News from Science China Press

A study published in Science Bulletin reports the real-time rotational growth of single- and few-wall high-crystallinity carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and tracks the dynamics of the CNT-catalyst interface using atmospheric environmental transmission electron microscopy. The researchers identified two non-periodic growth modes: free rotation and restricted rotation, which are distinct from previously reported periodic-rotation models. Free rotation originates from weak CNT-catalyst interfacial interactions and enables straight, high-crystallinity CNT growth. Additional constraints, such as CNT-substrate contact, restrict this rotation, induce structural distortions, decelerate growth rate, and can even cause growth termination. This study establishes rotational freedom as a key interfacial parameter that linking CNT-catalyst interactions and the quality and growth dynamics of CNTs. It also provides guidance for designing catalysts and interfaces to achieve efficient synthesis of defect-free, high crystalline CNTs.

Researchers developed a perovskite X-ray detector film that is more uniform through its thickness, reducing noisy signals that usually worsen at low radiation doses. The detector produced clear dental and biological X-ray images at much lower dose levels, suggesting a materials-based route toward safer medical imaging and large-scale screening.

A new study in Science Bulletin shows that fructooligosaccharide, a widely used prebiotic, may alleviate hyperuricemia by reshaping the gut microbiota. The study identifies a microbial relay in which Ligilactobacillus murinus promotes the enrichment of Anaerotruncus colihominis, a bacterium capable of degrading uric acid. The findings suggest a new mechanism by which prebiotics may regulate host metabolism through interbacterial interactions.

Researchers analyzed snow droughts in Xinjiang from 1980 to 2021 and classified them into warm-only, dry-only, and warm-dry types. The study identifies strong spatial heterogeneity, highlights the Kunlun Mountains as a major hotspot, and shows that warm-dry snow droughts increased markedly after 2000.

Researchers have developed a single machine-learning turbulence model that predicts a wide range of turbulent flows—without the manual zoning, switching, or tuning that conventional models require. Led by researchers at the University of Stuttgart, the work advances a long-sought goal in computational fluid dynamics: a unified turbulence model that handles many flow mechanisms within one framework. Details of the findings were published in National Science Review.

In a paper published in Science China Life Sciences, researchers report a lineage‑specific expansion of the hexokinase (HK) family in the genomes of extremely thermotolerant Echinolittorina snails, and identify novel isoforms anchored to the cell membrane via post‑duplication domain fusion. These membrane‑localized HKs enhance cell viability under heat stress by optimizing hexose catabolism, suggesting a crucial role in sustaining the energy‑demanding protective responses that allow Echinolittorina snails to survive thermally harsh intertidal habitats.