Programmable smart sponges could be AI’s cleanest bet

Northwestern Chemistry’s Omar Farha, along with Haley Wellman, Manel Eddaoudi and Xiaoliang Wang, explores how metal-organic frameworks, or MOFs, could help reduce the environmental demands of artificial intelligence in a new Crain’s Chicago Business opinion piece. Often described as “smart sponges,” MOFs can be designed to capture, store and release specific molecules. The authors look at how these materials could support carbon capture, more efficient data-center cooling and atmospheric water harvesting as AI drives growing demand for electricity and water.

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The Roots of Modern Medicine

Karl Scheidt explores the enduring role of nature in the search for new medicines in the Fall 2026 issue of Northwestern Magazine. From antibiotics and aspirin to newer treatments inspired by natural compounds, Scheidt explains how molecules produced by plants, fungi, bacteria and animals continue to guide drug discovery. He also discusses research from his Northwestern group, which studies natural compounds and uses insights from chemistry and biology to investigate new approaches to difficult medical challenges, including cancer.

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Northwestern researchers tackle solar cell instability at its source

The labs of Ted Sargent and Tobin Marks are behind a new approach to improving the efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells. The team focused on controlling the crystallization process as the light-absorbing material forms, helping prevent phase segregation that can weaken device performance. Reported in Nature, the work produced perovskite-organic tandem solar cells with a certified efficiency of 26.4 percent while retaining 91 percent of their initial efficiency after 1,000 hours of continuous illumination.

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