News & Views

Electrochemical processes enable the efficient removal of persistent water pollutants, yet real-world applications are hindered by electrolyte addition and low overall energy efficiency. A device design now addresses these challenges, enabling electrolyte-free operation while coupling cathodic and anodic processes to improve treatment and energy efficiencies.

High temperatures disrupt sleep worldwide, with disproportionate impacts on older adults, women and populations in lower-income countries. A study uses climate change simulations to project future global sleep erosion and, in turn, the decline in childhood general cognitive ability and associated socioeconomic costs.

Soft robots inspired by living organisms hold the promise of gentle, adaptable interactions with the natural world, but leave behind persistent waste. Now scientists show a fully compostable robotic system that addresses this limitation by offering durable performance and decomposing safely into the soil at the end of its life.

Growing demand for nuclear fuel is accelerating the need for sustainable uranium resources that ensure long-term supply and mitigate environmental risks. A study now presents an intriguing self-powered methodology that utilizes the motion of falling water droplets to drive uranium recovery from salt lakes.

Reusing materials from spent lithium-ion batteries is a key strategy for developing a sustainable supply chain, but we need to deepen our understanding of the associated environmental impacts. Now, a model-based analysis shows that pretreating end-of-life batteries is critical for enhancing the sustainability of recycling.

The growing demand for therapeutic peptides has intensified concerns about the sustainability of current synthetic processes, which typically rely on excess reagents and, most critically, large volumes of solvents. In the pursuit of more sustainable practices, scientists now report a water-based synthetic protocol.

Supporting the shift towards more climate-friendly lifestyles needs legally enforced climate policies, but enforcement may result in undesired boomerang effects if policies are designed poorly. Now a study illustrates how behavioural insights can improve climate policy design.

Mixed plastics are hard to upcycle because they are not all miscible with each other and deliver blends of poor quality when melted together. Now reactive additives help to make these components compatible when processed at 180 °C.

Water electrolysis powered by renewable energy is a promising technology to produce green hydrogen, but widespread adoption is hindered by the lack of stable, low-cost catalysts coping with the fluctuations of renewable sources. Now a study shows such an electrocatalyst that works across a wide voltage range.

Effective policies to move companies towards global climate change goals require lifting the corporate veil to connect CO₂-emitting assets with their owners. A study now provides a first step by identifying the firms responsible for power-sector emissions.

Aluminium (Al) batteries offer clear advantages over conventional batteries owing to their use of abundant and sustainable materials, but they currently rely on electrolytes that are usually corrosive, are expensive and limit battery performance. Now a new electrolyte formulation addresses these issues, bringing Al metal-based batteries one big step closer to application.

Bisphenol A, a widely used polymer building block and product additive, activates oestrogen receptors to elicit adverse effects in humans and animals with profound negative impacts on human and environmental welfare. Now, by following the Safe and Sustainable by Design framework, renewable, non-oestrogenic bisphenol A analogues have been identified.

Cleanup activities at the Fukushima Daiichi site will include the release of tritium to ocean waters. Although the dose is small compared with natural background radiation, a study now shows that uptake of the tritium by algae and subsequent trophic transfer could potentially result in an increased dose to humans.

Aqueous zinc batteries, with intrinsic safety and low cost, struggle at low temperatures primarily because their water-based electrolytes freeze. Now a dual-salt electrolyte design enables stable battery operation even at −40 °C.

Aviation is one of the hardest sectors to decarbonize, and so every clean energy source that can be turned into fuel should be considered — even trash. A study now finds that trash-based fuels may be able to cut aviation emissions by around 16%, while offering cost savings relative to traditional mitigation pathways.

Ground subsidence is an increasingly important hazard in cities around the world. Satellite measurements of ground movements show dramatic levels of sinking in five Indian cities and are used to map the risk of damage to buildings in these cities.

All-solid-state lithium batteries can offer high energy density and safety but suffer from high interfacial resistance owing to the formation of interfacial voids. Now, a self-adaptive interphase has been developed that maintains intimate contact between the lithium metal anode and solid electrolyte without external pressure.

Expanding protected areas helps to conserve biodiversity but can increase food prices and reliance on imports owing to land competition. A new study finds that adopting healthier diets could ease these challenges of area-based conservation.

Marine plastic pollution is a growing problem threatening ocean ecosystems. Now research explores how these plastics may be impacting the ocean’s ability to offset anthropogenic carbon emissions.

Anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) bacteria, a game-changer in biological wastewater nitrogen removal, are showing promise in real-world applications. Now, researchers report a strategy for rapidly producing valuable anammox seeds from sewage sludge, a by-product of wastewater treatment that requires careful management and disposal.