Scholars from Chongqing University, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Tsinghua University, and State Grid Jiangxi Electric Power Research Institute in China has developed a novel approach to prepared ultrahigh voltage-gradient ZnO-based varistor ceramics through a hybrid cold sintering/spark plasma sintering (CSP-SPS) and post-annealing process.

A study published in Circular Economy reveals how integrated anaerobic digestion of agricultural waste in China’s Hengshui City has achieved a 64% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions while producing renewable energy and organic fertilizers. The research, led by Tsinghua University scientists and collaborators, underscores the transformative potential of circular economy models in aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

Multicolored optical switching is essential for potential advancements in telecommunication and optical computing. However, most materials typically exhibit only single-colored optical nonlinearity under intense laser illumination. To address this, researchers have demonstrated that exciting the multivalley semiconductor germanium with a single-color pulse laser enables ultrafast transparency switching across multiple wavelengths. This breakthrough could drive the development of ultrafast optical switches for future multiband communication and optical computing.