Plastic pollution is a growing problem in Japan, prompting cleanup efforts to recover plastic litter from water bodies. However, research on recovery rates from different river basins remains limited. In a recent study, researchers from Japan conducted a nationwide analysis of plastic litter recovery in over 100 river basins, shedding light on the impact of climate change, population density, and natural disasters. Their findings will help inform future cleanup strategies and improve plastic management.

Ferrocene is a key molecule for developing molecular machines. However, it readily decomposes on the surface of flat noble metal substrates, marking a significant challenge. Now, for the first time, researchers stabilized ferrocene by linking it with ammonium salts and trapping them in a molecular film made up of cyclic crown ether molecules. The ammonium-linked molecule performs reversible lateral sliding motion upon the application of electrical voltage, representing the world's smallest molecular machine.

Copper-oxide (CuO₂) superconductors, such as Bi₂Sr₂CaCu₂O_8+δ (Bi2212), have unusually high critical temperatures. Optical reflectivity measurements of Bi2212 have shown that it exhibits strong optical anisotropy. However, this has not been studied through optical transmittance measurements, which can offer more direct insights into bulk properties. Now, researchers have elucidated the origin of this optical anisotropy through ultraviolet and visible light transmittance measurements of lead-doped Bi2212 single crystals, enabling a more precise investigation into its superconductivity mechanisms.

The UPV/EHU’s Materials + Technologies research group analysed the possibility of incorporating coastal marine litter into the urban solid waste management system, which would allow it to be subsequently recycled. The results reveal that the efficiency of separating poly (ethylene terephthalate) (PET) bottles –one of the most common types of marine plastics– of marine origin is both effective and successful.