Physics

Rising sea levels and land subsidence combine to determine relative sea level (RSL) rise, which is intensifying coastal hazards. However, many densely populated regions lack the observational infrastructure to identify and quantify land subsidence contribution to RSL, hindering effective planning of responses. Here, we used satellite radar observations to generate a high-resolution assessment of land subsidence across Java Island, Indonesia, and evaluate its contribution to 21st-century RSL change. We identify widespread and temporally evolving subsidence with rates ranging from 1 to 15 cm/year in multiple coastal cities. Using machine learning spatiotemporal clustering and ancillary datasets, we attribute the dominant subsidence mechanisms to resource extraction across various geographic and geological settings. We further construct virtual tide gauges at 5-km intervals along the northern coastline, revealing that contemporary subsidence will dominate RSL budgets over the next 25 years along >75% of the coast. These findings underscore the urgent need to integrate subsidence into sea level risk and adaptation assessments in vulnerable coastal regions.

The transfer of kinetic energy (KE) across spatial scales has traditionally been viewed as a process where KE lost or gained by larger-scale motions is balanced by smaller-scale motions within the same region. Using satellite altimetry and a coarse-graining framework, we show that the global surface KE cascade is predominantly spatially nonlocal: Energy lost or gained by larger scales can be redistributed and transported to or from other regions rather than solely feeding local smaller scales. In eddy-rich regions, such as the Kuroshio Extension and Southern Ocean, this nonlocality is pronounced and associated with non-negligible residual KE. This nonlocal behavior is also evident in ocean models, revealing that spatially nonlocal KE transfer is a fundamental and robust feature of global ocean dynamics.

Synaptic vesicle (SV) release probability (<i>Pv</i>) is determined by two probabilistic factors: the probability of release sites being occupied by fusion-competent, well-primed SVs and their fusion probability (<i>P</i>_fusion). While recent studies emphasize SV priming as a key mechanism underlying functional synaptic diversity, disentangling priming from fusion is notoriously challenging. Here we developed a mouse genetic approach for inducible and selective increase of SV priming. A histidine-to-lysine mutation at position 567 of Munc13-1 increases its function. Combining this mutation with a Cre-dependent removal of the wild-type Munc13-1 allele enables cell type-selective enhancement of Munc13-1 function. This manipulation increased excitatory postsynaptic current amplitude at hippocampal synapses exclusively through elevating <i>Pv</i> without affecting release site number or quantal size. A sequential, two-step priming model predicts that the enhanced <i>Pv</i> results from an elevated proportion of well-primed SVs, without altering <i>P</i>_fusion. Last, we provide unequivocal evidence that the postsynaptic target cell type-dependent variability in presynaptic glutamate release is mainly the consequence of variability in SV priming.

The burial complex of the Imdang-Joyeong site at Gyeongsan in southeastern Korea is notable for the large number of tombs constructed within ~100 years (fourth and sixth centuries CE) and widespread practice of human sacrifice. Analyzing genome-wide data from 78 individuals, we detected 11, 23, and 20 pairs of the first, second, and three-or-more-distant degree relatives, respectively, revealing a dense network of kinship in the Imdang-Joyeong society. We found five individuals from closely related parents, suggesting the practice of consanguineous marriage in both grave owners and the sacrificed. We also observed adult female descendants buried together with their kin, unlike several recent archeogenetic studies in Europe reporting a strict pattern of female exogamy. We detected no discernible genetic difference between grave owners and the sacrificed. Our analysis provides bioarcheological information on the burial customs and social structure of the Three-Kingdoms period society in Korea.

Tissue-resident memory T cells (T_RM cells) reside in nonlymphoid tissues and provide the first line of defense against pathogens. A subset of T_RM cells can egress from nonlymphoid tissues into the circulation. However, the functional consequences and the extent of epigenetic imprinting in recirculating T_RM cells remain unknown. We herein demonstrate that in CD4⁺ T_RM cells, the CD69-S1PR1 axis controls tissue residency and that interrupting this axis results in ablation of lung CD4⁺ T_RM cells. A subpopulation of CD69⁺CD4⁺ T_RM cells reentered circulation via lymphatic vessels, where they epigenetically maintained the characteristics of T_RM cells in both mice and humans. Circulating Ex-lung-T_RM cells in mice caused enhanced skin inflammation compared to circulating memory cells. Furthermore, we identified GPR183 and CD161 as potential markers of Ex-T_RM in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. In chronic inflammatory diseases, the transposition of allergic inflammation to multiple tissues may therefore occur via recirculation of tissue-imprinted memory CD4⁺ T cells.

