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Coastal seaweed transported to the open ocean contributes up to 3–4% of the particulate organic carbon sinking into the deeper ocean, according to combined ecological and biogeochemical modelling.

Edge-localized plasma modes in a tokamak can damage its innermost wall. Simulations now show that fast ions can modify the spatio-temporal structure of these modes. These effects need to be considered in the optimization of control techniques.

Genome-wide ancient DNA data from 225 individuals who lived in southeastern Europe between 12000 and 500 bc reveals that the region acted as a genetic crossroads before and after the arrival of farming.

A high proportion of confirmed SARS-CoV-2 cases in Denmark were sequenced during the pandemic and linked to demographic, spatial and temporal data. Here, the authors analyse 290,000 genomes sampled in 2021 to demonstrate the value of this high coverage, detailed data set.

Dry eye disease is a complex condition with limited treatments. Here the authors show that mice lacking a multi-functional peptide PACAP develop dry eye-like signs that can be topically treated with PACAP peptide that stimulates tearing in mice, suggesting a possible therapy in humans with dry eyes.

In this largest whole-exome sequencing study of epilepsies to date, the Epi25 Collaborative identified extremely rare variants that confer risk for diverse epilepsy subtypes, highlighting roles in synaptic transmission and neuronal excitability.

Estrogen promotes negative energy balance and preserves skeletal physiology. Here the authors show that loss of estrogen signalling after ablating estrogen receptor alpha (ERa) in specific hypothalamic neuronal populations leads to a marked sex-dependent increase in bone mass in female mice.

The long duration of the Middle Eocene Climatic Optimum, compared with other transient Eocene warming events, can be explained by an increase in clays forming from the weathering of silicate minerals, according to lithium isotope records of marine carbonates.

Detection of circulating tumor DNA using MRD-EDGE, a machine-learning-guided single-nucleotide variant and copy-number variant detection platform for signal enrichment, enables monitoring of minimal residual disease and immunotherapy response in settings of low tumor burden.

The gondwanatherians were mammals known only from teeth and some jaw fragments that lived in the southern continents alongside dinosaurs; here the entire cranium of a bizarre and badger-sized fossil mammal from the Cretaceous of Madagascar shows that gondwanatherians were related to the better-known multituberculates, a long-lived and successful group of now-extinct rodent-like mammals.

Information on the occurrence of aneuploidies in prehistory human populations are rare. Here, from a large screen of ancient human genomes and osteological examination, the authors find genetic evidence for six cases of trisomy 21 (Down syndrome) and one case of trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome) in historic and prehistoric infants.

A large-scale, five-year study in Indonesia finds that enriching oil palm-dominated landscapes with patches of trees bolsters biodiversity and ecosystem functioning without impairing oil palm yields but should not replace forest protection.

Analysis of 273 ancient horse genomes reveals that modern domestic horses originated in the Western Eurasian steppes, especially the lower Volga-Don region.

The Caucasus mountain range has impacted on the culture and genetics of the wider region. Here, the authors generate genome-wide SNP data for 45 Eneolithic and Bronze Age individuals across the Caucasus, and find distinct genetic clusters between mountain and steppe zones as well as occasional gene-flow.

Numerous disease-associated variants have been described in GWAS for atrial fibrillation. Here the authors integrate omics data to investigate the consequences of genetic variants for transcript and protein levels in the atrium of the human heart. With this multi-omics approach, authors reveal the regulatory network underlying atrial fibrillation and provide a resource for cardiac gene prioritization.

Northern China contains some of the world’s earliest farming societies. Here, authors use 55 ancient genomes to trace the genetic history of human migrations across northern China for the last 7500 years, and document genetic changes mirroring shifts in subsistence strategy.

Despite their key role in the evolution of mammals, the origin and diversification of tooth classes (incisors, canines, premolars and molars) remain relatively obscure. Here the authors use integrative approaches to explain the independent evolution and rapid diversification of two tooth classes, premolar and molars, in noctilionoid bats.

Archaeogenetic analysis of 135 individuals from the zone between southeastern Europe and the northwestern Black Sea region indicates contacts between farming and pastoralist populations at the end of the Copper Age.

Observations of seven fast-moving stars in the central 3 arcsec (0.08  pc) of ω Centauri indicate an intermediate-mass black hole in ω Centauri.

Maneix, Iakova and colleagues report that cyclophilin A is a chaperone for, and regulator of, intrinsically disordered proteins within haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, with potential effects on ageing-like phenotypes and lineage commitment.

The suppression of edge-localized modes in tokamak plasmas is crucial to prevent them from damaging the walls of the chamber. Now experiments confirm the role that magnetic islands play in suppressing these detrimental modes.

The Micrarchaeota lineage includes poorly characterized archaea with reduced genomes that likely depend on host interactions for survival. Here, the authors report a stable co-culture of a member of the Micrarchaeota and its host, and use multi-omic and physiological analyses to shed light on this symbiosis.

Seed banks are reservoirs of plant diversity. This study shows that nutrient addition decreases diversity of grassland seed banks, increases their similarity to aboveground communities and interacts with aboveground herbivory to affect their abundance.

Functional diversity and phylogenetic diversity are expected to be positively correlated. Here the authors show that the covariation between these metrics in vascular plant communities around the world is often either inconsistent or negative.

Analysis of ancient genomic data of 51 humans from Eurasia dating from 45,000 to 7,000 years ago provides insight into the population history of pre-Neolithic Europe and support for recurring migration and population turnover in Europe during this period.

Ancient DNA analysis of early European farmers has found a high level of genetic affinity with present-day Sardinians. Here, the authors generate genome-wide capture data for 70 individuals from Sardinia spanning the Middle Neolithic to Medieval period to reveal relationships with mainland European populations shifting over time.

Despite its clinical relevance, direct electrical stimulation (DES) of the human brain is surprisingly poorly understood. Karnath and colleagues discuss the complex local and remote effects of DES on physiology and behaviour, and conclude that DES cannot be regarded as the gold standard for inferring causality between neuronal activity and behaviour.

Ancient DNA keeps expanding our understanding of complex genetic relationships between Pleistocene hominins. Here, Posth and colleagues analyse the mitochondrial genome of an archaic human that diverged from other Neanderthals ∼270,000 years ago, providing the minimum age for an African introgression into Neanderthals.

Establishing the relative transmissibility of emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2 is key for pandemic management. Here, the authors use full-population administrative data from Denmark linked to PCR test results and estimate that the Alpha variant was ~60% higher than other strains circulating in early 2021.

Rare earth elements are used in electronics, but increase in demand could lead to low supply. Here the authors conduct experiments on the International Space Station and show microbes can extract rare elements from rocks at low gravity, a finding that could extend mining potential to other planets.

Plant-parasitic nematodes have the potential to destroy crops globally, and limited options for managing nematode infestation are available. Here, the authors report the 1,3,4-oxadiazole thioether scaffold called Cyprocide that selectively kills nematodes including diverse species of plant-parasitic nematodes.