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Journal articleMoss B, Liang C, Carpenter A, et al., 2026, , Nature Reviews Methods Primers, Vol: 6
Correction to: Nature Reviews Methods Primershttps://doi.org/10.1038/s43586-025-00445-4, published online 20 November 2025. In the version of the article initially published, Reshma R. Rao and Ifan E. L. Stephens were incorrectly listed with affiliation 1 when it should have been affiliation 2 (Department of Materials, 51³Ô¹ÏÍø, London, UK). In the “Collimation, colour balancing and light guides” section, the equation N=fD should have read N≈Df. In Fig. 1a, the label “σα(λ)” should have read “∆α(λ)”. In Fig. 5c, the colours in the key were switched and should have been a green dot for “PD — IRM” and the blue line should have been “J<inf>cat</inf>”. In Fig. 6a, the bottom label “Redox transition 3” should have been “Redox transition 1”. These corrections have been corrected in the HTML and PDF versions of the article.
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Journal articleLi Y, Zhao J, Cao XE, et al., 2026, , Separation and Purification Technology, Vol: 394, ISSN: 1383-5866
Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) hold significant potential for CO2 capture owing to their tunable structures, large surface areas, and versatile chemistries. However, current screening strategies are often limited to specific application scenarios and overlook the intrinsic properties of materials, thereby limiting the transferability of findings. Here, an intelligent evaluation framework was proposed that leverages large language models (LLMs) to integrate semantic reasoning with numerical performance metrics. The approach combines molecular structure, elemental composition, and synthetic feasibility with molecular simulations and process modeling to optimize the design. Adsorption behavior is obtained from atomistic simulations, while cyclic performance is assessed through equilibrium-based process simulations. Notably, energy utilization efficiency is explicitly incorporated as a central performance indicator and assigned higher weighting, thereby emphasizing practical deployment considerations. These numerical indicators are further combined with semantic scores derived from an LLM-based multi-agent system, enabling a balanced, interpretable ranking of candidate MOFs. This dual-level strategy reconciles rigorous optimization with engineering feasibility, safety, and compliance. By aligning numerical robustness with semantic interpretability, the methodology addresses the scenario-dependence of conventional screening methods and provides a scalable pathway for intelligent material evaluation. Beyond CO2 capture, the framework is readily extensible to diverse adsorption processes and evaluation metrics, highlighting its potential as a next-generation paradigm for material screening and decision support.
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Journal articleYang X, Liu T, Zhang Z, et al., 2026, , Journal of Energy Storage, Vol: 154, ISSN: 2352-152X
Phase change materials (PCMs) offer significant potential for storing heat harvested from solar irradiation. However, most PCMs suffer from poor shape stability, limited thermal conductivity as well as insufficient light absorption which severely restrict their solar-thermal efficiency and practical applications. Hence, we developed a facile method for producing high-performance phase change composites (PCCs) by impregnating stearic acid (SA) into the constructed vertically aligned reduced graphene oxide/bacterial cellulose (RGO/BC) aerogels. Experimental results confirm the successful fabrication of an anisotropic architecture in the RGO/BC aerogels via unidirectional freezing, which directly endowed the resulting PCCs with the ability to conduct heat anisotropically. The lateral thermal conductivity is merely 0.35 ± 0.01 W·m−1·K−1, while the axial thermal conductivity attains 0.83 ± 0.02 W·m−1·K−1, significantly exceeding that of pure SA. Moreover, the fabricated PCCs achieve a notable latent heat of 195.6 ± 1.7 J·g−1, corresponding to 83.9% of that of pure SA. Besides, the PCCs demonstrate outstanding shape and thermal cyclic stability. Benefiting from the exceptional light absorption of RGO/BC aerogels, the solar-thermal efficiency of the PCCs reaches 60.03%–75.97% under simulated solar irradiance of 2–3 suns. Overall, this work provides a feasible route to efficient solar-thermal conversion and thermal energy storage.
