[5]Arene‐Based Rotaxanes Into Epoxy Networks to Produce Toughened Epoxy Resins

ABSTRACT Introducing mechanical interlocking into epoxy thermosets can enhance material performance. However, this method typically requires complex monomer design and elaborate synthesis. Here, we demonstrate a simple strategy that exploits the dual functionality of a commercially available hydroxylated pillar[5]arene, which acts simultaneously as a macrocyclic host and a rigid cross‐linking unit. By threading polymer chains through the macrocycles, poly(pseudo)rotaxanes consisting of rigid wheels and flexible axles were formed. Then, in situ curing fixed the pillar[5]arene into the epoxy networks through both mechanical and covalent bonding. The resulting materials exhibited a balanced combination with tensile strength of 29.7 MPa and toughness of 21.6 MJ·m −3 . This approach enabled fine‐tuning of the mechanical properties of the epoxy networks by varying the pillar[5]arene content and epoxy precursor lengths. By combining supramolecular threading with covalent network formation using a single macrocycle, this work provides a convenient and practical route to regulating epoxy network properties.