Catalytic dry reforming of methane (DRM) is a key reaction for the sustainable utilization of major greenhouse gases, CO₂ and CH₄. However, conventional DRM often suffers from severe catalyst deactivation due to high temperature requirements. Applying direct current (DC) to catalyst materials has emerged as a promising strategy to overcome these limitations, yet the underlying DC-enhanced catalytic mechanism remains elusive. Here, we unveil the non-thermal catalytic origin of DC-applied DRM over Pd/CeO₂ through multimodal operando analyses, providing a microscopic physicochemical framework for the rational design of next-generation DRM catalysts beyond the limitations of conventional thermal catalysis.

Researchers at the RIKEN Center for Emergent Matter Science (CEMS) in Japan have one-upped themselves in their quest to solve our microplastic problem. They report a new plant-based plastic made from cellulose, the world’s most abundant organic compound. The new plastic is strong, flexible, and capable of rapid decomposition in natural environments, setting it apart from other plastics marketed as biodegradable.

CU Boulder engineers have developed a way to see, in real time, exactly how and when buildup forms on desalination filters, an advance that could help water treatment plants run more efficiently, cut energy costs and deliver clean drinking water to communities around the world.

In the midst of the COVID pandemic, scientists embarked on an ambitious research expedition to the North Atlantic to investigate the inner workings of the ocean’s carbon cycle. A series of storms hammered the three vessels, among the most advanced research ships in the world, while bureaucratic mayhem threatened to scrub the voyage entirely.

Astronomers have found evidence for a possible first-of-its-kind "superkilonova," or a kilonova spurred by a supernova. Such an event has been hypothesized but never seen. 

A new rapid blood test for ALS has been announced by the not-for-profit Brain Chemistry Labs in Jackson Hole. Based on samples from 788 ALS patients and controls, the test can identify a person who has ALS with 97% accuracy from a single blood draw.

Two faculty members at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville — Hua “Kevin” Bai, a professor in the Center for Ultra-Wide-Area Resilient Electric Energy Transmission Networks in the Tickle College of Engineering, and Sheng Dai, a chemistry professor who holds a joint faculty appointment between UT and Oak Ridge National Laboratory — have been elected National Academy of Inventors Fellows.