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Journal articleYu Y, Wang Y, Ye H, et al., 2026, , J Am Chem Soc
Glycerol oxidation reaction (GOR) is a promising valorization route to upgrade the biodiesel by-product while coproducing green hydrogen at the cathode in electrolyzers. However, the working mechanism of transition-metal-based catalysts such as Ni(OH)2 remains poorly understood. Here, we employed a multioperando spectroelectrochemical approach combining UV-vis optical spectroscopy, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and time-resolved stepped-potential spectroscopy to investigate the active oxidizing species and charge-transfer dynamics under OER and GOR conditions. We identified NiOOH (Ni3+) as the active species for GOR, whereas the formation of higher-valent NiOO (Ni4+) species is completely suppressed in the presence of glycerol. The accumulation of surface-adsorbed glycerol molecules is the rate-determining step (τ ∼ 27.9 s at 1.47 VRHE), occurring slower than the intrinsic catalytic step of glycerol reaction (τ ∼ 3.2 s at 1.47 VRHE), which involves oxidation and bond cleavage. In contrast, the kinetics of the OER are significantly slower (τ ∼ 167 s at 1.47 VRHE), resulting in the dominance of GOR and suppression of oxygen evolution in the presence of glycerol. The potential-independent production of formic acid during GOR follows an apparent first-order dependence on NiOOH concentration, suggesting continuous C-C bond cleavage activated by reactive *O species. These findings link oxidizing species with charge-transfer dynamics, providing insight for the rational design of Ni-based catalysts for glycerol and other biomass-derived molecule oxidations.
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Journal articleWang Y, Twight LP, Sagui NA, et al., 2026, , ACS Catalysis, Vol: 16, Pages: 6749-6757, ISSN: 2155-5435
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Journal articleLi C, Deng S, Cao XE, et al., 2026, , Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Vol: 230, ISSN: 1364-0321
Direct Air Capture (DAC) is a critical negative emission technology essential to achieve the global climate targets. However, its widespread adoption is hindered by a multitude of technical, economic, deployment, and sustainability challenges. The purpose of this review is to bridge this critical gap by deconstructing the challenges and opportunities for DAC through a novel, three-tiered analytical framework. Basically, the fundamental challenge of DAC lies in the high energy consumption and low exergy efficiency associated with CO<inf>2</inf> enrichment from its low atmospheric concentration. Analysis suggests that the thermodynamic limits of different DAC pathways, which dictate their theoretical energy consumption, are the primary determinants of their technological maturity and potential for large-scale development. From the perspective of geographical deployment, the idealized notion of placing DAC facilities anywhere is unfeasible due to practical, location-specific constraints. Combining large-scale centralized hubs with agile distributed units is a critical enabler for achieving diversified and efficient deployment. Furthermore, as the environmental benefits of DAC are critically dependent on the availability of clean energy, effective integration with the energy system is paramount. The argument of this review is that DAC, when combined with CO<inf>2</inf> utilization and storage and powered by clean energy, may hold distinct advantages over Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS) in terms of theoretical removal potential and resource sustainability, presenting a fundamental opportunity for DAC to become a true negative carbon solution. By providing such a holistic synthesis, our work establishes a strategic roadmap for prioritizing research, investment, and policy, transforming the discourse from isolated technical problems to a cohesive system-engineering challenge.
