With the recent global push toward renewable energy and electric vehicles, the demand for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is rising rapidly. The performance and stability of LIBs largely depend on the cathode material, which can account for nearly 40–45% of the total battery cost. Among cutting-edge technologies, high-nickel cathodes stand out for their high energy density and cost efficiency. However, increasing the nickel content also intensifies side reactions, severely compromising interfacial robustness and mechanical integrity—factors that limit large-scale applications. A promising solution is the use of full concentration gradient ...

Sodium (Na)-ion batteries have recently emerged as cost-effective and sustainable alternatives to lithium (Li)-ion batteries. Na, the sixth most abundant element on Earth, offers lower material costs and greater availability compared to Li-ion batteries. The design of cathode materials plays a key role in determining battery life and stability. Layered sodium manganese oxide (NaMnO2) has received increased attention from researchers for its use as a  cathode material in Na-ion batteries. NaMnO2 exists in two crystal forms: α-NaMnO2 and β-NaMnO2. The α-phase features a monoclinic layered structure, where planar MnO2 layers, consisting of edge-sharing distorted ...

As the age-old proverb rightly states, “You are what you eat.” Our diet largely influences our health and well-being. A balanced diet lays the foundation for healthy living and disease prevention. However, a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach may not work, given the biological, cultural, socioeconomic, and lifestyle differences. Moreover, gender and age can dramatically influence dietary preferences. Many studies have explored dietary diversity and how often certain foods are consumed. However, little is ...

Imagine if your dog’s favorite game — sniffing out treats or toys — could help protect America’s vineyards, orchards, and forests from a devastating invader.  It turns out, it just might. A new study led by Virginia Tech found that volunteer dog-handler teams — made up of everyday people and their pets — can effectively detect the elusive egg masses of the spotted lanternfly, an invasive insect that's damaging farms and forests across the eastern and central United States. It’s the first study to show that citizen dog-handler ...

Human eggs are some of the most patient cells in the body, lying dormant for decades until needed. A study published today in The EMBO Journal shows that the cells deliberately slow the activity of their internal waste disposal systems as they mature, most likely an evolutionary design which keeps metabolism low and damage at bay. “By looking at more than a hundred freshly donated eggs, the largest dataset of its kind, we found a surprisingly minimalist strategy that helps the cells stay pristine for many years,” says Dr. Elvan Böke, corresponding author of the study and Group Leader at the Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG) in Barcelona. Women are born with one to ...

In an effort to foster progress in cancer research, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is releasing detailed and comprehensive data about the entire genetic content of a pancreatic cancer cell. Scientists can use it to research tumors, improve cancer diagnostic tests, and develop new cancer treatments. The NIST data on this cancer genome — that is, the full set of genetic instructions from the cell, including the mutations that caused the disease — is several terabytes in size. The genome came from a 61-year-old ...

Research Highlights: A review of a decade of studies on cardiovascular health found that the benefits of ideal heart health extend beyond the cardiovascular system and are associated with improved function throughout the body. Compared with poor cardiovascular health, as measured by the American Heart Association’s Life’s Simple 7™ health metrics, ideal cardiovascular health was associated with a lower likelihood of limb amputation, dementia, eye disease, hearing loss, depression, cancer and more. Embargoed until 4 a.m. CT/5 a.m. ET, Wednesday, July 16, 2025 DALLAS, July 16, 2025 — People who had ...

Kyoto, Japan -- Respiratory infections such as COVID-19 have been responsible for numerous pandemics and have placed a substantial burden on healthcare systems. Such viruses can cause significant damage to our lungs, especially to the proximal region, or airway, and distal region, also known as the alveoli. The responses of different lung regions to such infections are varying and complex, so accurately replicating them using traditional models, such as animals and simple in vitro systems, poses a challenge. To solve this problem, a team of researchers at Kyoto University has developed a micro physiological system, or MPS, capable of emulating different ...

Optimal heart health from birth through adolescence, as measured by a combination of metrics, leads to long-lasting cardiovascular and overall physical, cognitive and mental health, according to the systematic review published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. Benefits include lower risks of cancer, dementia, lung disease, liver disease, kidney disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, depression and hearing loss, as well as better cognitive, dental and eye health. The metrics, developed by the American Heart Association, ...

The landslide that occurred in Blatten in the canton of Valais at the end of May 2025 and the one in the village of Brienz in Graubünden in June 2023 remind us of the potential for landslide hazards in the Alps. Debris flows are one such hazard. These flows of water, sediment and rock fragments typically occur after heavy rainfall in steep terrain, and rapidly travel down a channel, potentially destroying everything in their path. In the past year, major debris flows have attracted attention, particularly in Sorte (canton of Graubünden), Fontana (canton of Ticino) and the Saas Valley (canton of Valais). ...

Ammonia (NH₃) is vital for agriculture, as it is the basis for fertilizers that are needed to feed the world's population. Currently, ammonia is mostly produced by the Haber-Bosch process, which turns nitrogen gas (N₂) from the air into ammonia. The problem is that this process requires enormous amounts of energy while generating significant gas emissions. Scientists have long searched for more efficient and environmentally friendly ways to produce ammonia. Nature does this efficiently through enzymes called nitrogenases, but replicating these biological processes ...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Robin.Marks@ucsf.edu, (415) 502-6397 Subscribe to UCSF News How the brain turns our intended words into the sounds of speech A new study from UC San Francisco challenges the traditional view of how the brain strings sounds together to form words and orchestrates the movements to pronounce them. Speaking is one of the most complicated things a human can do. Before you even say a word, your brain has to translate what you want to say into a perfectly sequenced set of instructions to the dozens of muscles you use ...

