Every online order sets off a complex chain of operational decisions, from choosing where items are fulfilled to picking, shipping and returns. A new review of 198 studies maps these decisions across the end-to-end B2C fulfillment process and shows how research is moving toward integrated, real-time and data- and AI-enabled decision-making, offering a roadmap for more efficient and responsive e-commerce operations.

Researchers have discovered that precisely balancing sulfur and selenium in eco-friendly quantum dots can minimize performance-killing atomic defects, unlocking record-breaking efficiency for solar hydrogen production. By fine-tuning the chalcogenide composition in copper-indium-sulfur-selenium quantum dots, the team found that a 1:1 sulfur-to-selenium ratio minimizes crystal lattice distortion and reduces anion vacancies to their lowest level. This structural optimization dramatically improves charge carrier concentration and lifetime, enabling more efficient conversion of sunlight into hydrogen fuel without using toxic heavy metals.

Researchers have developed SuSha, a multi-model ensemble learning tool that predicts a microorganism's salt tolerance directly from its genome. Trained on the amino acid composition of 123 bacterial and archaeal species and validated on 2,678 metagenomes from freshwater, marine, and hypersaline habitats worldwide, SuSha achieved over 90% accuracy for extreme halophiles. It offers a powerful way to study the more than 81% of microbes that cannot be cultured in the lab.

A new review examines how the gut microbiota interacts with radiotherapy. Radiation can disrupt intestinal bacteria and metabolism, while microbial communities and their metabolites may influence tumor radiosensitivity and radiation-induced intestinal injury. The authors discuss microbiota-targeted strategies, including probiotics, dietary interventions and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)-derived compounds, while emphasizing the need for further clinical evidence.

Climate policy models usually assume people hold accurate beliefs about climate damages. A new study builds disinformation into a climate–economy model and finds that informed democratic majorities can deliver stronger carbon taxes than a politically constrained planner, but this advantage collapses abruptly once disinformation tips the majority. Late and persistent disinformation yields the most severe warming, while counter-disinformation efforts can largely restore effective policy.

First report of whole virome profiling of Naemorhedus griseus, identifying diverse viruses across multiple organ tissues. Identification and characterization of multiple mammalian viruses: including parvoviruses, picobirnaviruses, phenuivirus. Furthermore, this study provides insights into genetic diversity of Naemorhedus griseus-borne viruses and their cross-species transmission dynamics.

In the review, researchers summarize the latest advances in triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) fibers for self-powered sensing in virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). These fiber- and fabric-based sensors are flexible, breathable, and comfortable, converting the wearer's movements and physiological signals directly into electrical signals that drive immersive human–computer interaction. The authors survey TENG fiber structures, scalable production and integration methods, strategies to boost electrical output, and key VR/AR applications—from wearable virtual buttons to gesture recognition and virtual-character control—while outlining the remaining challenges on the path to practical, commercializable products.