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Journal articleZhao J, Konstantinoudis G, Heydari S, 2026, , Accid Anal Prev, Vol: 232
As electric scooter (e-scooter) use has expanded, understanding the factors associated with e-scooter rider injury severity has become increasingly important for road safety policy. This study analyses 2,128 crashes involving e-scooters and motor vehicles across England (2020-2023) to identify factors associated with severe and fatal injuries to e-scooter riders. Using the geographic coordinates of crashes, we developed a Bayesian spatial field model implemented via the Stochastic Partial Differential Equation (SPDE) approach for fast Bayesian estimation. Our approach accounts for spatial unobserved heterogeneity (area-level "context" effects) often overlooked in injury severity studies. Results indicate that severe or fatal injuries are more likely among older riders, male riders, and in crashes occurring in darkness, on single carriageways, on roads with speed limits of 40 mph or higher, involving heavy vehicles, at night or early morning, or with e-scooter skidding/overturning, frontal impacts, e-scooters entering main roads, or opponent vehicles moving straight. Conversely, motor vehicles performing moving-off manoeuvres are linked to lower odds of severe injuries. Importantly, the presence of authorised e-scooter trials was not found to be associated with rider injury severity outcomes. Our spatial analysis reveals higher odds of severe injury in parts of north-western and south-eastern England relative to the national average. Our research highlights the importance of vehicle kinematics, road environment, and spatial context in shaping injury severity and support targeted, evidence-based interventions, including infrastructure measures and vehicle-based safety technologies such as blind-spot detection.
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Journal articleGaje A, Rao R, Mesa CA, et al., 2026, , Nature Catalysis, Vol: 9, Pages: 248-256
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Journal articleTao Y, Utsunomiya T, Yu H, et al., 2026, , ACS Appl Mater Interfaces, Vol: 18, Pages: 15699-15710
Understanding the electrode/electrolyte interface is essential for tuning electrocatalyst activity. Here, we combine operando optical spectroscopy, laser-induced current transient (LICT) measurements, and surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy (SEIRAS) to investigate the origin of cation-dependent oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity on electrodeposited iridium oxide in 0.1 M MOH (M = TMA+, K+, Na+, and Li+). We find that OER activity increases with increasing cation size (TMAOH > KOH > NaOH > LiOH). Operando optical spectroscopy reveals that the energetics of the redox transitions and the population of the redox-active species are independent of the electrolyte. Instead, the intrinsic turnover frequency varies strongly with the nature of the cation. LICT, SEIRAS, and quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) simulations suggest that the interfacial solvent structure is the origin of this difference. With increasing cation size, the fraction of isolated water molecules and cation-coordinated water molecules increases, producing a more disordered interfacial environment. LICT measurements confirm that the potential of maximum entropy shifts closer to the water oxidation potential in the presence of larger cations in the electrolyte. We propose that a more disordered interface results in more isolated and reactive OH- ions and faster reorganization of the interfacial solvent structure during the rate-determining O-O bond formation step, thereby accelerating the OER kinetics. Through our work, using multimodal operando spectroscopy and molecular simulations, we highlight how interfacial solvent structure, controlled by electrolyte cations, governs reactivity at complex electrochemical interfaces.
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Journal articleSun N, Cao XE, Ling Y, et al., 2026, , Joule, ISSN: 2542-4785
Solar-driven dry reforming of methane (DRM) presents a sustainable path to close the carbon cycle but suffers from low solar-fuel efficiency and coke-induced instability. Here, we propose the synergy of plasmonic meta-nanoalloy catalysts with butterfly wing-inspired foam reactors to achieve ordered, scalable solar-driven DRM. Developed NiCoZn/MgAlOx catalysts exhibit a benchmark solar-fuel efficiency of 42.4%, a high H2/CO ratio of 0.95, and a CO2 conversion rate that surpasses thermodynamic equilibrium values. The underlying mechanism is attributed to plasmonic activation of the initial C?H bonding of CH4 and C?O bonding of CO2 while suppressing complete methane cracking, steering the reaction toward an ordered pathway (?CH + ?O = ?CHO) instead of disordered route (?CH = ?C + ?H). Further depositing plasmonic catalysts on biomimetic dual-gradient foam reactors enables the synergy of plasmonic catalysis with light transport, reactants flow, and fluid-solid energy exchange. A bench-scale solar-driven DRM system demonstrates a remarkable solar-fuel efficiency of 41.11% and durable performance of nearly 10,000 min.
