WashU Medicine researchers show in mice that their technique to designing medications, in which modular components of anti-cancer drugs are administered separately and assembled in the body using what's known as click chemistry, is more effective than standard treatments at targeting and shrinking tumors. 

The effects of extreme space weather may be larger than previously thought reveals research in Nature led by Dr Nithin Sivadas of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. An example of space weather are extreme geomagnetic storms which are temporary disturbances in the plasma and magnetic field around the Earth causing disruptions in global satellite communication, extensive power outages, and even how much radiation astronauts and pilots are exposed to.

The team found evidence from more than a million solar wind measurements taken by Earth-orbiting NASA spacecraft, very close to our planet. Analysis of these observations showed a direct relationship between the strength of the solar wind and the currents in the upper atmosphere, suggesting there is no upper limit but rather Earth’s response will continue to increase along with the solar wind strength, and impacts to technology can increase as well.

Precise regulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is central to the advancement of next-generation therapies for infected wound healing, where dynamic redox balance is essential for effective treatment and tissue repair. In this context, a pH-responsive bifunctional nanozyme, constructed by coupling sub-nanoscale 12-phosphotungstic acid clusters with Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles, has emerged as a promising inorganic catalytic platform. By responding to the acidic microenvironment of infected wounds, the nanozyme enhances antibacterial activity through ROS generation, while subsequently scavenging excess ROS during the healing phase, thereby promoting tissue regeneration and alleviating inflammation

Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries offer exceptional theoretical energy density and specific capacity, but their practical development has been limited by sluggish sulfur reduction reaction (SRR) kinetics and severe “shuttle effect” caused by soluble lithium polysulfides (LiPSs). To address these challenges, this work proposes an electron-injection-softened strategy to achieve a nearly barrier-free cascaded SRR. By constructing a Co₉S₈-Mn₃O₄@CNF heterostructure, electrons are injected from Co₉S₈ to Mn₃O₄, softening its surface and inducing “soft to soft” orbital interactions with LiPSs. This design allows for rapid electron transfer and efficient Li₂S₂/Li₂S formation, resulting in a 2-Ah-level stable Li-S pouch cell.

Since their discovery in 2011, MXenes have been extensively applied across many fields due to their high specific surface area, high electrical conductivity, lightweight and adjustable bandgap. MXenes are distinct from other 2D layered materials because their unique synthesis inevitably introduces surface-terminated groups, which have a significant impact on their physical and chemical properties. This review introduces the various types of MXene materials and delves into the mechanisms for the generation of terminal groups during the preparation process. Then, it comprehensively analyzes how these functionalized terminal groups significantly affect the performance of MXene materials in different application scenarios and summarizes their potential and advantages in practical applications.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) products contain highly complex mixtures of chemical components, making rapid and reliable quality assessment a major analytical challenge. A new review published in the journal Biomedical Analysis provides a comprehensive assessment of how direct mass spectrometry is being applied to address this challenge. Researchers from institutions including Tianjin University of Commerce have synthesized more than a decade of scientific literature to evaluate the technology’s current capabilities and future potential. The review examines how these rapid analytical techniques, which require little to no sample preparation, can provide immediate chemical insights into herbal products, from raw materials to finished decoctions.

Researchers at Shaanxi Normal University have developed a flexible electrode with atomically tuned Ti_xCr_1−xN solid-solution nanoparticles for lithium-sulfur batteries. The catalyst enhances polysulfide trapping and conversion via d-band electronic regulation, achieving high rate capacity (801 mAh g⁻¹ at 3 C) and ultralow decay (0.012% per cycle at 2 C). This work provides a practical strategy for high-energy Li-S batteries.Researchers at Shaanxi Normal University have developed a flexible electrode with atomically tuned Ti_xCr_1−xN solid-solution nanoparticles for lithium-sulfur batteries. The catalyst enhances polysulfide trapping and conversion via d-band electronic regulation, achieving high rate capacity (801 mAh g⁻¹ at 3 C) and ultralow decay (0.012% per cycle at 2 C). This work provides a practical strategy for high-energy Li-S batteries.