The first start-up focused on intelligent humanoid robotics “made in Italy” is being launched at the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Genoa, supported by an investment round of 70 million euros—one of the most significant in Europe in the deep-tech sector. The start-up, called Generative Bionics, stems from the Institute’s research on humanoid robotics and is preparing to establish itself as a key reference point in Europe. The round was led by the Artificial Intelligence Fund of CDP Venture Capital, with the participation of AMD Ventures, Duferco, Eni Next, RoboIT and Tether.

In response to the challenge associated with the instability of oxygen vacancies (Vo), this study proposes an In-doped CeO₂ strategy designed to achieve a high concentration of Vo. By forming In-Vo complexes, both the catalytic activity and stability of the material are significantly enhanced.

A multi-scale heterostructure design—combining micrometre-scale grains with nanoscale precipitate networks—enables a TA15-Si-TiB composite to achieve an exceptional synergy of room-temperature ductility and high-temperature strength. This architecture promotes hetero-deformation-induced hardening and strain partitioning, overcoming the strength-ductility trade-off in titanium composites for advanced lightweight applications.

A new synergistic control strategy based on tetragonal–pseudocubic (T–PC) boundaries and ordered /disordered oxygen octahedral tilting boundaries is provided, advancing understanding of the structure and property relationships in piezoelectric materials.

Rational design of reaction interfaces (e.g., coordination characteristics, metal-support interaction, etc) and polymer intermediate status (e.g., folding state, entropy adjustment, etc) with innovative methodological framework being proposed in thermal plastic waste upcycling can significantly foster circular economy and ecological restoration.

The instability of anode catalysts during the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is a central obstacle to commercializing proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzers. In the highly oxidative and acidic anode environment, catalysts suffer from dissolution, mechanical detachment, and impurity-driven degradation—failure modes that are tightly interconnected and cannot be solved through material optimization alone. This perspective evaluates these coupled degradation pathways and the limitations of current material, structural, and system-level strategies. We argue that durable acidic OER requires mechanistic insight under realistic operating conditions and the coordinated advancement of catalyst design, operando characterization, engineering improvements, and data-driven modeling. Such an integrated framework is essential for developing stable anodes and enabling large-scale, long-lifetime PEM electrolyzers.

A research team from Lanzhou University, China, has improved tree-ring simulations of a widely used forest growth model, 3-PG, by adding a carbon storage component. The new model version significantly enhances the model’s ability to simulate variations in both tree-ring widths and stable carbon isotope (δ¹³C). The upgrade addresses a key limitation in previous versions and provides a more physiologically accurate picture of how trees grow and store carbon over time.

Published in Forest Ecosystems, a seven-year study of loblolly pine plantations shows that crowded forests favor big trees in diameter growth, while smaller trees grow faster in height. Thinning rows and removing weaker trees slowed this dominance, letting smaller trees catch up and creating a more balanced forest. This shift also boosted overall wood production, offering insights for smarter forest management.

A new study of European beech trees reveals that their root systems respond more to short-term changes in soil water than to the long-term wetness of their growing sites. During dry periods, beech trees grow thinner, longer roots with more tips, enhancing water absorption, while wetter conditions lead to shorter, thicker roots. This seasonal root flexibility allows the trees to adapt rapidly to fluctuating soil moisture, highlighting the importance of monitoring short-term water availability for understanding tree resilience to drought.