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OtherBarnes C, Konstantinoudis G, Masselot P, et al., 2026,
<jats:p>Extreme event attribution is a branch of climate science that aims to quantify the extent to which the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as heatwaves, cold spells, droughts and floods can be said to have been influenced by human-caused climate change. Extreme heat is the deadliest type of weather, although heat-related illnesses and deaths are not directly captured in death certificates or hospital records, and the risks are rarely appreciated by the public. In this talk we introduce a recent collaboration between scientists at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine that brought together established methods from attribution and epidemiology to estimate in near real time the expected number of heat-related deaths in cities across Europe during the summer of 2025, and the proportion of those deaths that can be attributed to human-caused climate change. Across 854 cities in Europe we found an estimated 24,404 (95% interval: 21,968 - 26,806) excess deaths during the summer months, with almost 70% of those attributable to human-caused climate change, although vulnerability to heat varies across the continent. This work received widespread media attention, showing the importance of timely information for public awareness of both the risks to health and the contribution of climate change as the extreme weather unfolded.</jats:p>
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OtherTheokritoff E, Otto F, Rogelj J, et al., 2026,
<jats:p>Granular socioeconomic vulnerability drivers of impacts during extreme weather events remain poorly understood. Global climate vulnerability indices are usually only available at the national level, and the reporting of observed impacts is still unsystematic. By combining human impact data reported at subnational levels from the international disaster database EM-DAT and the Global Gridded Relative Deprivation Index, we ask ourselves whether the granularity of this data can be used to improve our understanding of disaster outcomes and in turn help to identify adaptation priorities. Here, we quantitatively show that higher multidimensional deprivation leads to larger human impacts per people exposed during floods, storms and droughts between 2010-2020. Due to gaps in EM-DAT reporting, these conclusions cannot be drawn for heatwaves, wildfires and landslides. Our global spatial analysis reveals that subnational areas more deprived than respective national means experience larger human impacts (for floods), while very local variability in deprivation (∼1 km spatial resolution) leads to lower impacts. The multidimensionality of the deprivation index allows to identify concrete socioeconomic factors that can be more effectively addressed, such as the levels of health or the specific age distribution of a population. While improvements are still needed to fully quantify the complex nature of climate vulnerability and rigorously track impacts from extreme weather events, understanding the main socioeconomic factors driving vulnerability at local levels allows to support policies, strategically plan adaptation and address losses and damages through tailored approaches.</jats:p>
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OtherBeaulieu JO, Theokritoff E, Quilcaille Y, et al., 2026,
<jats:p>Recent developments in climate science, law, and policy are reshaping debates over corporate responsibility for climate change. International advisory opinions, landmark domestic court decisions, and emerging regulatory frameworks (binding and non-binding) increasingly recognize that corporate actors may bear backward-looking responsibility for climate harms linked to historical greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, forward-looking duties to reduce emissions, and obligations to disclose accurate and substantiated climate-related information. At the same time, scientific research has made considerable progress in attributing climate impacts to individual emitters, developing firm-level transition pathways, and evaluating corporate climate claims, prompting claims that the scientific basis for corporate climate accountability is now largely settled.Here, we argue that while existing scientific evidence has proven sufficient in some legal settings, further developments could more precisely articulate causal relationships and legal duties (for example with respect to corporate emission-reduction targets) and provide additional technical clarity for judicial adjudication. We examine backward-looking “polluter pays” claims, highlighting unresolved challenges related to emissions accounting choices. We also assess the need for individualized and legally cognizable impact data, as well as the alignment of climate attribution methods. We then analyse forward-looking corporate responsibility, focusing on the challenges related to the translation of global climate targets into firm-level emissions-reduction pathways and corporate responsibility in climate communications. We conclude by outlining a research agenda to support well-informed adjudication in the context of corporate climate accountability.</jats:p>
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OtherTheokritoff E, Sparks N, Konstantinoudis G, et al., 2026,
