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Visible-light-mediated intramolecular [2+2] cycloaddition of aza-1,6-dienes gives bridged, not fused, heterocycles, in violation of the ‘rule-of-five’, which dictates that five-membered rings are preferentially formed. This method allows a variety of bridged bicyclic scaffolds to be accessed, enabling drug-relevant properties to be readily tuned.

Natural rubber is a widely used biopolymer and further improving its resistance to crack growth will extend its service life. Here the authors show a strategy to amplify the resistance to crack growth in natural rubber by forming a tanglemer.

Symbioses can form heritable partnerships, yet assessing partner fidelity remains difficult owing to limited symbiont exchange. This study shows how genetic compatibility, transmission fidelity, and local adaptation stabilize co-diversified symbioses.

Analysis of the atmospheric H₂ variability over the past millennium suggests that the sensitivity of H₂ to climate change should be considered in estimates of the radiative consequences of rising anthropogenic H₂ emissions.

Performing pandemic-scale phylogenetic analysis poses multifaceted challenges. This study develops methods for identifying and accounting for mutation rate variation and recurrent sequence errors, leading to an improved global phylogenetic tree of >2 million severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 genomes.

Native top-down proteomics reveals epidermal growth factor receptor–estrogen receptor-alpha (EGFR–ER) signaling crosstalk in breast cancer cells and dissociation of nuclear transport factor 2 (NUTF2) dimers to modulate ER signaling and cell growth.

Spatiotemporal insight into photoactivation of the prototypical B₁₂ photoreceptor CarH is revealed across nine orders of magnitude in time, identifying a transient adduct that distinguishes it from thermally activated B₁₂ enzymes.

The transcription factor ATF4 and its effector lipocalin 2 (LCN2) have a key role in immune evasion and tumour progression, and targeting the ATF4–LCN2 axis might provide a way to treat several types of solid tumour by increasing anti-cancer immunity.

An atomic single electron transistor, which utilizes a single atomic defect in a van der Waals material as an ultrasensitive, high-resolution potential sensor, is used to image the electrostatic potential within a moiré unit cell.

The authors find that distinct radial glia subtypes generate and support midbrain dopaminergic neurons, revealing specialized function and lineage relationships among the diverse cell types that shape dopamine neuron development.

An optical archival storage technology based on femtosecond laser direct writing in glass addresses the practical demands of archival storage.

Optically trapped CaOH molecules in parity-doublet states achieve coherence times exceeding vibrational lifetimes, which are a defining milestone for the use of polyatomic molecules in quantum science.

Sewer systems have long been assumed to be negligible sources of methane, yet emerging evidence suggests that they represent a previously overlooked contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. This study shows that global sewer networks emit ~1.2–2.0 Tg CH₄ yr⁻¹, substantially increasing wastewater-sector methane emissions and challenging the IPCC zero-emission assumption.

The type VI secretion system (T6SS) and Eag chaperones deliver toxic membrane protein effectors into rival cells. However, it is unknown how Eags and their effectors dissociate. Here, the authors show Eag chaperones bind effectors tightly and may release them via a subtle conformational change.

Many biological systems appear to organize their dynamics close to a critical point. Now it is shown that the protein array mediating Escherichia coli chemosensing is near-critical, enabling large signal amplification without compromising response speeds.

Endosomal sequestration of lipid-based nanoparticles is a barrier to delivery of nucleic acids. Here the authors test an array of cholesterol variants and perform in-depth investigation of nanoparticle shape, internal structure and intracellular trafficking.

Analysis combining multiple global tree databases reveals that whether a location is invaded by non-native tree species depends on anthropogenic factors, but the severity of the invasion depends on the native species diversity.

Artificial intelligence applied to brain magnetic resonance imaging could transform neurological care. Here the authors present BrainIAC, a foundation model that can be used across diverse clinical tasks with limited training data.

Kinematic measurements of the Perseus galaxy cluster reveal two drivers of gas motions: a small-scale driver in the inner core associated with black-hole feedback and a large-scale driver in the outer core powered by mergers.

Gallium arsenide photocathodes inside a superconducting radio-frequency gun are a promising source of polarized electrons for future colliders. Now the operation of such a source has been demonstrated.

