Up to now, it has only been possible to deduce indirectly why high-temperature batteries lose efficiency and durability while in use. For the first time, a team from the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) has now used so-called operando X-ray radiography to look directly into a sodium-zinc molten salt battery at approximately 600 degrees Celsius. The images reveal previously hidden processes and show that, under real operating conditions, the separating layers within the battery can prove problematic. The findings deliver important information for new, simplified cell concepts for large-scale energy storage (DOI: 10.1016/j.ensm.2025.104654).

Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have advanced the knowledge required to improve large-scale energy storage. In doing so, they have revealed distinct chemical reactions that improve the stability and efficiency of a promising energy-storage system. Their findings suggest positive implications for U.S. energy security, including increased national power grid reliability and affordability.

Artificial intelligence becomes a predictive tool that can provide assistance in defining a nutritional plan for preterm infants. This is the concept of an innovative study recently published in the Journal of Perinatology, part of the Nature portfolio. It is the joint work of researchers from the IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori Foundation (FSGT) and the Department of Electronics, Information and Bioengineering (DEIB) of the Politecnico di Milano.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and the unfolded protein response are often implicated in the progression of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), from simple steatosis to inflammation-driven metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis and, ultimately, hepatocellular carcinoma. A new review paper from Hanyang University ERICA sheds light on the mechanisms underlying these processes, advocating for precise hepatic ER stress control to maintain normal hepatocyte function and develop therapeutic strategies against MASLD.

Efficient generation and reliable distribution of quantum entangled states is crucial for emerging quantum applications, including quantum key distribution (QKDs). However, conventional polarization-based entanglement states are not stable over long fiber networks. While time-bin entanglement offers a promising alternative, it requires complex infrastructure. In this study, researchers explore how stable time-bin entangled states can be generated and distributed using commercially available components, paving the way for practical quantum communication networks.

A multinational research team led by Professor Tong Zhang from the Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering at The University of Hong Kong (HKU Engineering), in collaboration with an international team, has developed a new framework to assess and track antimicrobial resistance (AMR) connectivity across human, animal, and environmental sectors. The study systematically examines the connectivity of AMR and proposes an assessment framework along with mitigation strategies.