<jats:p>Climate change is increasing and extreme weather events around the world are becoming more frequent and intense. Yet, tracking and attributing their complex impacts, namely losses and damages affecting human societies, remains far from trivial. The Climate Damage Tracker develops simple methods that can be deployed rapidly and globally to estimate attributable impacts in the aftermath of extreme weather events. It produces near-real-time results that can be communicated in a timely manner to a broad audience, raising awareness about the impacts of extreme weather and the role of climate change. To date, methodologies attributing direct economic impacts from tropical cyclones and heat-related mortality have been operationalised and applied in diverse geographic and socioeconomic contexts. Here, we will present a synthesis of the rapid studies conducted over the past two years. We will further reflect on the uptake of Climate Damage Tracker outputs in the media and discuss how these findings can inform litigation and policy-relevant discussions around disaster preparedness, measuring adaptation progress and funding Loss and Damage. Finally, we will outline future directions for consolidating existing methodologies and expanding the scope of the Climate Damage Tracker to additional impact and hazard types.</jats:p>
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OtherLefauve A, Bassett C, Plotnick D, et al., 2026,
<jats:p>The energy cascade in ocean mixing caused by stratified turbulence remains poorly understood due to the wide separation of scales at very high Reynolds numbers Re. We present a new conceptual model for this cascade, grounded in high-resolution multibeam echo-sounding observations from the mouth of the Connecticut River, a shallow salt-wedge estuary with intense interfacial mixing. During flood tide, large-scale topography and hydraulics slope the pycnocline, generating interfacial shear and Kelvin-Helmholtz billows on a vertical scale of ~1-2 m. The multibeam captures instantaneous two-dimensional images that resolve the true slopes and geometry of these instabilities, revealing the structure and evolution of turbulent mixing using acoustic backscatter as a proxy for salinity microstructure dissipation. At Re ~ 10^6, we find that mixing is dominated not by the slowly evolving billow cores, which rarely overturn, but by fast, sustained turbulence within the braids that connect them, energized by baroclinic shear within their slopes. Secondary shear instabilities within the braid are predicted by two-dimensional direct numerical simulation with parameters matching the field values. Braid dissipation and mixing is quantified by scaling arguments derived from laboratory experiments in an inclined channel, and may explain why the primary billows do not overturn. This braid-dominated mixing contrasts with the core-dominated mixing seen in transient simulations at Re ~ 10^3-10^4. We conclude that high-Re mixing hotspots continuously driven by large-scale shear – including in estuaries, wind-driven surface currents, and deep overflows – operate through fundamentally different cascade physics than implied by existing low-Re paradigms.</jats:p>
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ReportMorgan L, 2026,
Grantham Institute - climate change and the environment | what we do
, Grantham Institute - Climate Change and the Environment | What we do, /grantham/, Publisher: The Grantham Institute, 1The Grantham Institute brings together world-leading research, education and innovation to drive effective action on the climate and nature crises. In this brochure, you’ll discover more about our work, the people behind it and the impact we’re making.
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ReportMijic A, Rico Carranza E, Bird J, 2026,
Building the evidence base for regional water planning
, Publisher: 51³Ô¹ÏÍø Grantham InstituteThis briefing explores the case for taking a more holistic approach to water planning and proposes some concrete steps towards making that a reality. More specifically, while holistic approaches can encompass many important dimensions, including stakeholder engagement, water governance, institutional coordination and decision-making processes, this briefing focuses on the evidence needed to support proposed Regional Water Planning.
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Journal articleLiang C, Garcia Verga L, Moss B, et al., 2026, , Nat Mater
Oxidation states underpin the understanding of active states, reaction mechanisms and catalytic performance of electrocatalysts. However, determining them at complex solid-liquid interfaces is challenging. Here we use multimodal spectroscopy to investigate polarized iridium oxide (IrOx) electrodes, a model water oxidation catalyst, to identify potential-dependent iridium and oxygen oxidation states. By integrating multiple operando spectroscopies (optical (ultraviolet-visible), Ir L-edge and O K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy) with electrochemistry mass spectrometry and density functional theory calculations, we identify the sequential depletion of electron densities from the Ir5d band (corresponding to Ir3+→Ir4+→Ir5+), followed by electron removal from the O2p band, forming electrophilic oxygen species (O-1) due to enhanced Ir-O covalency and electronic state overlap. Time-resolved measurements reveal distinct lifetimes for Ir5+ and O-1 states under water oxidation conditions, Ir5+ remains unreactive whereas O-1 is consumed at a time constant commensurate with the reaction rate, indicating that O-1 drives the oxygen evolution reaction. These findings demonstrate the necessity of using multiple operando techniques to gain a unified understanding of the evolution of oxidation states and active sites with potential for water oxidation on oxide catalysts.
