Scientists have developed a pioneering framework that translates human brain activity into editable visual imagery, opening up new possibilities for creative design and human–computer interaction. Named DreamConnect, the system employs a dual-stream diffusion model to directly interpret functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) signals and refine them with natural language instructions. By progressively aligning brain activity with user-directed prompts, the method allows for manipulation of imagined scenes—such as transforming a mental picture of a lake into a vivid sunset. This breakthrough demonstrates the potential of brain-to-image technologies to actively shape human “dreams,” suggesting future applications in design, therapy, and communication.

Middle-ear effusion (MEE)—fluid trapped behind the eardrum—can quietly erode hearing, often without pain or fever. In a breakthrough simulation study, researchers used a finely tuned finite element (FE) model of the human ear to mimic six levels of MEE, from barely present to completely filling the cavity. The results reveal a tipping point: when fluid occupies less than half the middle ear space, hearing loss is minimal, averaging about 3 dB. But once it passes the 50% mark, sound transmission plummets, energy absorbance (EA) rates collapse below 20%, and hearing loss can soar to nearly 46 dB. This “fluid threshold” could sharpen diagnostic accuracy and guide timely treatment.

Lithium-rich oxides are widely regarded as one of the most promising cathode materials for next-generation lithium-ion batteries, but their potential has been hampered by rapid performance degradation. Now, researchers have developed a protective LiF@spinel dual shell that dramatically improves their stability. The spinel layer acts as a fast highway for lithium ions, while the outer LiF layer serves as a shield against corrosive electrolytes. Working in tandem, the two layers prevent structural collapse and suppress damaging side reactions. With this innovation, the modified cathode demonstrates outstanding cycle life and capacity retention, opening a new path toward reliable high-energy batteries.

The performance of a battery depends not just on what it’s made of, but also on how it’s built. A new study reveals that the thickness of boride films—critical components in all-solid-state thin-film lithium batteries (TFLBs)—directly governs voltage behavior, capacity, and long-term stability. By experimenting with cobalt–boron (CoB), iron–boron (FeB), and cobalt–iron–boron (CoFeB) alloys at varying thicknesses, researchers found that thinner films promote uniform lithium-ion distribution, reduce polarization, and enhance reaction kinetics, resulting in steeper yet more stable voltage profiles. The findings offer a unified theory connecting thickness, composition, and lithiation behavior—providing a straightforward strategy to design next-generation, high-performance energy storage devices.

Unlocking deep oil reservoirs just got easier! Scientists have developed a groundbreaking nanographite system that boosts oil recovery in extreme conditions. Read on to discover how this innovative solution overcomes high-temperature and high-salinity challenges, offering a game-changing approach for enhanced oil extraction.

Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS) is a developmental genetic disorder. The characteristics of CdLS remain unexplored in the Chinese population. Now, a group of researchers from the National Center for Children’s Health, China, have examined the clinical presentations, mutational profiles, and hormonal therapy responses of Chinese children with CdLS. Mutations in three genes, correlation between mutations in a development-related gene and clinical presentations, and differential responses to hormone therapy were identified in Chinese patients.

Embodied intelligence applications, such as autonomous robotics and smart transportation systems, require efficient coordination of multiple agents in dynamic environments. A critical challenge in this domain is the multi-agent pathfinding (MAPF) problem, which ensures that agents can navigate conflict-free while optimizing their paths. Conflict-based search (CBS) is a well-established two-level solver for the MAPF problem. However, as the scale of the problem expands, the computation time becomes a significant challenge for the implementation of CBS. Previous optimizations have mainly focused on reducing the number of nodes explored by the high-level or low-level solver. This paper takes a different perspective by proposing a parallel version of CBS, namely GPU-accelerated conflict-based search (GACBS), which significantly exploits the parallel computing capabilities of GPU. GACBS employs a task coordination framework to enable collaboration between the high-level and low-level solvers with lightweight synchronous operations. Moreover, GACBS leverages a parallel low-level solver, called GATSA, to efficiently find the shortest path for a single agent under constraints. Experimental results show that the proposed GACBS significantly outperforms CPU-based CBS, with the maximum speedup ratio reaching over 46.