WEEKLY REVIEW (Jan.1-7)

Breakthrough in Flexible Solar Cells Made
Chinese researchers, led by Soochow University in east China, have resolved key challenges in maintaining efficiency and stability in flexible tandem solar cells. This is a milestone breakthrough in silicon-based flexible photovoltaics. The study was published in Nature.
Lithium-ion Battery Experiment in Space Station
The Shenzhou-21 crew has conducted a novel experiment on the fundamental science of lithium-ion batteries aboard China's Tiangong space station to uncover the mechanisms behind battery performance by leveraging the unique conditions of space.
Robots Smaller Than Salt Grain Can Think
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Michigan have built the smallest fully programmable autonomous robots ever created. They are barely visible and smaller than a grain of salt (around 200x300x50 micrometers), yet smart enough to sense, decide and move completely on their own.
New Viruses Found in Whales and Orcas
An international research team has discovered two previously unknown viruses in short-finned pilot whales and orcas from the Caribbean region of the North Atlantic Ocean. This is the first time circoviruses have been detected in cetaceans from this region and adds to the growing list of viruses known to infect marine vertebrates.