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ReportDavies B, Atkinson A, Banwell A, et al., 2026,
Climate change and its impact on the Antarctic Peninsula
, Publisher: 51³Ô¹ÏÍø Grantham Institute, Newcastle UniversityThe Antarctic Peninsula, part of the British Antarctic Territory, is a global biodiversity hotspot, and a focus of tourism, scientific and fishing operations. The region is warming rapidly, at up to two times the global rate of 0.27°C per decade.  This Policy Brief presents the key findings of research into the threats posed to the Peninsula under three global warming scenarios. It provides a vital update to research published in 2019 that examined the impacts of warming limited to 1.5°C, a scenario that is now unachievable.
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Journal articleWalker-Crawford N, 2026, , Transnational Environmental Law, ISSN: 2047-1025
Fossil fuel companies no longer deny anthropogenic climate change in litigation, but they challenge the validity of climate science in establishing legal responsibility. Research on climate litigation, social movements, and legal mobilization has focused primarily on plaintiffs’ perspectives, showing how they use the judicial process as a site of knowledge production. This article shifts the focus onto defendants, conducting an analysis of scientific disputes in major climate change lawsuits and developing a typology grounded in both empirical analysis and theoretical insights for studying their arguments about science and evidence. Corporate defendants build evidentiary counter-narratives, challenge the substantive quality of plaintiffs’ claims, and contest the scientific integrity of compromising evidence. The future impact of such litigation will hinge on how courts evaluate climate research as legal evidence, and whether corporate defendants are successful in their efforts to reframe, undermine, and discredit the science.
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Journal articleXu W, Liu S, Deng S, et al., 2026, , Device, ISSN: 2666-9994
In this review, we examine the feasibility, core challenges, and breakthrough pathways of using molten salt electrolysis to convert CO2 into oxygen and carbon under the extreme environmental conditions of Mars. The technology uses high-temperature molten salt as the electrolyte, enabling cathodic reduction of CO2 (or CO32?) to solid carbon and anodic oxidation to oxygen. The Martian environment, characterized by low temperature, low atmospheric pressure, and low gravity, poses challenges such as thermal management, insufficient reaction kinetics, and abnormal bubble behavior at electrode interfaces. We discuss research in electrode design, electrolyte engineering, reaction device design, and system integration, providing a theoretical basis and technical path for feasible in situ resource utilization on Mars.
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Journal articleWu J, Zhang Y, Jiang M, et al., 2026, , Cell Reports Physical Science, Vol: 7
Carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) represents a key carbon-reduction strategy with significant potential to address global climate change. Current research primarily focuses on mitigation approaches for large-scale terrestrial emitters, such as power plants and petrochemical facilities, whereas comprehensive reviews in the maritime sector remain relatively scarce. In particular, there is a lack of studies that synthesize international development experiences or explore future trends aimed at meeting increasingly stringent carbon-reduction requirements in shipping. This paper reviews the current state of shipboard carbon-capture systems worldwide and emphasizes that real-time onboard CO<inf>2</inf> processing and utilization is likely to emerge as a critical pathway for decarbonizing the shipping industry. Given the distinct composition of marine exhaust gases and the challenges associated with integrating CCUS systems on vessels, future efforts should prioritize integrated system design. Moreover, dedicated technological development adapted to the maritime environment is essential to advance ship-based CCUS solutions.
