The InnovationPub Date : 2026-04-14eCollection Date: 2026-09-08DOI: 10.1016/j.xinn.2026.101398
Junqing Chen, Shanshan Wang, Erlantz Lizundia, Le Yu, Yuying Wu, Jie Zhou, Sen Wang, Jing Huang, Fengze Ding, Ziyang Lu, Lu Chen, Wengen Ouyang, Dingfeng Xu, Jun You, Chaoji Chen
{"title":"Wear-resistant, moldable mineral hydroplastics via nonsolvent-induced phase separation for adaptive architectural applications.","authors":"Junqing Chen, Shanshan Wang, Erlantz Lizundia, Le Yu, Yuying Wu, Jie Zhou, Sen Wang, Jing Huang, Fengze Ding, Ziyang Lu, Lu Chen, Wengen Ouyang, Dingfeng Xu, Jun You, Chaoji Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.xinn.2026.101398","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.xinn.2026.101398","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The development of sustainable plastic alternatives derived from natural components, such as biopolymers and minerals, represents a promising strategy to mitigate the escalating problem of plastic pollution. Here, by employing a nonsolvent-induced phase separation (NIPS) strategy, a hydro-processable mineral-dominated structural material, called \"mineral hydroplastic\" (M-Hydroplastic), is developed. High-mineral-content (up to 75 wt %) hydrogels are fabricated through <i>in situ</i> polymerization of specific monomers and shaped under mild conditions through polymer chain rearrangement triggered by nonsolvent exposure. Further pressing-assisted desolvation optimizes the orientation of mineral sheets, yielding hydro-processable high-mineral-content plastics with combined features of mineral (flexural strength, 90.6 MPa; hardness, 0.23 GPa; and flame retardancy) and plastic (low density of ∼1.5 g cm<sup>-3</sup> and facile moldability). Combined experimental and computational analyses reveal that strong intercomponent hydrogen bonding and a nacre-like micro-structure underpin the material's exceptional mechanical performance. This versatile strategy is applicable to various minerals, producing a family of robust hydroplastics with tunable optical, thermal, and radiative properties. Such adaptability enables the design of multifunctional, flame-retardant materials for multi-scenario energy-efficient building applications. This work reconciles ceramic-like mechanical properties with polymer-like processability, providing crucial insights into designing next-generation plastic alternatives for engineering applications.</p>","PeriodicalId":36121,"journal":{"name":"The Innovation","volume":"7 9","pages":"101398"},"PeriodicalIF":39.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13556351/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148921004","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The InnovationPub Date : 2026-04-08eCollection Date: 2026-10-05DOI: 10.1016/j.xinn.2026.101388
Idowu Paul Okuwobi, Jingyuan Liu, Jun Zhang
{"title":"Spectral-structured matrix code: The first optical code that does not look like a code.","authors":"Idowu Paul Okuwobi, Jingyuan Liu, Jun Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.xinn.2026.101388","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.xinn.2026.101388","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Two-dimensional optical codes have become indispensable infrastructure in the digital age, enabling mobile payments, supply-chain traceability, vaccine authentication, and augmented reality anchors. Yet their design remains rooted in 1990s constraints: rigid grids, binary modules, and finder patterns that limit data density, robustness, and aesthetic integration. We introduce the spectral-structured matrix code (SSMC), a paradigm shift that abandons grids entirely and encodes information in the color spectrum of microdots arranged on an aperiodic Penrose tiling. This approach leverages quasicrystalline geometry for intrinsic rotation invariance and spectral multiplexing for high-density storage, achieving over 3-fold higher areal data density than QR codes without sacrificing decode speed or reliability. Unlike legacy systems, SSMC requires no alignment markers; decoding relies on deterministic template regeneration, ensuring resilience to occlusion, distortion, and noise. In real-world tests, SSMC maintains more than 95% decode success under 40% occlusion, a regime in which QR codes fail completely. Its non-repetitive, mathematically unique structure resists counterfeiting, while its color-based design enables seamless embedding into art, textiles, and industrial surfaces, transforming data carriers from functional overlays into intrinsic properties of objects. This work establishes a fit-for-purpose, secure, and visually native framework for next-generation machine-readable media, not as an incremental upgrade but as a post-QR foundation for the era of intelligent, sustainable, and human-centered digital interfaces.</p>","PeriodicalId":36121,"journal":{"name":"The Innovation","volume":"7 10","pages":"101388"},"PeriodicalIF":39.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13673548/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149216861","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The InnovationPub Date : 2026-04-07eCollection Date: 2026-06-01DOI: 10.1016/j.xinn.2026.101389
