Looking for greener building solutions? Scientists have found that non-traditional materials like volcanic ash and calcined clay can be used as sustainable alternatives to cement. These materials offer lower carbon emissions and similar performance to conventional binders. Discover how they work and their potential impact on the construction industry in this new study.

Facing the increased severely environmental challenges and energy shortages, the development of new green energy systems to replace the traditional fossil fuels has become more urgent for human being. Hydrogen (H₂) is regarded as the environmentally friendly and renewable energy resource for the future. Its unparalleled virtue lies in the fact that its combustion byproduct is exclusively water. Alkaline water electrolysis (AWE) technology is recognized as one of the most promising methods for hydrogen production, while its widespread adoption has been impeded by the high associated costs, its global market share remains negligible, at less than 4%. Reducing the cost of alkaline water electrolysis for the production of green hydrogen is a common challenge for countries around the world. The limited elemental abundance and high cost of noble metal electrocatalysts like Pt and RuO₂ constrain their large-scale application. Therefore, the development of bifunctional non-precious metal electrocatalysts with a high catalytic activity, low cost, and excellent stability is essential to significantly improve the energy efficiencies of AWE.

A study in Forest Ecosystems revealed that Continuous Cover Forestry (CCF) in Europe partly originated in a 17th-century practical agroforestry innovation, and not exclusively in a 19/20th-century academic debate as previously thought. The research into forestry history traced the development of CCF all the way from early agroforestry, through individual-based silviculture, and eventually to the later academic debate, offering historical insights for modern sustainable forest management.

A study in Forest Ecosystems reveals that two closely related evergreen oaks (Quercus aquifolioides and Quercus spinosa) in the Himalayan-Hengduan Mountains adapt to different climates through adjustments in leaf trait integration and modularity, with the high-altitude species having flexible traits for harsh conditions and the lowland one showing tightly coordinated traits for efficiency. It also notes the findings’ value for conservation and understanding species’ responses to climate change.