Chinese researchers have developed China's first compact high-temperature superconducting magnetoplasmadynamic thruster, achieving a revolutionary reduction in power consumption from 285 kW to under 1 kW and weight from 220 kg to 60 kg. Published in National Science Review, the breakthrough utilizes YBCO superconducting material operating at liquid nitrogen temperatures (-196°C) to replace traditional copper coils. The thruster demonstrates an exceptional specific impulse of 3,265 seconds at 12 kW input power—more than ten times higher than conventional chemical propulsion. The team also established a comprehensive analytical magnetohydrodynamic model that accurately predicts performance parameters. This advancement solves the critical propulsion bottleneck for small satellites, enabling lightweight, cost-effective spacecraft with dramatically reduced fuel requirements for deep space missions.

A large-scale synchronized observation across 37 cities in North China Plain reveals a critical transition in urban ozone formation mechanisms, from predominantly VOC-limited regime to VOC–NO_x co-limited regime. This finding indicates that China’s ozone control efforts have passed through the most challenging phase, in which NO_x reductions tended to exacerbate ozone pollution. Further reductions in both NO_x and VOC emissions are now expected to be broadly effective, offering greater flexibility, feasibility, and optimism for future ozone mitigation in China.

Tokyo, Japan – Researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University have created a new molecule which carries DNA into biological cells, to treat or vaccinate against illnesses. Many existing options rely on molecules with a strong positive charge, which can cause harmful inflammation. The team overcame this by using a neutral molecule and a new method to bind DNA to it, making it possible to deliver DNA into cells. Successful experiments in mice promise new, more effective therapies.

Professor Chao Wang's team at Tianjin Normal University recently reported a non-covalent C–H⋯π interaction-based olefin functionalization strategy, achieving highly regio- and enantioselective1,2-borylalkynylation reactions of unactivated alkenes. Utilizing the weak interaction between the aryl side arm of the chiral diamine ligand andthe π-donor group of the olefin substrate, they successfully achieved precise three-component coupling of the olefin, B₂pin₂, and alkynyl bromide under nickel catalysis. The study achieved efficient construction of remote chiral centers by controlling the transition state of migration insertion through non-covalent interactions. This strategy eliminates the dependence on traditional covalently directed groups, complementing existing covalently directed models and opening up new avenues for site- and stereoselective bifunctionalization of unactivated alkenes. The article was published as an open access Research Article in CCS Chemistry, the flagship journal of the Chinese Chemical Society.

Smart cushioning materials with sensing features can enable real-time detection of damage to transport goods. However, current sensing technologies require wired connections for power and data transmission, limiting applicability. In a new study, researchers have developed a novel origami-inspired wireless, battery-free smart cushioning material that can accurately detect and provide measurement of damage to transported goods. This material holds strong potential for improving logistics and transport traceability.

Antarctica plays a crucial role in the Earth’s climate system by reflecting solar radiation back into space. The large white ice surfaces and clouds play a decisive role in this process. However, how clouds actually form in Antarctica, how they interact with the atmosphere and what role aerosols play in this process has not been sufficiently researched to date. Engaging in the SANAT flight campaign, the Alfred Wegener Institute, the Leibniz Institute for Tropospheric Research and the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry aim to help close this knowledge gap. The flight-based aerosol measurements conducted in Antarctica are the first of their kind in 20 years and also the first to extend deep into the interior.