Bingying Huang, Yingji Xia, Fadong Chen, Xiqun Michael Chen
{"title":"Balancing electric vehicle uptake with congestion-related emissions in large Chinese cities.","authors":"Bingying Huang, Yingji Xia, Fadong Chen, Xiqun Michael Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.xinn.2026.101389","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xinn.2026.101389","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":36121,"journal":{"name":"The Innovation","volume":"7 6","pages":"101389"},"PeriodicalIF":25.7,"publicationDate":"2026-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13237849/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148200333","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The InnovationPub Date : 2026-04-01eCollection Date: 2026-06-01DOI: 10.1016/j.xinn.2026.101367
Yinxia Cao, Haoyu Wang, Fenzhen Su, Dongjie Fu, Fengqin Yan, Xiaorun Hong, Wenxing He, Nan Xu, Yifu Ou, Chunpeng Chen
{"title":"Satellite radar and AIS reveal a 97% decline in shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.","authors":"Yinxia Cao, Haoyu Wang, Fenzhen Su, Dongjie Fu, Fengqin Yan, Xiaorun Hong, Wenxing He, Nan Xu, Yifu Ou, Chunpeng Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.xinn.2026.101367","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.xinn.2026.101367","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":36121,"journal":{"name":"The Innovation","volume":"7 6","pages":"101367"},"PeriodicalIF":39.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13237841/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148200203","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The InnovationPub Date : 2026-04-01eCollection Date: 2026-08-03DOI: 10.1016/j.xinn.2026.101368
Jessica Jing Yi Chang, Ivan Yee Man Ho, Clarissa Bernice Quah, Yu Yin Bai, Jiahe Ren, Aaron Song Chuan Foo, Daniel Boon Loong Teh
{"title":"Dilating the aging clock with light.","authors":"Jessica Jing Yi Chang, Ivan Yee Man Ho, Clarissa Bernice Quah, Yu Yin Bai, Jiahe Ren, Aaron Song Chuan Foo, Daniel Boon Loong Teh","doi":"10.1016/j.xinn.2026.101368","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.xinn.2026.101368","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Precise and rapid modeling of aging remains a significant challenge. This review explores the potential of emerging light-based technologies-including direct light exposure, photodynamic therapy (PDT), and optogenetics-as accelerated, mechanistically targeted models for interrogating aging processes. Unlike conventional methods that rely on chronologically aged organisms or non-specific stressors, these light-driven approaches can induce specific hallmark aging phenotypes within days. This offers unprecedented temporal and spatial control, allowing researchers to precisely trigger and define molecular pathways, such as localized oxidative bursts or programmed protein interactions. Such capabilities provide a powerful platform for testing causal hypotheses about aging, especially organ-specific aging. The review also outlines a framework connecting each light modality to aging, including cellular senescence, telomere attrition, proteostasis loss, and epigenetic drift. It discusses a mechanistic matrix linking each light modality to specific molecular targets and age-associated outcomes. Light-based platforms, when combined with genetic and pharmacological tools, are poised to accelerate discovery in aging by enabling high-throughput and organelle-specific perturbation of aging biology. These approaches could ultimately redefine how we experimentally dissect and potentially modulate the aging process either by rapidly recapitulating aging features for study or by revealing leverage points to slow aging.</p>","PeriodicalId":36121,"journal":{"name":"The Innovation","volume":"7 8","pages":"101368"},"PeriodicalIF":39.5,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13457181/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148713794","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"综合性期刊","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}