Researchers from Soochow University in China have developed a fast vapor-deposition strategy to fabricate twisted vertical heterostructures (TVHs) from two-dimensional organic crystals. By precisely controlling the deposition temperature through adjusting diffusion distance, the yield of vertical epitaxial structures is dramatically increased from below 20% to over 70%. The resulting TVHs exhibit a fixed 45° twist angle between crystal layers, enabling color-tunable interlayer coupling emission that ranges from blue to yellow-green. This work provides a practical approach for kinetic control of vertical heteroepitaxy and lays a material foundation for integrated photonics applications.

This study identified developmental stages and regulatory factors underlying stem quality of rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) under high-density planting. In two cultivars grown at low and high density, gibberellin (GA)-triggered early stem elongation was found to be associated with delayed secondary cell wall deposition and reduced stem mechanical strength under high density. Foliar application of the GA biosynthesis inhibitor uniconazole at the 10–11 leaf stage delayed GA activation and slowed stem elongation, increasing stem mechanical strength and yield.

Using seawater for large-scale electrolysis offers a highly promising route for sustainable energy systems, but aggressive chloride ions typically cause rapid degradation of conventional anodic catalysts. Researchers from Hainan University and Swinburne University of Technology have developed a self-stabilizing boron-doped high-entropy selenide for the anodic oxygen evolution reaction. By coupling dynamic valence oscillations for active-site protection with a robust selenate layer to repel chloride, this catalyst achieves over 1000 hours of continuous operation at industrial-level currents in a harsh seawater environment.

A new tool shows the raw materials incorporated into buildings. This makes recycling, reuse and the planning of building material flows easier.

Researchers from the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering (NIMTE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), in collaboration with researchers from the Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry of CAS, have developed a coumarin-linked covalent organic framework (COF) that enables high-efficiency photocatalytic water splitting for hydrogen production.

In vivo immune cell engineering directly reprograms endogenous immune cells, bypassing individualized ex vivo manufacturing and opening a path toward more accessible and scalable cell therapies. This review summarizes cell-specific engineering strategies, compares viral and non-viral delivery platforms, highlights emerging applications in cancer, autoimmune and degenerative diseases, and discusses the key challenges that must be overcome for clinical translation.

So far, quantum computers have been held back by their extreme sensitivity to errors and external disturbances. The longer a quantum operation takes, the greater the risk that computational errors will occur. Now, researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, in Sweden, have developed a new method that allows a wide range of advanced quantum operations to be carried out more than a thousand times faster. The breakthrough addresses a well-known bottleneck in the field and paves the way for fault-tolerant quantum computing.