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The Einstein Probe has discovered a fast X-ray transient, EP240414a, associated with a broad-lined type Ic supernova. Its unusually soft spectrum and weak jet add to the diversity of stellar deaths and suggest a previously unknown Wolf–Rayet star explosion mechanism.

The death of massive stars has traditionally been discovered by explosive events in the gamma-ray band. Liu et al. show that the sensitive wide-field monitor on board Einstein Probe can reveal a weak soft-X-ray signal much earlier than gamma rays.

Understanding the dynamics of molecules exposed to intense X-ray beams is crucial to ongoing efforts in biomolecular imaging with free-electron lasers. Here, the authors study C₆₀molecules interacting with femtosecond X-ray free-electron laser pulses and present a model based on classical and quantum physics.

mTORC1 and mTORC2 are alternatively required for differentiation of T cells into Th1/Th17 or Th2 cells. Here the authors show mTORC2 signalling is also needed for IL-4-induced M2 activation with functional evidence provided by aN. brasiliensisinfection model and cold challenge to model adaptive thermogenesis.

With the start-up of the first X-ray free-electron laser, a new era has begun in dynamical studies of atoms. Here the facility is used to study the fundamental nature of the electronic response in free neon atoms. During a single X-ray pulse, they sequentially eject all their ten electrons to produce fully stripped neon. The authors explain this electron-stripping in a straightforward model, auguring favourably for further studies of interactions of X-rays with more complex systems.

Fungi from the genus Fusarium are important pathogens of animals and crop plants. Some have a wide host range, whereas others are more specific in the organisms they infect. Here, clues are provided as to how differences in specificity come about. The genomes of two Fusarium fungi with differing host ranges have been sequenced, and compared with the genome of a third species. Experiments show that transferring two whole chromosomes turns a non-pathogenic Fusarium strain into a pathogenic one.

Dimethylsulphide (DMS) is a volatile compound produced by marine microbes through degradation of dimethylsulphoniopropionate (DMSP). Here, Carrión et al.describe an alternative pathway for DMS production from methanethiol that is widespread among bacteria, especially from soil environments.

Free-electron lasers enable diffractive imaging of single nanostructures, but algorithms, such as correlation analyses, are needed to determine their diffraction volume from accumulated data. Starodub et al.present such a method for X-ray diffractive imaging of nanometre-scale polystyrene dimers.

The astronomical event GW170817, detected in gravitational and electromagnetic waves, is used to determine the expansion rate of the Universe, which is consistent with and independent of existing measurements.

Metal-oxide superlattices were found to possess coexisting phases; a ferroelectric phase and a vortex phase with electric toroidal order. Electric fields interconverted from one phase to another, potentially enabling new functionality.

Here, authors study boulders’ fractures on S-type asteroid, Dimorphos, and show that their size-frequency distribution and orientation are consistent with formation through thermal fatigue. Such fractures seem to propagate horizontally much faster (~kyr) than normal to the boulder’s surface (~Myr).

The measurement of the total cross-section of proton–proton collisions is of fundamental importance for particle physics. Here, the first measurement of the inelastic cross-section is presented for proton–proton collisions at an energy of 7 teraelectronvolts using the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider.

Photoexciting molecules provides insights into their different degrees of freedom if the ultrafast electron and nuclei motion can be properly analysed. To this end, McFarland et al.use X-ray pump-probe techniques to show that Auger spectra can unveil information on nuclear relaxation in molecules.

In most superconductors, the pairing-up of electrons responsible for resistance-less conduction is driven by vibrations of the solid's crystal lattice. But other materials exist in which the attractive interaction responsible for binding electrons is believed to have a very different origin: quantum fluctuations of spin or charge. This paper identifies an unusually 'violent' generalization of such pairing mechanisms, in which these spin and charge instabilities combine forces.