Understanding the molecular structure, dynamics, and reactivity requires bridging processes that occur across widely separated timescales. Conventional molecular dynamics simulations provide an atomistic resolution, but their femtosecond time steps limit access to the slow conformational changes and relaxation processes that govern chemical function. Here, we introduce a deep generative modeling framework that accelerates sampling of molecular dynamics by four orders of magnitude while retaining physical realism. Applied to small organic molecules and peptides, the approach enables quantitative characterization of equilibrium ensembles and dynamical relaxation processes that were previously only accessible by costly brute-force simulation. The method generalizes across chemical composition and system size, extrapolating to peptides larger than those used for training, and captures chemically meaningful transitions on extended timescales. By expanding the accessible range of molecular motions without sacrificing the atomistic detail, this approach opens opportunities for probing conformational landscapes, thermodynamics, and kinetics in systems central to chemistry and biophysics.

Optical manipulation techniques offer exceptional contactless control but are fundamentally limited in their ability to perform parallel multitasking. To achieve high-density, versatile manipulation with subwavelength photonic devices, it is essential to sculpt light in multiple dimensions. Here, we overcome this challenge by introducing generalized optical meta-spanners (GOMSs) based on metasurfaces, which generate speckle-free, customizable optical vortices that suppress diffractive losses. As a result, several advanced functionalities are simultaneously achieved, including longitudinally varying manipulation and in-plane spanner arrays, which outperforms the same operations realized by conventional donut-shaped orbital flows. Furthermore, the particle dynamics are reconfigurable by simply switching the input and output polarizations, facilitating robust multichannel control. We experimentally validate our approach through the stable manipulation of both single particle and particle ensembles, demonstrating scalable multitasking stability for numerous simultaneous optical spanners, and advancing metadevices from wavefront sculptors to particle manipulators. We envision that the GOMS will catalyze innovations in cross-disciplinary fields such as targeted drug delivery and cell-level biomechanics.

ABSTRACT Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) recycling remains a critical challenge due to the inefficiency and high carbon footprint of conventional methods. Electrocatalytic reforming enables the selective oxidation of ethylene glycol (EG), a PET hydrolysis product, into high‐value chemicals such as formate under mild conditions. Here, an Er‐doped CoNi phosphide catalyst is developed, in which the reconstructed catalyst with 4f‐2p‐3d multi‐orbital coupling among Er‐O‐Co/Ni reconstructs the electronic structure and stabilizes high‐valence metal centers. This modulation enhances *OH adsorption, accelerates C─H dehydrogenation, and lowers the C─C bond cleavage barrier. Consequently, the catalyst achieves 200 mA cm −2 at 1.35 V vs. RHE with a formate Faradaic efficiency of 97.83% and outstanding over 100 h stability. In‐situ spectroscopy and DFT analysis identified the C─C bond cleavage of *CH 2 OHCOOH as the rate‐determining step in the EGOR pathway. Techno‐economic analysis further demonstrates a net profit of $498 per ton of recycled PET, highlighting the practical feasibility of this strategy for sustainable plastic upcycling.

