Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) enables information-theoretic secure communication based on quantum physics. A new study by Danish, Austrian, and Canadian researchers has demonstrated composable secure key generation against collective attacks over 20 km fiber using discrete-modulated Continuous-Variable QKD and modern numerical security proof methods. This marks the first practical implementation of a long-theorized protocol, combining high key rates, standard telecom compatibility, and rigorous security guarantees - an important step toward real-world quantum-secure communication in metropolitan networks.

Recently, Professor Yanyan Jiang's research team at Shandong University has developed an innovative "carbon precursor pre-coordination" strategy for precisely regulate the single-atom coordination environments in carbon-supported nanozymes. By using carbon dots as carriers and mimicking the active sites of natural CuZn-SOD and Mn-SOD enzymes, they successfully synthesized highly antioxidative CuMn-CDs using only a household microwave oven. The team conducted a systematic investigation into the antioxidant mechanisms of CuMn-CDs, demonstrating their capability to effectively scavenge free radicals present in cigarette smoke and alleviate lung tissue damage in smoking mouse models. Furthermore, the successful syntheis of various other bimetallic single-atom nanozymes confirmed the universal applicability of this strategy. 

In a recent review published in Science Bulletin, Professor Chen-Yu Zhang’s group at Nanjing University has introduced the concept of “RNA immunity”—a previously underrecognized antiviral mechanism in mammals. This form of immunity centers on small RNA molecules that identify and silence viral genetic material through precise base pairing, offering a fundamentally different strategy from the traditional protein-based immune systems. The authors argue that this RNA-based mechanism may constitute a “hidden line of defense” against viral infections.

In a paper published in SCIENCE CHINA Earth Sciences, a team of researchers improved the precipitation simulation over the Tibetan Plateau using the Weather Research and Forecasting model with an optimized convective entrainment scheme and a turbulent orographic form drag scheme.

Among the most well-established CRISPR-Cas systems, Cas13 has drawn attention for its unique activity to cut RNA, enabling advances in RNA editing, RNA interference, and molecular diagnostics. However, as this RNA-guided enzyme prevails in basic research and edges closer to clinical use, questions regarding its unintended activity in living cells remain a major concern.

Now, a study published in Science Bulletin reveals an unexpected mechanism of Cas13a activation that occurs independently of any RNA target. The research team discovered that Cas13a can be turned on by guide RNA (crRNA) alone—circumventing the requirement for a complementary RNA target as in the canonical activation model. This novel behavior, termed RNA target-independent non-canonical activation (RINCA), sheds light on a previously unanticipated source of background activity in Cas13a-based systems.

A Chinese research team led by Zhong-Shuai Wu at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics has developed a layer-by-layer 3D printing strategy for constructing thick lithium-ion battery cathodes with anisotropic ion pathways, achieving a record-high areal capacity of 38.4 mAh cm^-2.

Lithium-ion batteries and plastics—two of the most consumed products in modern society—are becoming increasingly problematic when they reach the end of their lives. While batteries pose risks due to toxic components and resource waste, plastics challenge global recycling systems with their sheer volume and chemical durability.

Now, researchers from Soochow University and Harbin Engineering University have jointly developed a novel, dual-waste recycling strategy that addresses both problems simultaneously. In a study recently published in Science China Chemistry, they report a breakthrough in repurposing spent lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery materials and graphite anodes into highly efficient photothermal catalysts capable of upgrading waste polyester plastics such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

In this study, we evaluate the seismic vulnerability of buildings in Dir City, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, using a modified rapid visual screening (RVS) approach.

Immunization has long played essential roles in preventing diseases. However, the desire for precision delivery of vaccines to boost a robust immune response remains largely unmet. Here, we describe the use of acupoint delivery of nanovaccines (ADN) to elicit dual-niche immunological priming. ADN can simultaneously stimulate mast cell-assisted maturation of dendritic cells at the acupoint and enable direct delivery of nanovaccines into the draining lymph nodes. We demonstrate that ADN not only provokes antigen presentation by lymph node-resident CD8α⁺ dendritic cells, but also induces the accumulation of nanovaccines in B-cell zones, amplifying antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses and immunoglobulin G antibody expression in draining lymph nodes. ADN also generates systemic immune responses by causing immune memory and preventing T-cell anergy in the spleen. Further supported by evoking effective antitumor responses and high-level antiviral antibodies in mice, ADN provides a simple yet versatile platform for advanced nanovaccination.