In the face of growing environmental concerns and the urgent need to reduce carbon emissions, sustainable clean energy solutions have become paramount in addressing the global energy crisis. Hydrogen is emerging as a key solution, as it generates energy with water as its only by-product, offering a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels. However, existing hydrogen storage options, including compressed and cryogenic methods, face challenges such as high cost and safety concerns, limiting their widespread adoption in vehicles. This is where Prof. Tian Tian, Assistant Professor of the Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), is making a breakthrough in his research. He has developed advanced nanoporous materials that enhance safety and storage efficiency, thereby making hydrogen a more viable and scalable clean energy solution for future transportation.

When most growers plant corn, they expect perfect, uniform rows and plump and pearly yellow kernels lining the cob. But a group of USDA Agricultural Research Service scientists intentionally plant the misfits — some gnarled and speckled, others sprouting tassels where ears should be — to perpetuate the wide array of genetic variation in the Midwest’s most economically important crop. 

Recent advancements in optics, ophthalmology, artificial intelligence, and biomedical engineering have led to rapid improvements in the types of intraocular lenses available and the methods patients and their doctors use to select the right fit. An expert in optics explains the state of the technology.

Two University of Cincinnati professors who study environmental science and risk management were appointed to four-year terms as UNESCO university chairs of natural sciences.

Early childhood and primary school teachers have become the protagonists of a research process during the Summer School of the Pedagogical Renewal Movement of Castelló. Through the workshop “Y tú, como lo ves?” (“And you, how do you see it?”), promoted by the Universitat Jaume I, they have worked side by side with researchers Anna Marzà, Verónica Moreno, Paloma Palau, Paola Ruiz and Gloria Torralba to reflect collaboratively on current teaching practices and analyse how multiliteracy is worked on, i.e. the combination of verbal, visual, digital and audiovisual languages that are increasingly coexisting in classrooms.

Developed in collaboration with Ocean Power Technologies (OPT) and AT&T, a self-powered ocean buoy anchored five miles north of the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) campus in Monterey Bay with a host of current and future undersea, surface and atmospheric sensors, is poised to advance NPS maritime sensing, domain awareness and communications research and applications.

Cardiovascular diseases are a leading health concern in Hong Kong, prompting many to undergo regular heart check-ups for their early detection and management. Echocardiography, a key diagnostic imaging tool, plays a crucial role in assessing heart function, offering non-invasive insights into cardiovascular health and aiding in timely intervention. However, interpreting these ultrasound images manually is challenging due to speckle noise and ambiguous boundaries, requiring significant expertise and time. Consequently, a heart check-up is rarely included in a regular annual body check scheme.