In fusion research, the plasma core must be heated to about one hundred million degrees, but heat naturally spreads outward, making it important to slow this spreading as much as possible. Turbulence that appears together with the heat also moves outward. A research team at the National Institute for Fusion Science used the Large Helical Device to study this process and identified turbulence that acts as a mediator, rapidly distributing heat across the plasma. When rapid heating was applied, this mediator became stronger and caused the heat to spread almost instantly. The team also showed for the first time that turbulence plays two roles, both carrying heat and connecting distant regions. These findings reveal how sudden heat spreading occurs and provide a basis for predicting and controlling heat transport in future fusion reactors.

Researchers at Peking University share the results of their 30-year investigation in tackling the long-standing mystery of turbulence initiation. Their study identifies soliton-like coherent structures as the key mechanism in driving the transition from laminar to turbulence in shear flows. This discovery provides promising directions for the development of advanced predictive models and technologies for improved control of turbulence.

Computer simulations revealed the detailed mechanism of how the protein "dynamin" works to form small vesicles within cells.

While dynamin uses GTP hydrolysis energy to change shape, it was unclear how this leads to membrane constriction. Simulations showed that instead of simply tightening, dynamin "loosens" (expands) at a certain stage to generate the force needed to narrow the surrounding membrane tube.

This study provides a clearer explanation for membrane deformation and vesicle formation processes in cells, offering insights for artificial nano-device design.

New research reveals how the speed of ocean currents and the shape of the seabed influence the amount of heat flowing underneath Antarctic ice shelves, contributing to melting.

Scientists at the University of East Anglia (UEA) used an autonomous underwater vehicle to survey beneath the Dotson Ice Shelf in the Amundsen Sea, an area of rapid glacial ice loss largely due to increasing ocean heat around and below ice shelves.