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Journal articleGuinane E, Gumuruh S, Tran T, et al., 2026, , Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy, Vol: 28, ISSN: 1618-954X
This paper examines how market-based policy interventions can enhance the economic viability of e-fuels for aviation and shipping, two hard-to-decarbonise sectors. A novel optimisation-based market penetration assessment model is developed and applied to three case studies, one based on a global shipping scenario with e-Ammonia and e-Methanol, and two based on national scenarios: UK aviation with advanced SAF and e-SAF. The optimisation model quantifies the effectiveness of Contracts-for-Difference (CfD), Carbon Contracts-for-Difference (CCfD), and optimised policy mixes in reducing e-fuel costs. Findings reveal that a combined policy approach can close the price gap between e-fuels and conventional fossil fuels. For instance, a carbon tax of $33.6–$162.8 per tonne CO2, paired with subsidies of $32.3–$79.15 per MWh, could lower e-Ammonia costs by 24%, and e-Methanol by 29% in shipping. In the UK aviation sector, CfD schemes designed to stabilise advanced SAF prices have the potential to reduce government support costs by up to 30%, making advanced SAF more competitive. Moreover, implementing CCfDs linked to emissions reductions for e-SAF could achieve cost parity by 2040 when combined with carbon pricing projected at $150 per tonne CO2. This research supports a more informed and data-driven policy design, ensuring that economic barriers to synthetic fuel adoption are addressed through a balanced, market-driven approach.
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Journal articleCao XE, 2026, , Matter, Vol: 9, ISSN: 2590-2393
In this Matter of Opinion, Xiangkun (Elvis) Cao reflects on how his humble background from rural China sparked his scientific curiosity. Cao also shares how his unconventional journey spanning academia, policy, entrepreneurship, and industry consulting has shaped his vision as he starts his independent scientific career at 51³Ô¹ÏÍø, aiming to impact climate and sustainability at the convergence of technology, business, and policy.
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Journal articleZhong Q, Gan J, Tu S, et al., 2026, , Nat Commun, Vol: 17
Most studies on tropical cyclone (TC) rain rate focus on long-term variability, yet the short-term (days or shorter) variations across the TC lifecycle, with a particular focus on the period before landfall, are most critical because they strongly influence flood risk. Using satellite data, we show that, globally, the mean rain rate of TCs increases by over 20% from 60 hours before landfall to the time of landfall. This increase occurs across hemispheres, ocean basins, intensity categories, and latitudes, although the magnitude varies. As a TC approaches the coast, land-sea thermal contrasts raise low-level humidity over land, while frictional differences enhance convergence, upward motion, and instability on the offshore side of the circulation. These conditions collectively promote increased convection and precipitation of TCs as they near landfall. Our findings critically strengthen the current understanding of TC precipitation dynamics and support more effective flood management.
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Journal articleLi M, Toumi R, 2026, , Environmental Research Communications, Vol: 8
Understanding how changing conditions influence tropical cyclone (TC) intensity is of great importance. This study applies a stochastic model (IRIS) to attribute the causes of the increased North Atlantic hurricane intensity from 1979 to 2024. In the model, the increased potential intensity and southward track shifts towards higher potential intensity comparably contribute to an increasing trend of 0.08 m s<sup>−1</sup> per year in the lifetime maximum intensity. However, the simulated trends were not sensitive to the epochal changes in relative intensity to date. The model also predicts a southward shift in landfall (−0.10 <sup>∘</sup>/yr), which is hard to detect. Our findings emphasize an increasing recent TC risk, particularly at low latitudes.
