Researchers at Fudan University have developed a crosslinked potassium polyacrylate skin membrane that lets microrobots generate electricity by walking on metal or silicon surfaces. The membrane uses atmospheric moisture and oxygen to convert environmental chemical energy into power, achieving 133 mW cm⁻² on zinc. It also senses substrate material and roughness, enabling active energy pursuit. The system powered over 10,000 walking steps and remained stable after 1,000,000 steps.

Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden have developed an AI scientist capable of generating scientific hypothesis, designing experiments, and interpreting results. Making new biological discoveries with minimal human intervention is an important advance in self-driving laboratories.Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden have developed an AI scientist capable of generating scientific hypothesis, designing experiments, and interpreting results. Making new biological discoveries with minimal human intervention is an important advance in self-driving laboratories.

Nationwide Duke-NUS study finds asthma-related emergency visits rise within two days of increases in PM2.5, underscoring the importance of early precautions during periods of poorer air quality.

To develop batteries that last longer on a single charge, more energy must be stored within the same size and weight.

A research team led by Dr. San Moon and Dr. Jungdon Suk at the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT, President Seokmin Shin) has developed a dry thick-film cathode technology by incorporating graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) as a cathode additive for the first time. The additive enhances electrolyte wettability, allowing the electrolyte to penetrate the electrode more effectively, while reducing the energy required for lithium ions to migrate into the cathode active material. The research was conducted in collaboration with domestic universities, including Seoul National University and Yonsei University, as well as Thermo Fisher Scientific Korea, a global scientific instrumentation company.

The nightly closure or downward folding of leaves, a process known as sleep movement or nyctinasty, is a widespread phenomenon in legumes that helps optimize photosynthesis, conserve water, and reduce pathogen susceptibility. Although the physical process has been well characterized, the molecular regulation of nyctinasty remains poorly understood. Here, we combined temporal transcriptome profiling, photoperiod manipulation, and tissue-specific gene expression analysis to dissect the regulatory network in peanut (Arachis hypogaea) during nyctinastic leaf movement. Under normal light/dark cycles, leaves displayed distinct nyctinastic behavior, which was suppressed under continuous light, underscoring the importance of photoperiod for this process. Transcriptome analysis identified conserved light- and circadian-related genes exhibiting rhythmic expression patterns. Key candidates included light-responsive SWEET and aquaporin genes with distinct tissue-specific expression patterns, along with a pulvinus-enriched MYB transcription factor gene. Promoter-binding and reporter assays supported transcriptional links between circadian/light-signaling components and these candidate downstream genes. Together, these findings support a working model in which photoreceptors and the circadian clock coordinate the expression of transporter and regulatory genes, which may contribute to nyctinastic leaf movement in peanut. These findings provide a molecular framework for future functional investigations of nyctinasty in legumes.