Imagine trying to wear a left-handed glove on your right hand: it doesn’t fit because left and right hands are mirror images that can’t be superimposed on each other. This ‘handedness’ is what scientists call chirality, and it plays a fundamental role in biology, chemistry, and materials science. Most DNA molecules and sugars are right-handed, while most amino acids are left-handed. Reversing a molecule’s handedness can render a nutrient useless or a drug inactive and even harmful. Light can also be left or right ‘handed’. When a light beam is circularly polarized, its electric field ...

Around 8% of all births in England are preterm. Despite improvements in neonatal care and survival, preterm children still have more difficulties in later life than their peers, including a higher risk of mental health problems, which have not improved in recent decades.  Published today in Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, this major study has taken a new direction, adopting a broader-view by looking at social factors that can help preterm-born children succeed even after they’ve left the hospital.  By analysing data from over 1,500 children born preterm from the Bavarian Longitudinal Study (Germany) and the UK Millennium Cohort Study, researchers have identified ...

Although relatively rare, many childhood cancers remain life-threatening and lack effective personalised treatments. Rhabdoid tumours are among these fatal cancers and can develop in various tissues and organs. Approximately 12 new cases of this extremely aggressive cancer that typically appears before the age of two are diagnosed in Spain each year. The case featured in this study is that of a little girl who was only five months old when she was diagnosed with a malignant rhabdoid tumour of the kidney. The clinical team at Sant Joan de Déu Hospital in Barcelona surgically resected the tumour and began treatment with chemotherapy and radiotherapy, followed by immunotherapy. ...

Amino acids play a fundamental role in regulating how cells respond to drugs. These molecules, which form proteins, act like bricks that communicate with each other within a structure. In this way, they work together to regulate the cellular response, which could help develop more effective and safer treatments, according to an international study led by the Hospital del Mar Research Institute and published in Nature Communications. The study focused on a specific cellular receptor, the cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2), a key protein ...

Isolation, communication difficulties, reduced alertness — hearing impairment or loss is a real challenge in daily life. Over time, it can also become a risk factor for cognitive decline. A team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) analysed data from 33,000 older adults across Europe to examine the combined impact of hearing loss and loneliness on memory. They identified three distinct profiles based on the degree of social isolation and perceived loneliness. The findings show that hearing loss accelerates cognitive decline particularly among individuals who feel lonely, regardless of whether they are ...

During the Covid-19 pandemic, the federal government enabled schools to provide all children, regardless of need, with free meals to address nutrition and food insecurity. While program participation increased, many students declined the free meals, missing out on potential health and academic benefits. A new study by nutrition researchers identifies several barriers cited by foodservice directors—the leaders who run school food programs—to student participation, including student preferences for home-cooked meals or fast food, and concerns about how healthy the meals are. “Even when school ...

CLEVELAND, Ohio (July 16, 2025)—Premature menopause has been described as a life-changing diagnosis with profound physical, psychological, and social consequences. Affected women not only experience the effects of estrogen deficiency, but they also experience the unanticipated loss of reproductive function. However, some women are more adversely affected by these changes than others. A new study helps explore reasons for these differences. Results are published online today in Menopause, the journal of The Menopause Society. Premature ...

Osaka, Japan - A groundbreaking new method developed at The University of Osaka calculates the entropy of liquids using a non-empirical approach, requiring only the atomic species as input. This revolutionary technique eliminates the need for extensive experimental data, paving the way for enhanced predictions of chemical reactions and optimization of industrial applications involving liquids. The researchers employed computational simulations based on fundamental physical principles (called density-functional theory in the technical term) to model atomic interactions within ...

In a major advance toward safe and ultra-long-life energy storage, Authored by Haitao Zhang and Xiaoyan ji from Luleå University of Technology and the Chinese Academy of Sciences introduce F-QSCE@30, a fluorine-grafted quasi-solid composite electrolyte that exploits the built-in induction effect of –CF2–CF–CF3 side chains to simultaneously boost ionic conductivity and sculpt a self-armoring LiF-rich interphase. Published in Nano-Micro Letters, the work rewrites the performance ...

Illegal opioids can create substantial harms, but the extent of those harms depends on multiple factors, including the amount consumed. In a new study, researchers assessed whether opioid consumption intensity varies appreciably over time or context. They found that intensity—as opposed to prevalence—of illegal opioid use varies enormously. These findings have implications for drug treatment and policy. The study, by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, RAND, and the University of Maryland, appears in The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse. The supply of illegal opioids ...

Research Summary This work aimed to understand how anemonefish — the colorful reef dwellers best known from Finding Nemo — evolved into such a diverse group of species. Scientists have long assumed that their tight-knit relationship with sea anemones, their protective hosts, was the main engine behind their evolutionary diversification. But the team wondered if other ecological factors could also have played a critical role. This question matters because anemonefish are one of the few examples of adaptive radiation in marine environments ...

A new study led by Dr. Vadim Axelrod, of the Gonda (Goldschmied) Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center at Bar-Ilan University, has revealed serious concerns about the quality of data collected on Amazon Mechanical Turk’s (MTurk) — a platform widely used for behavioral and psychological research. MTurk, an online crowdsourcing marketplace where individuals complete small tasks for payment, has served as a key resource for researchers for over 15 years. Despite previous concerns about participant quality, the platform remains popular within the academic community. Dr. Axelrod’s ...

Glaciers hold layers of history preserved in ice, offering unique insights into Earth's past that can also help us interpret the future. Trapped amidst the frozen water are microscopic deposits of dust, pollen, and even pollutants that scientists can use to examine environmental changes through time. DRI’s Ice Core Lab has used this technique to highlight atmospheric lead pollution and economic turbulence in Ancient Rome. Now, their latest study found that a glacier in the French Alps dates back to the last Ice Age – the oldest known glacier ice in the region. Serving as a record that spans through the development of agriculture ...