Oxidize

Apple is evaluating ways to lower manufacturing costs for the OLED displays used in its new MacBook Pro, according to Korean outlet The Elec. The company is studying high-mobility oxide (HMO) backplanes, a technology already deployed in the touchscreen MacBook Pro's OLED panels, as it looks for more efficient production methods for future devices.

Researchers have published a study on the coupled evolution of Earth's early hydrogen-rich proto-atmosphere and its oxidized magma ocean. The work examines how interactions between the primordial atmosphere and the molten surface may have shaped the planet's early chemistry and oxidation state, offering insight into conditions on the young Earth.

Researchers report quantum-chemical calculations explaining how silver tungstate drives the oxidation of sulfides under unusually mild conditions, through a burst of reactive oxygen species described as a 'ROS storm'. The computational study clarifies the reaction mechanism at the molecular level, suggesting ways to design catalysts for gentle, energy-efficient oxidation of sulfur-containing compounds in chemistry and materials applications.

A new study published in Nature reports the data-driven discovery of iron-bearing oxides on the Moon that could be used to produce water from captured solar wind. The finding suggests lunar minerals may enable on-site water generation, a potential step for future crewed missions and resource use in space exploration.

A photograph of a 3 cm, 150-gram plutonium-238 oxide pellet glowing orange is circulating online. The pellet is not burning: radioactive decay alone keeps it at around 1000 degrees, releasing about 62 watts of heat. Unlike plutonium-239, it cannot sustain a chain reaction, and such pellets power radioisotope thermoelectric generators on spacecraft.

New coverage examines how oxidized microplastics interact with copper in aquatic environments. As microplastics weather in water, their surface chemistry changes, which can alter how they bind heavy metals such as copper and potentially affect how these pollutants move and accumulate in aquatic ecosystems. Researchers are evaluating these interactions to better understand the combined environmental risk posed by plastic particles and metal contamination in rivers, lakes and oceans.

Researchers report that zinc oxide films made with the metalorganic decomposition method form islands whose behavior depends on the thermal environment used during annealing. The findings, published in an open-access materials science journal, suggest that heating conditions play a key role in controlling the surface morphology of ZnO films, which matters for their use in electronics and optoelectronics.

Volvo Cars engineer Julius Gustavsson presented SmartCell, the company's next-generation electric vehicle battery platform, at the Oxidize conference. His talk covered how the Swedish automaker is using the Rust programming language in battery systems. A power fluctuation disrupted the conference recording, but a similar version of the talk had been delivered at RustConf the previous week.

Greenfield has banned the retail sale of nitrous oxide, the gas commonly known as laughing gas. Local officials moved to restrict sales amid concerns about recreational misuse and public nuisance from discarded canisters. The measure stops shops from selling the product to consumers, and the decision is drawing attention as other towns weigh similar restrictions on nitrous oxide sales.

UC Davis College of Engineering is hosting a materials science and engineering weekly seminar on new functionalities in ferroelectric oxides. Ferroelectric oxides are a focus of current research because their switchable polarization makes them promising for next-generation electronics, sensors and memory devices. The seminar is part of the department's regular series bringing researchers together to discuss advances in functional materials.

Researchers report that manganese doping triggers a dynamic phase transition in NiSe2, producing a catalyst with improved performance for urea electrolysis. By engineering the doping, the team enhanced the material's catalytic activity, a step relevant to energy-efficient urea oxidation and hydrogen production. The work highlights how controlled phase changes in transition-metal selenides can boost electrocatalytic reactions.

A new global survey of soils finds that methane production and oxidation pathways vary systematically with environmental conditions and with the composition of methanogen communities. The study suggests that predicting soil methane emissions requires accounting for both climate and habitat factors and for which microbial guilds are present. Researchers say the findings could improve models of greenhouse gas fluxes from wetlands, rice paddies and other soils.

Researchers report that oxidative shock changes how white rot fungus regulates its genes as it grows on wood, a finding with implications for understanding how the fungus breaks down lignin and biomass. The study suggests oxidative stress triggers a shift in expression of genes involved in wood decay pathways.

Researchers report in Nature that ADP-ribose induces ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of cell death, in neurons through rewiring of nucleotide metabolism mediated by the transporter ENT2. The finding links nucleotide transport to oxidative neuronal death and could point to new therapeutic angles for neurodegenerative conditions where ferroptosis is implicated.

New research suggests intermittent fasting increases fat oxidation during endurance exercise, meaning cyclists who fast burn a greater share of fat as fuel. However, the findings indicate this metabolic benefit does not automatically translate into better performance, with an important distinction drawn between fat-burning and cycling speed. Endurance athletes and nutrition followers are weighing what this means for training and race-day fuelling strategies.