ABSTRACT The operational efficiency and reliability of lead‐free piezoceramics are critically limited by high dielectric loss and inadequate thermal stability. While enhancements in piezoelectricity have been achieved in (K,Na)NbO 3 (KNN)‐based systems, a significant challenge remains: the effective co‐regulation of these two properties, as higher piezoelectricity often leads to increased dielectric loss and deteriorate thermal stability. This work presents a strategic solution which synergistically regulates carrier migration, and domain dynamics via defect engineering. In 0.3mol% CuO‐doped KNN‐based piezoceramics, we achieve an unprecedented ultra‐low dielectric loss of 0.3%, a superior piezoelectric coefficient ( d 33 ) of 264 pC/N, high depolarization temperature ( T d ) of 285°C, as well as excellent thermal‐aging and long‐term aging stability. Mechanistic studies reveal that the low loss originates from suppressed polarization switching and domain‐wall motion induced by oxygen vacancies, coupled with low ionic conductivity. While in situ heating transmission electron microscopy analysis shows that a stable hierarchical domain architecture underpins the superior piezoelectric thermal properties. This work establishes a new paradigm for designing lead‐free piezoceramics that simultaneously overcome the long‐standing challenges of dielectric loss and high depolarization temperature, paving the way for achieving highly efficient and reliable piezoelectric systems.

ABSTRACT Precise control of oxygen‐intermediate binding near the Sabatier optimum is crucial for designing high‐performance oxygen electrocatalysts for zinc–air batteries (ZABs). In CoFe bimetallic alloys, Co nanoclusters predominantly drive the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), while Fe sites promote the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), albeit with kinetic limitations. Achieving superior oxygen activity thus demands rational modulation of d‐orbital occupancy via engineered heterointerfaces. Herein, we report a dual N‐source‐assisted partial nitridation strategy that in situ forms Co 4 N adjacent to the CoFe alloy (CNFC‐3), resulting in a well‐defined heterointerfacial interface within N‐doped graphitic carbon tubes. Combined experimental and theoretical analyses reveal that orbital coupling between nitride and alloy species optimizes oxygen intermediate adsorption, expediting *OH formation for ORR and *OOH formation for OER. This synergy results in an ultra‐low oxygen overpotential (Δ E ≈ 0.631 V) and nearly 4‐electron selectivity. Notably, CNFC‐3‐based liquid ZABs deliver a high‐power density of ≈201 mW cm −2 and a specific capacity of 812 mAh g Zn −1 . At larger scales, ZABs incorporating the same catalyst also demonstrate promising performance. Furthermore, flexible ZABs employing NTA‐modified P‐P‐N gel exhibit temperature resilience, dendrite suppression, and robust durability under high current densities, indicating their potential for next‐generation alternative batteries.

ABSTRACT Low efficiency of charge separation and migration seriously restrain the practical application of 2D covalent organic frameworks (2D COFs) in the conversion of solar energy into various chemicals. To address this issue, an ionic building block, squaraine tetraaldehyde (SQ‐4CHO), has been designed and developed for fabricating 2D imine kgm COFs. The polarization effect from ionic squaraine units and the protonated imine bonds of COFs induces the generation of double‐reinforced built‐in electrical field and thus the efficient charge separation and migration. In addition to the modulation of light absorption capability, these two ionic sites make COFs with excellent hydrophilicity, reduced exciton binding energy, and the photo‐induced charge transfer from squaraine to protonated imine for the hydrogen evolution according to the in situ X‐ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and theoretical investigations. In particular, USTB‐63 exhibits an impressive hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) rate as high as 66.8 mmol g −1 h −1 with the help of a 3 wt.% Pt cocatalyst under visible light illumination. The present results open a new gate to establish the high‐performance HER photocatalysts by introducing the multiple ionic sites to enhance the charge separation efficiency.

ABSTRACT Chlorine is primarily produced through the chlorine evolution reaction (CER) in the chlor‐alkali process. However, the higher equilibrium potential of CER leads to lower selectivity for Cl 2 , primarily because of the competing oxygen evolution reaction (OER) during water electrolysis. Therefore, developing highly efficient and selective electrocatalysts for CER over OER remains a significant challenge. Herein, we present a customized protocol to fabricate 2D, ultrathin high‐entropy rare earth oxides (HE‐REOs) with tunable grain boundaries (GBs), which serve as robust supports for anchoring RuO 2 nanoislands. The integrated HE‐REOs/RuO 2 heterostructure increases GB density through the multi‐metal entropy effect, optimizes the electronic structure of HE‐REOs, and establishes an intrinsic electron activation pathway that facilitates the delocalization of RE 4f electrons. The multiple sites in HE‐REOs result in excessive adsorption of OH species and inhibit oxygen evolution, while the unique selective oxygen preferential adsorption effect of the carrier enhances the efficient precipitation of Cl species from Ru sites. Notably, the optimal CeZrCoNiZnO/RuO 2 catalyst exhibits near‐100% selectivity for Cl 2 , a high mass activity of 38 850 A g −1 Ru , and exceptional durability exceeding 1000 h at 80°C. This work provides a promising strategy for optimizing the activity, selectivity, and stability of RE‐based catalysts through grain boundary engineering.

