Researchers from Hong Kong and the UK have developed a novel method for creating quantum holograms using metasurfaces, as detailed in a recent study published in Advanced Photonics. By combining metasurfaces with nonlinear crystals, they achieved entanglement of polarization and holographic information. This innovative approach allows for the generation of quantum holograms, where specific holographic letters can be selectively erased by adjusting the polarization of entangled photons. The study demonstrates the potential of metasurfaces to enhance quantum communication and anti-counterfeiting technologies, offering a compact and flexible alternative to conventional materials. This breakthrough not only advances our understanding of quantum mechanics but also paves the way for practical applications in quantum information processing.

As climate change and population growth increase pressure on global food production, regional-scale crop growth and associated process (CROP-AP) models have become essential tools for understanding and predicting agricultural productivity. A new review, published in Science China Earth Sciences, categorizes these models into four types—statistical models, crop growth models, hydrology-crop coupling models, and ecosystem models. The study explores their main functions from five aspects: crop yield prediction, crop water consumption, agricultural non-point source pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and climate change impact and responses, and identifies key future research directions, including model validation and calibration, the ability to simulate the coupling of crop physiology and human activities, enhancing model scalability, multi-model ensembles, data and code sharing, and the integration of artificial intelligence.