X-ray, optical and infrared observations reveal a very high rate of star formation in the core of an extremely luminous galaxy cluster; this starburst seems to be triggered by a cooling flow of the dense intracluster plasma.

Micrometre-scale superconducting circuits are at present explored as the building blocks for scalable quantum information processors. In a system where two such qubits are coupled to a resonant cavity, tripartite interactions and controlled coherent dynamics have now been demonstrated. This platform should allow for a fuller exploration of multipartite quantum states and their deterministic preparation.

A lack of annually resolved climate records from the marine archive limits our understanding of oceanic processes. Here, the authors present a millennial-length, annually-resolved and absolutely-dated marine δ¹⁸O record from the shells of marine bivalves and offer insight into North Atlantic climate dynamics.

Multi-epoch spectropolarimetry of a supernova reveals the abrupt appearance of significant polarization when the inner core is first exposed in the thinning ejecta — roughly 90 days after explosion.

Using a spectroscopy streaking technique at LCLS (Linac Coherent Light Source), researchers demonstrate temporal characterization of X-ray pulses with sub-femtosecond resolution.

A large collection of new modENCODE and ENCODE genome-wide chromatin data sets from cell lines and developmental stages in worm, fly and human are analysed; this reveals many conserved features of chromatin organization among the three organisms, as well as notable differences in the composition and locations of repressive chromatin.

Inertial confinement fusion, based on laser-heating a deuterium–tritium mixture, is one of the approaches towards energy production from fusion reactions. Now, record energy-yield experiments are reported—bringing us closer to ignition conditions.

X-ray free-electron lasers, important light sources for materials research, suffer from shot-to-shot fluctuations that necessitate complex diagnostics. Here, the authors apply machine learning to accurately predict pulse properties, using parameters that can be acquired at high-repetition rates.

Indirect DNA damage to cells cultured below a cellular barrier caused by nanoparticles occurs across barriers containing two or more layers, but not monolayer barriers, suggesting that the thickness of the cell barrier is important in signalling.

Massive galaxies in the early Universe have been shown to be forming stars at high rates. Probing the properties of individual star-forming regions is beyond the resolution and sensitivity of existing telescopes. Here, however, observations are reported of the galaxy SMMJ2135–0102 at redshift z=2.3259, which has been gravitationally magnified by a factor of 32 by a galaxy cluster lens in the foreground. The physics underlying star formation here is similar to that in local galaxies, but the energetics are very different.

The tunnelling electroresistance effect that occurs at ferroelectric tunnel junctions could form the basis for a class of potential memory applications. Now, an enhanced effect is observed in a complex oxide interface as a result of a ferroelectrically induced phase transition.

Aquatic CO₂ emissions are expected to increase if warming reduces photosynthesis relative to respiration. An analysis of streams across a 41 °C temperature gradient reveals that the thermal responses of respiration and photosynthesis are similar.

Chemical substitution often mimics the effects of applied pressure on a compound, and ‘doping’ is a standard way to reach a quantum critical point from a given phase. However, CeCoIn₅ is a natural quantum critical superconductor, and Cd-doping tunes the system away from criticality. Applied pressure reverses the effect of doping, but although superconductivity is restored, quantum criticality is not.

While superconductivity experts investigate the fundamental properties of iron pnictides, it is worth wondering whether the properties of these materials are good enough for applications. A strategy for growing high-quality BaFe₂As₂ thin films shows that the use of an appropriate buffer layer allows very high critical currents to be reached.

Combined analysis of proton-proton collision data from the Large Hadron Collider at CERN by the CMS and LHCb collaborations leads to the observation of the extremely rare decay of the strange B meson into muons; the result is compatible with the standard model of particle physics, and does not show any signs of new physics, such as supersymmetry.

The use of photonic crystals to trap atoms on a chip offers unique possibilities for atom–light interactions. Advancing towards this goal, the authors realize photonic crystal waveguides where the electronic transition frequencies of localized caesium atoms are aligned with the band edges of the waveguides.