ABSTRACT Battery energy storage systems are imperative to the development of sustainable energy resources for carbon neutrality. Protons, as charge carriers, have tremendous advantages over other metallic and non‐metallic ions, such as the lowest molar mass, minimal ionic size, and high ionic conductivity. Thus, aqueous proton batteries (APBs) have remarkable electric and chemical energy conversion efficiency, becoming an advanced battery technology. In aqueous electrolytes, protons are derived from H 2 O, enabling APBs with fast diffusion kinetics, large capacity, long cycle life, and economic effectiveness. The development of APBs is systematically highlighted in this review. The highly appealing features of proton battery chemistry are discussed, followed by a detailed exploration of proton storage materials, and an in‐depth insight into six distinct proton storage mechanisms in APBs, including proton/hydrogen gas catalytic reactions, proton intercalation reactions, proton conversion reactions, proton coordination reactions, pseudocapacitive proton storage reactions, and hydrogen storage reactions. The challenges of APBs in grid‐scale energy storage are summarized, and the future development directions are prospected. This review offers mechanistic insight into the development of high‐performance proton storage materials and the design of promising APBs.

ABSTRACT Electrocatalytic nitrate reduction reaction (NO 3 RR) provides a green route to concurrently mitigate nitrate pollution and address the unsustainability of Haber–Bosch ammonia (NH 3 ) synthesis. However, the development of high–performance NO 3 RR catalysts is plagued by inappropriate active site spacing, insufficient functional synergy, and sluggish multi–proton–coupled multi–electron transfer kinetics. Herein, we design Co–doped Sr 2 CuWO 6 double perovskite catalysts to optimize active site spacing and construct functionally complementary active sites for efficient NO 3 RR. Experimental and theoretical results reveal a synergistic dual–spillover mechanism: the dominant NO 3 − adsorption and initial activation (NO 3 − →NO 2 − ) on Cu sites are promoted by active hydrogen ( * H) from water dissociation on Co sites via hydrogen spillover, whereas the generated * NO 2 intermediates from Cu sites diffuse to Co sites via intermediate spillover for further hydrogenation to NH 3 due to the enhanced * NO 2 adsorption on Co sites. As expected, the optimal Sr 2 Cu 0.7 Co 0.3 WO 6 achieves an exceptional NH 3 yield rate of 47.2 mg h − 1 mg cat −1 with a Faradaic efficiency (FE) of 93 % at −0.7 V (vs. RHE). This work establishes a rational cation doping strategy for constructing functionally complementary active sites in double perovskites, shedding light on the structure–activity relationship and guiding the design of advanced NO 3 RR catalysts for sustainable NH 3 synthesis and nitrate remediation.

ABSTRACT Realizing phonon‐glass electron‐crystal (PGEC) behavior, which combines metal‐like charge transport with glass‐like thermal conduction, is a key strategy for advancing thermoelectric efficiency. Although this paradigm has been implemented in inorganic materials, its translation into organic systems, which are attractive for flexible and wearable devices, remains unexplored. Here, a fully organic route to PGEC behavior is achieved by incorporating polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) into a conductive poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) matrix. The optimized composite exhibits semi‐metallic electronic transport and ultralow thermal conductivity close to its theoretical minimum. Hence, a substantially improved power factor of 74.5 µW m −1 K −2 and a maximum figure of merit of 0.10 are attained at 300 K, which are among the highest values reported for practical micrometer‐thick PEDOT:PSS films. The performance originates from hierarchical structural evolution in which PEDOT domains preserve delocalized conduction, while PVA nano‐crystalline phases and interfacial acoustic mismatch selectively scatter phonons. In contrast to inorganic fillers, the all‐organic composite maintains excellent flexibility, retaining more than 99.5% of its initial electrical conductivity after 20 000 bending cycles at a radius of 4.3 mm. These findings establish design principles for organic thermoelectrics and highlight their potential in high‐performance, self‐powered wearable devices.