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Journal articleLau KH, Toumi R, 2026, , Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, ISSN: 0035-9009
Changes in tropical cyclone (TC) rain induced by vertical wind shear (VWS) have significant implications. Using a 26-year state-of-the-art precipitation dataset, this study provides a systematic analysis of the responses of TC rain to VWS. Results reveal an unexpected VWS-induced rain volume enhancement despite reduced TC intensity, with rain volume up to 23% higher in high- versus low-shear conditions. The responses are spatially asymmetric: rainfall increases in the outer region but decreases in the inner core, and enhancements downshear generally outweigh suppressions upshear, yielding a net increase in rain production. Beyond the mean response, VWS also modifies rainfall extremes and storm structure. It reduces the maximum azimuthal mean rain rate, whereas the maximum local rain rate remains largely unchanged and even intensifies slightly in the strongest TCs. The radii of rainfall maxima expand outward with shear, and the peak local rain rate tends to converge with the azimuthal mean maximum at high shear. When adjusted by storm intensity, stronger shear enables higher rain rates, larger rain areas, and greater rain volumes for the same TC intensity. These results challenge the conventional view of shear as purely detrimental to TCs, revealing a dual role: VWS weakens winds but enhances rainfall, potentially mitigating wind damage while amplifying flood risk. This trade-off underscores the need to account for shear-induced hydrological impacts in TC hazard assessment and prediction.
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Journal articleDuarte RPM, Rao R, Ryan MP, et al., 2026, , EES Catalysis, Vol: 4, Pages: 55-76, ISSN: 2753-801X
Zinc–air redox flow batteries have high potential to penetrate the stationary energy storage market, due to the abundancy, and low cost of active species – oxygen and zinc. However, their technological fruition is limited by the development of reversible O2 electrodes operating at potentials between 0.6 VRHE to 1.7 VRHE, under which no catalyst material has been shown to be stable over long durations. Despite heavy research on the topic of reversible O2 catalysis, little is known about the parameters controlling the stability of the bifunctional catalyst. Several research accounts assess the activity of reversible O2 catalysts, but only a small portion cover degradation mechanism over such a large potential window. In this perspective, we summarize our current understanding of material challenges for Zn–air batteries, reversible O2 catalyst integration strategies, and electrochemical behaviour, with a particular focus on catalyst stability. Nickel cobalt oxide (NiCo2O4), a promising yet understudied system, is used as an example material for investigations at potentials of both the O2 reduction (ORR) and evolution (OER) reactions. We also report original data employing ex situ X-ray diffraction, electron energy loss spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, as well as electrochemical measurements to study the activity of NiCo2O4. Furthermore, electrochemical accelerated stress tests are coupled with post-mortem transmission electron microscopy, inductively coupled plasma, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to study the dissolution, compositional changes and amorphization of the top surface 5 nm of the catalyst surface. In situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy revealed irreversible oxidation of Co centres in NiCo2O4 during OER, which explains the reduction in activity of the ORR after the catalyst was exposed to anodic OER potentials. This methodology provides a broader method to screen reversible O2 catalyst stability and enables us to sum
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Journal articleLi M, Toumi R, 2026, , Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society, Vol: 152, ISSN: 0035-9009
Tropical cyclones (TCs) rarely form within about 5 degrees of latitude of theEquator due to the weak Coriolis force, yet it is not clear how a weak Coriolisforce would affect an already developed TC vortex. In this study, a set of Cori-olis parameter (f ) sensitivity experiments are applied to a well-developed TCvortex in idealized simulations by decreasing f to zero, both abruptly and grad-ually. The simulated TCs weaken due to the reduction of f . However, dependingon the initial intensity, it can take several days for the TC to decay to a tropicalstorm. Both radial inflow and outflow strengthen throughout the cyclone depth,because of decreasing inertial stability and increasing agradient force associ-ated with reduced f . This further causes a deeper inflow layer and strengtheneddowndrafts associated with convection in the outer rainbands. The downdraftentrainment of mid-level dry air into the deeper inflow layer stabilizes theboundary layer and suppresses deep convection, ultimately resulting in theweakening of TCs. Although TCs are not formed readily near the Equator, if theyare steered there they could potentially exist long enough to cause damage.
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Journal articleDietz S, Setzer J, Higham C, et al., 2026, , Science, Vol: 391, Pages: 26-29, ISSN: 0036-8075
<jats:p>Courts struggle with applying results of integrated assessment models to individual companies</jats:p>
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