Every mechanical assembly produces acoustic emissions. Cranks, bearings, switches and far more make noise — the kind that can be heard and the kind that advanced technology can detect to determine the health of the mechanism. One area where this acoustic emission technology has not kept up, though, is for journal bearings: the support for rotating shafts in various machines, including transmission engines. Journal bearings depend on a film of oil surrounding the shaft to maintain operation. Should the oil become contaminated or some other mechanical failure occur, the entire mechanism can be at risk. Researchers have studied acoustic emissions for detecting mechanical failure since the 1950s and specifically for journal bearings since 1985. Now, an international team has pulled together the latest in the field to better understand how far it has come and what direction it should go.

Interfacial solar steam generators enable sustainable freshwater production via photothermal conversion, yet effective purification of both feed water and distillate remains challenging. Here, a mechanically interlocked MXene/boron-doped mesoporous g-C₃N₄ nanosphere (BMNS) hybrid membrane is engineered through vacuum-assisted self-assembly, synergistically coupling ultraefficient photothermal evaporation with robust photocatalytic degradation. The BMNS nanospheres embedded in loosely stacked MXene nanosheets establish rapid water transport nanochannels while achieving ultralow thermal conductivity (0.43 W m^-1 K^-1). This structure enabled a high solar evaporation rate of 2.10 kg m^-2 h^-1 and achieved a photothermal conversion efficiency of 98.1%. Simultaneously, the generated reactive oxygen species (•OH/•) degraded 95.6% of the organic pollutants (10 ppm Rhodamine B) within 4 h. Furthermore, it maintained a stable evaporation rate of 2.00 kg·m^-2·h^-1 over a long-term operation of 200 h. Field validation using eutrophic lake water demonstrates concurrent clean water production and comprehensive purification: 90.0% total organic carbon removal, 92.0% chemical oxygen demand reduction, 93.1% microbial inactivation, improved optical clarity, and >99% antibacterial efficiency against E. coli and S. aureus. This work provides a scalable blueprint for multifunctional membranes addressing water scarcity and pollution simultaneously.

This study mainly focuses on the RE element synergy mechanisms in disilicates. Three novel multicomponent (RE_1/4Tm_1/4Yb_1/4Lu_1/4)₂Si₂O₇ (RE = Gd, Ho and Sc) materials were elaborately designed and subjected to CMAS corrosion at 1300 °C for durations of 1, 4, and 50 h to elucidate the synergistic mechanisms of multicomponent rare-earth elements on CMAS corrosion. Systematical examinations on evolution of reactants and products were conducted to analyze the role of rare-earth cations in CMAS corrosion, and the results reveal that performance divergence in corrosion primarily stems from a mechanistic transition, from dissolution-reprecipitation to intergranular penetration, dictated by rare-earth ionic characteristics. Comparative analysis confirms that an optimal active/inert stoichiometric ratio could simultaneously stimulate the precipitation-induced corrosion mitigation and the intrinsic resistance enhancement, establishing a design framework for multicomponent rare-earth disilicates for anti-CMAS EBC applications.

Hearing loss is a common cause of disability worldwide, with anywhere between 30-60% of cases being caused by genetic factors. LOXHD1 is a gene integral to essential protein interactions responsible for maintaining normal hair cell function. Certain variants in this gene can cause progressive or non-progressive congenital hearing impairments, called “pathogenic variants” in individuals. Researchers went deeper into this gene to learn more about the genetic causes of hearing loss in the Chinese population, and they uncovered novel variants within this gene to further explore these causes, in addition to what early intervention and potential medicinal therapies might look like for those who are predisposed to hearing loss.

Carbide- and boride-based UHTCs are promising for high-speed vehicles but suffer from oxidation and high density. Guided by the Ellingham diagram, a lightweight HfO₂-SiBOC ceramic was designed with an amorphous SiBOC matrix and nano-HfO₂ reinforcement. The thermodynamic oxidation sequence (Hf→Si→B→C) enables preferential Hf oxidation to form a stable HfO₂ barrier, while Si and B generate viscous oxides for defect healing. A novel amber SiHfBOC precursor was synthesized via sol-gel and solvothermal methods. Hot-pressed bulk ceramics exhibited near-nonablative behavior under 2000°C oxyacetylene flame ablation for 300 s, offering a new strategy for lightweight polymer-derived ceramics in ultra-high temperature applications.