Environment

Juvenile dolphins were found to have specialized receptors for fatty acids on their tongues, offering new insights into their growth and feeding habits.

A new study has lifted the lid on five species of root-lesion nematodes living in maize crops across New Zealand - and suggested the existence of a hitherto-unsuspected cryptic species.

Crossing the uncanny valley, Batteries that don’t explode, Tiny climate change fighters, Liver-friendly mushroom & Foetal defence. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.

Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are a cockroach cyborg, microrobots that assemble and disassemble to perform tasks, and a sponge made of squid bones to clean up pollution.

A research team led by National Taiwan University used geochemical indicators from deep-sea sediments to reconstruct the upper ocean zonal gradients in the tropical Pacific during the last glacial period, providing valuable constraints for future climate projections.

Advances in solid-state battery research are paving the way for safer, longer-lasting energy storage solutions. A recent review by Tohoku University researchers highlights breakthroughs in inorganic solid electrolytes and their role in improving battery performance. The study also addresses key challenges, such as interfacial compatibility, while proposing innovative strategies for next-generation battery technologies.

Accidental clogging in geothermal wells reveals need for monitoring to ensure long-term usability

Seed grants have been awarded to six applicants with high quality and well-outlined proposals to organize workshops promoting science advice at an institutional or national level in their respective countries in 2025.

Use of automated system in upper extremity paralysis care proves beneficial for patients and medical staff

This annual event will bring together innovators, researchers, and industry leaders from around the world to spotlight groundbreaking advancements in sustainable energy and green technology.

Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are an AI model trained on ‘plant-speak’, how greedy groundwater use is making cities sink, and a lidar system that could find a needle in a very large haystack.

Tsunamis can cause immense physical damage to ports, but the economic cost does not stop there. The resultant disruptions of shipping lanes result in billions of dollars in losses every day, as was seen in the 2011 tsunami that hit the Tohoku Region. To better assess the ripple effect a tsunami could cause to shipping lanes in the South China Sea, a group of international researchers carried out 104 tsunami simulations.

Lingnan University participated for the first time in the 4th Asia Exhibition of Innovations and Inventions Hong Kong (AEII) held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from 5 to 6 December. Lingnan University won a total of three awards, including 1 Gold Medal and 2 Silver Medals, among more than 140 innovative projects from all over Asia.

Asia Research News monitors the latest research news in Asia. Some highlights that caught our attention this week are the genetics behind cat coat color, how AI and rat urine can help a robot fit in, and how plastic damages coral reefs.

A boon to solar power, agriculture, and other industries, ADMU and MO scientists have found a way to improve sunny weather forecasts by as much as 94%.

Venice of the Pacific, Membrane transformers, Diverse meals, Nano dots and spirals & Extinct swimmers. Read all in the latest Editor's Choice.

Copolymer solution uses water-loving differential to induce desorption at lower temperatures

Balancing environmental conditions with energy-saving performance

Typically, closely related animal species have difficulty coexisting because they are competing for similar resources. Despite eating the same figs, binturong, small-toothed palm, masked palm, and common palm civets do coexist together. To understand how they coexist, a new study explores their degree of faunivory.

With the global rise in electric vehicles’ popularity, the demand for lithium-ion batteries has surged, leading to a considerable increase in discarded batteries. The issue of how to efficiently use “retired” batteries has become urgent, and to address this Prof Tang Xiaopeng, Assistant Professor of the Science Unit at Lingnan University in Hong Kong, in collaboration with researchers from the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, recently published a groundbreaking research paper titled "Lifespan-based Battery Classification towards Second-life Utilisation", which won the Best Paper Award at the prestigious 2024 IEEE 25th China Conference on System Simulation Technology and its Application (CCSSTA). It was one of only four papers out of 278 submissions to receive recognition.

Phase-transformable membrane featuring liquid-glass-crystal states achieves precise CO₂/H₂ selectivity and enhanced gas permeability through modular design with metal-organic polyhedra

Hokkaido University and Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. signed a partnership agreement in June 2022 to address various social issues in Hokkaido and lead the creation of a sustainable society. As part of this collaboration, Hokkaido Air System Co., Ltd. will equip one of its aircraft with an external camera to commence the world's first regular flight-based red tide monitoring starting in the summer of 2025.

In a pivotal move ahead of COP29, Applied Microbiology International (AMI) has partnered with leading global scientific organisations to issue a unified call to action, spotlighting microbial solutions as pivotal in combating climate change. In a strategic publication, released in multiple high-impact scientific journals at once, the joint paper advocates for the establishment of a global science-driven climate task force. This initiative aims to expedite the deployment of microbiome technologies, providing stakeholders worldwide with access to effective and immediate solutions

Combination enhances microorganisms’ growth environment, uptake of ammonium and phosphate ions

In light of the Government’s recent Policy Address promoting Hong Kong as an international hub for post-secondary education, and to build the “Study in Hong Kong” brand, Lingnan University gave its annual International Day on 29 October a “Cultural Fusion, Global Vision” theme. The event attracted about 500 faculty members and students for a lively celebration of diversity and cultural exchange.

Data could help rethink climate change models regarding sources of carbon and CO2 sinks

This model reveals how vastly different the atmosphere was on ancient Earth, and how life may have first emerged.

GDC 2024 will explore how social, economic, and political factors influence the effectiveness of climate resilience strategies.

City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) researchers have made a remarkable scientific breakthrough in developing next-generation passive radiative cooling technology. Their pioneering work on cooling ceramics, pavements and textiles helps mitigate heat impacts without additional energy consumption. This innovation has promising application potential in buildings, roads and clothing, addressing issues such as urban heat islands and greenhouse gas emissions to combat the challenges of climate change.

An unprecedented rapid increase in anthropogenic fingerprints around 1952 in the global strata reflects the point in time when humanity began to overwhelm the Earth system