Functional studies of O-GlcNAcylation have often focused on individual modifications. Now, a systems-level approach has identified simultaneous O-GlcNAcylation events that coordinate cellular activities and tissue-specific functions.

The distinct architecture of the Escherichia coli membrane transporter LetA mediates lipid trafficking across the bacterial envelope in partnership with the tunnel-like complex LetB.

Becker et. al developed a proteomic proximity labeling platform named POCA, which makes use of a photosensitizer for singlet oxygen production and protein capture in the presence of amine, enabling profiling of interactomes of proteins and lipids in living cells.

Here, the authors show that 2’-O-methylated RNA fragments from ribosomal RNA naturally block TLR7 and TLR8, helping to avoid avoid harmful self-RNA detection and autoimmunity.

A microwave-assisted process is developed for the rapid and scalable manufacture of pure-phase metallic MoS₂ nanosheets, enabling practical electrochemical devices for energy applications.

Geochemical data from zircons show that subduction-like processes were operating contemporaneously with stagnant-lid-like processes at different locations as early as 4.4 billion years ago on the Hadean Earth.

A wearable paper-based microfluidic device tracks cortisol in sweat via gold nanoflower colorimetric assays and captures circadian rhythms, stress responses and jet lag disruptions.

Genomic analyses applied to 14 childhood- and adult-onset psychiatric disorders identifies five underlying genomic factors that explain the majority of the genetic variance of the individual disorders.

A soft robotic probe enables continuous in utero monitoring of fetal physiological parameters, including heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, temperature and electrocardiogram data, during open or fetoscopic surgery to provide real-time information on fetal condition and distress.

The ZFTA–RELA fusion, an oncogene for ependymomas, promotes the production of itaconate, and its dependence on this metabolite represents a new therapeutic target for this cancer.

Using the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake, the authors show that earthquake-triggered landslides increased mountain carbon storage by ~10% from 2008 to 2020, as vegetation recovery and sediment burial retained carbon, revealing earthquakes and landslides function as long-term carbon capacitors.

The inability of intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells to shift the circadian clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus during daytime is caused by light-dependent depolarization block of these cells.

Cosmological simulations show that tiny black holes that formed from the first stars can grow far faster than expected to become the seeds of the supermassive black holes now observed by JWST at cosmic dawn.

Gravitational lens modelling of a million-solar-mass dark object reveals that it cannot be a free-floating black hole or dark-matter halo as predicted by cold dark matter, instead indicating a peculiar and highly concentrated mass distribution.

Generation of orbital currents in a non-magnetic material can be useful to build efficient orbitronic devices. Now, the interplay of chiral phonons and electrons is shown to produce orbital currents in α-quartz.

In young, estrogen-deprived female mice, the authors show that daily low-intensity vibration protected bone, muscle and fat metabolism. This treatment also enhanced bisphosphonate outcomes, strengthening the skeleton to counter adverse effects of cancer therapy on musculoskeletal tissue.

Radiation reaction (RR) on particles in strong fields is the subject of intense experimental research, but previous efforts lacked statistical significance due to the extreme regimes required. Here, the authors report a 5σ observation of RR and obtain strong, quantitative evidence favouring quantum models over classical, using an all-optical setup where electrons are accelerated by a laser in a gas jet before colliding with a second, intense pulse.

The study used snMultiome-seq to map gene expression and chromatin accessibility in human central amygdala cells from people with and without AUD. Here, the authors show that inhibitory neurons are most affected, with KLF16-driven regulatory changes and AUD-risk variants disrupting gene activity.

Guided by density functional theory, a commercially viable refractory alloy is developed, which exhibits excellent room-temperature ductility and strength, and high strength at elevated temperatures.

Studying many-body quantum chaos on current quantum hardware is hindered by noise and limited scalability. Now it is shown that a superconducting processor, combined with error mitigation, can accurately simulate dual-unitary circuit dynamics.

Coordinated X-ray and radio observations reveal that disk winds and jets occur mutually exclusively in 4U 1630–472, providing new observational constraints on the interplay between different modes of outflow in X-ray binaries.

Humans rely on both learned value and action affordances to decide how to act. This study shows that these systems compete under a dynamic brain controller, with the presupplementary motor area and anterior cingulate cortex guiding which system dominates.