Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis remains a hard-to-treat lung disease with limited effective drugs. A recent study in Engineering used machine learning to screen natural compounds and found dihydromyricetin, a flavonoid from herbs, can block the TGF-β/ALK5 signaling pathway. It alleviates fibrosis and inflammation in cell and mouse models, shows good safety, and offers a new natural-product-based direction for pulmonary fibrosis treatment.

Cardiac hypertrophy often progresses to heart failure, but the underlying link between lysosomes and mitochondria remains unclear. A new study in Engineering finds that the lysosomal protein TRPML1 is significantly reduced in hypertrophic hearts. It directly binds VDAC1 to maintain mitochondrial calcium balance and energy production, providing a potential target for treating pathological cardiac remodeling.

China’s power grid is set to undergo major transformation by 2030 as wind and solar energy expand rapidly. A new article in Engineering identifies five typical grid development scenarios and key technical challenges in power supply, grid stability, and equipment performance. It also proposes targeted research directions to support secure, low-carbon operation of the future power system, offering clear guidance for technology innovation and grid upgrading.

Hydraulic fracturing is moving from experience-based operations to intelligent control. A new study in Engineering introduces an AI-driven framework for subsurface hydraulic fracturing, featuring data-driven analysis, dynamic optimization, and autonomous decision-making. It uses dedicated deep learning models to predict fractures, warn of risks, and forecast production, forming a closed-loop intelligent system. The work also points out current challenges and future directions, supporting the digital shift in unconventional oil and gas development.

Wind turbine blades are hard to recycle, but a new study in Engineering offers a green solution. Researchers have developed a mild catalytic oxidation method to break down epoxy resin from waste blades at 100 °C with a small amount of catalyst. The degraded products directly become high-strength adhesives, while catalysts and fibers can be fully recovered. This eco-friendly approach turns hard-to-dispose waste into valuable materials, supporting the low-carbon and circular development of the wind power industry.

Terahertz wireless communication is a promising technology for future networks, but it often fails when line-of-sight paths are blocked. A new study in Engineering introduces a liquid-crystal programmable metasurface that brings stable connections to non-line-of-sight scenarios. This dual-broadband device flexibly controls terahertz beams, supports high-speed data transmission, and works reliably in real-world blocked environments, making widespread terahertz communication more practical.

Polyurethane plastic is hard to biodegrade and brings big environmental pressure. A study in Engineering reveals the structure and catalytic mechanism of esterase Aes72, and creates an engineered variant F276A/L141I. This modified enzyme shows stronger activity to break down polyurethane materials, offering a greener enzymatic way for sustainable plastic waste recycling.