All eyes were on Quaise Energy at the 2026 Geothermal Rising Conference, the flagship conference for the geothermal industry, in late September. The news related to Quaise included: the announcement of up to $25 million funding from the US Department of Energy, a talk on the company’s progress to date on what it believes will be the world’s first commercial superhot geothermal power plant, and major awards to two employees.

Food presentation plays an important role in a diner’s perception. Researchers in Japan found that diners perceived a sturgeon-filet dish as significantly healthier when its sauces were placed separately rather than drizzled across the plate. After tasting, participants gave slightly higher ratings for overall liking and intention to eat more with the minimal presentation. Although these findings remain exploratory, they highlight how thoughtful plating choices could help restaurants communicate a healthier impression to diners.

β-amino alcohols are important building blocks in many pharmaceuticals and biological molecules, but selectively producing their anti form over their syn form remains challenging. Now, researchers from Japan have developed a nickel catalyst that leverages several types of molecular interactions simultaneously to control an addition reaction, enabling highly selective synthesis of anti-β-amino alcohols. This type of cooperative catalyst design could pave the way for new methods to control chemical reactions and develop complex catalytic systems.