ABSTRACT Room temperature liquid metals (RTLMs) are promising anode candidates for alkali metal batteries due to their high conductivity and fluidity, but they suffer from critical challenges, including high surface tension, excessive viscosity, and dendrite growth. Herein, a novel non‐Newtonian fluid electrode construction strategy is proposed via liquid‐liquid interfacial reactions between NaK alloy and GaInSn alloy, without solid supports. The formation of Ga 4 Na intermetallic compounds regulates the rheological properties, enabling faster reaction kinetics and superior compositional uniformity compared to liquid‐solid composite systems, while avoiding oxide/hydroxide induced high viscosity. Notably, the formation of non‐Newtonian fluids through liquid‐liquid reaction induced intermetallic compounds for K‐ion battery anodes is not previously reported. This work provides a new solution to the high surface tension issue of liquid metal anodes, paves the way for dendrite‐free, stable, and low viscosity alkali metal electrodes, and holds significant implications for flexible energy storage devices.

ABSTRACT Kinetically demanding multi‐step proton‐coupled electron transfer (PCET) and the high energy barrier associated with C─C coupling are the primary reasons for the low selectivity toward multi‐carbon products. Numerous interconnected parameters like catalyst composition, surface structure, doping, morphology, reaction medium, pH, and photocatalytic cell design influence both PCET and C─C coupling. Although these processes are fundamentally independent, they are indirectly affected by the structural and catalytic environmental factors, which often promote one pathway. This interdependence complicates rational catalyst discovery. A critical understanding and careful deconvolution of these parameters are essential for identifying the conditions that synergistically enhance both PCET and C─C coupling for selective product formation. In this review, we present a historical perspective on key catalyst design strategies and mechanistic insights, and highlight the intricate interplay among different catalytic systems, and summarize the latest advancements in CO 2 to C2+ products. Subtle variations in catalyst structure that alter reaction pathways or electron‐transfer dynamics are discussed in detail, as these insights provide powerful guidelines for designing next‐generation C2+ selective photocatalysts. We also emphasize in situ/operando characterization of intermediates, and their energetics relevant to C─C coupling. Finally, we outline current challenges and propose future research directions for advancing the field.

The development of Janus nanofibrous membranes represents a promising strategy for advanced moisture management and multifunctional materials. However, the practical application of biobased functional agents is often limited by their rapid release and short functional duration. To address this challenge, a novel dual-layer Janus nanofibrous membrane with dual core-shell structures was proposed by sequential coaxial electrospinning. The asymmetric structure consists of a hydrophobic inner layer composed of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) encapsulating thymol (THY), and a hydrophilic outer layer incorporating poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and THY into poly(ethylene oxide)/chitosan (PEO/CS). Compared to the conventional Janus membranes with single structural nanofiber, PEO/CS@PVA/THY-PLA@THY (PCPT-PT) achieves biphasic release of THY through a hierarchical design integrating a dual-layer structure with core-shell fibers in both layers. CS and THY localized in the inner-side of polymer provide an initial rapid diffusion for immediate antibacterial action, while the THY encapsulated deeply in both layers ensures a biphasic and sustained release for prolonged efficacy. The membrane exhibits robust mechanical properties, with a dry tensile strength of 4.76 ± 0.21 MPa and a wet tensile strength of 1.67 ± 0.13 MPa, a high swelling ratio of 765.2% that enables efficient unidirectional moisture management, broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against both Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, and excellent antioxidant performance, with a DPPH radical scavenging rate of 79.2 ± 1.5% and an ABTS radical scavenging rate of 99.92 ± 0.08%. This work provides a facile strategy for constructing multifunctional Janus membranes, showing great application potential in active food packaging, advanced moisture-wicking smart textiles and bioactive material substrates.