QUT researchers have overcome a challenge that has limited next-generation energy-harvesting materials for more than two decades, opening the door to more powerful wearable electronics and new ways of turning wasted heat into electricity.

The human brain performs perception, memory, learning and decision-making with only about 20 watts of power. A new study in National Science Review proposes a physics-based framework to explain this extraordinary efficiency. By modeling cooperative neuronal activity, the researchers suggest that brain information may be stored and processed through dynamic electrical patterns, offering new clues for brain science and energy-efficient artificial intelligence.

Hydrogen produced by water electrolysis is widely regarded as a promising clean energy carrier, but developing efficient and durable electrocatalysts without relying on large amounts of precious metals remains a major challenge. In a recent study published in the Journal of Bioresources and Bioproducts, researchers developed a wood-derived carbon-supported high-entropy alloy catalyst using a rapid carbothermal shock strategy. The work demonstrates that regulating the electronegativity of alloy components, together with enhanced graphitization at the alloy–carbon interface, significantly improves catalytic activity for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Among the investigated compositions, the Mn-containing catalyst exhibited the best performance, requiring only 28 mV overpotential to reach 10 mA cm^-2 in alkaline electrolyte while maintaining remarkable long-term stability. The study further combines advanced characterization and density functional theory calculations to reveal how electron redistribution optimizes water dissociation and hydrogen adsorption, providing a new strategy for designing sustainable biomass-derived electrocatalysts.

Beijing, China – A recent field experiment reveals how applying biogas slurry as a topdressing can profoundly influence soil dissolved organic carbon (DOC), a critical component of soil health and carbon cycling, particularly in dryland agricultural settings. Published in Carbon Research, new findings from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences provide a comprehensive understanding of how this sustainable agricultural practice reshapes carbon transformation and stabilization across different maize growth stages and soil depths.

Biogas slurry, a nutrient-rich byproduct of anaerobic digestion, offers significant potential for sustainable agriculture by recycling organic waste and partially replacing chemical fertilizers. Despite its known benefits, the specific mechanisms by which biogas slurry topdressing (BSTD) regulates soil DOC dynamics under real-world field conditions, considering both crop growth and varied soil layers, remained largely unclear. Soil DOC is a highly mobile carbon fraction that fuels microbial activity and influences nutrient availability, making its precise management vital for robust agroecosystems.

Developing thermoelectric materials that efficiently convert waste heat into electricity remains challenging because high electrical performance and low thermal conductivity are difficult to achieve simultaneously. Researchers at Science Tokyo developed a layered crystal, TlFe_1.6Se₂, that embeds atomically thin iron selenide (FeSe) layers within a bulk material. The crystal combines a high thermoelectric power factor with exceptionally low thermal conductivity, demonstrating a promising strategy for designing next-generation materials for waste heat energy recovery.

A new study by Queen Mary University of London mathematician Professor Ginestra Bianconi proposes a new perspective on one of the deepest questions in modern physics: how can the Universe become increasingly structured and complex while still obeying the second law of thermodynamics? 

Researchers at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) have developed two new processes: Using hydrodynamic cavitation and cold atmospheric plasma combined with gas dispersion, they are looking to break down per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), industrial chemicals that are extremely resistant to chemical degradation. To support this effort, experts from the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ) ran analyses that confirmed the degradation of PFAS and the release of fluoride. Once they reach market maturity, these processes could be used in industry, significantly reducing the release of PFAS into bodies of water (DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-57490-6; DOI: 10.1016/j.ceja.2026.101046).

Herbularyo gets players acquainted with both organic chemistry and traditional Filipino medicine in as little as five to ten minutes of gameplay. The scientifically-grounded traditional Filipino remedies found in the game are based on real research from the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC).