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Credible sustainability certifications require robust evaluation to ensure trustworthiness; however, judgements of sustainable practices may differ between the practitioners and the certifiers. Stakeholder engagement can help bridge this gap to provide robust certification evaluation.

Self-assembled PbSe quantum dot (QD) superlattices are a class of materials that promises novel mesoscale electronic properties due to electronic coupling between individual QDs. Here, the authors reveal distinct electronic states manifested by the quantum confinement of charge carriers in epitaxially formed necking between QDs.

The potential preservation of viruses in the fossil record is poorly understood. Here, the authors perform metagenomic and microscopic analyses of viruses in living microbial mats and after mineralization, and propose criteria for identifying fossilized viruses.

Analysis of the pulse profile of a fast radio burst showed sub-second periodicity, providing evidence for a neutron-star origin of the event and favouring emission arising from the magnetosphere.

A 256 × 256 pixel scintillator-based X-ray detector that improves resolution by limiting optical cross-talk is made using terbium-doped gadolinium oxysulfide scintillator particles in an organic photodetector matrix.

The exoplanet HD 189733b has a metal-enriched atmosphere with the possible presence of H₂O (13.4σ), CO₂ (11.2σ), CO (5σ) and H₂S (4.5σ).

A study reports the measurement of the polarization degree and angle of X-rays from Sagittarius A^* reflected off a nearby cloud, indicating an X-ray flare about 200 years ago.

Controlling ice formation is crucial for cryopreservation. Here, authors developed machine learning models to predict ice recrystallisation inhibition by small molecules, showcasing a data-driven approach for cryoprotectant discovery.

We show perovskite X-ray detection at zero-voltage bias with operational device stability exceeding one year. Detection efficiency of 88% and noise-equivalent dose of 90 pGyair are obtained with 18 keV X-rays, allowing single-photon-sensitive, low-dose and energy-resolved X-ray imaging.

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) lacks effective diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, in particular at advanced stages. Here, the authors show that expression of the somatostatin receptor 2 is induced by Epstein-Barr virus in NPC and has a key role in the diagnosis, imaging, targeted therapies and prognosis of NPC.

Epigenetic causes of intra-tumoural heterogeneity are crucial in paediatric cancers with low mutation rates, such as hepatoblastoma. Here, the authors characterise transcriptional heterogeneity in hepatoblastoma using histology-guided RNA sequencing and functional studies in patient-derived tumoroids, and find how the embryonic biliary lineage program, Wnt, and paracrine signalling can promote tumour proliferation.

Here, the authors show through recordings of magnetic and haemodynamic brain activity, that prediction error computations—representing the difference between heard and predicted speech sounds—are fundamental to the recognition of spoken words in human listeners.

Light is used to guide the behaviour of an engineered active-matter system, producing structures and properties that can be dynamically manipulated and controlled.

In a photonic crystal, the periodicity of the host medium is used to manipulate the properties of light, whereas in a phononic crystal it is mechanical vibrations that are subject to such control. Here, a structure that acts as both a photonic and phononic crystal — an 'optomechanical' crystal — is described; the strong coupling between photons and phonons realized in this structure should find application in a host of sensing and communication technologies.

JWST observations of the planetary nebula NGC 3132 reveal a rich molecular environment containing evidence of multiple stellar interactions on a variety of scales.

Trypanosomes can sense signal molecules and coordinate their movement in response to such signals, a phenomenon termed social motility (SoMo). Here, Bachmaier et al show that cyclic AMP response protein 3 (CARP3) localization to the flagellar tip and its interaction with a number of different adenylate cyclases is essential for migration to tsetse fly salivary glands and for SoMo, therewith linking SoMo and cAMP signaling to trypanosome transmission.

Counter-rotating gases demonstrate external gas acquisition in galaxies, but their presence in blue, star-forming galaxies has not been studied systematically. Here, the authors analyse the MaNGA survey data to find a fraction of counter-rotators among blue galaxies whose central regions show ongoing growth.

India’s methane emissions have been quantified using atmospheric measurements to provide an independent comparison with reported emissions. Here Ganesan et al. find that derived methane emissions are consistent with India’s reports and no significant trend has been observed between 2010–2015.

A risk score developed using biological, psychological and social factor data from the UK Biobank can predict different pain conditions, the risk of chronic pain spreading across body sites and the prognosis of chronic pain up to 9 years later.

Change the funding system and approaches to international partnerships for US-led big science projects, urge Matt Mountain and Adam Cohen.

By combining experimental models with prospective clinical studies, the authors show that spinal cord injury causes a rapid reduction in cardiac function that precedes structural changes, and that the loss of descending sympathetic control is the major cause of reduced cardiac function following spinal cord injury.

Genome-wide ancient DNA data from individuals from the Middle Bronze Age to Iron Age documents large-scale movement of people from the European continent between 1300 and 800 bc that was probably responsible for spreading early Celtic languages to Britain.

At the Golgi, the Dsc ubiquitin ligase complex targets proteins with shorter transmembrane domains for proteasomal or lysosomal degradation. This quality control at the sorting center of cells restricts the uncontrolled spreading of orphaned proteins.

Narco trafficking and subsequent counter-drug interdiction strategies can lead to loss of biodiverse forests, which are important habitats for resident and migratory bird species. This study evaluates how such activities can threaten the bird habitat in Central American forests.

Imperfections can greatly alter a material’s properties. Here, the authors investigate the influence of point defects on the electronic structure, charge-carrier mobility and optical absorption of molybdenum disulphide prepared by mechanical exfoliation, physical and chemical vapour deposition.

Platform-based approaches for gene-editing therapies could markedly improve development efficiency, reduce costs and increase access for patients with rare diseases. Although gene editing has shown remarkable clinical success for a small number of Mendelian disease indications, broader adoption faces substantial hurdles. We propose strategies to overcome these challenges through modular platforms for nonclinical and chemistry, manufacturing and controls (CMC) data reuse, risk-based manufacturing quality, and streamlined umbrella clinical trials for regulatory efficiency and accelerated approval.

Spectropolarimetric observations of three tidal disruption events reveal that they are optically polarized at the 1–2% level by a cloud of electrons surrounding the black hole (in good agreement with theory).

The effect of blackbody radiation is expected to be very weak. The acceleration due to the attractive optical forces from blackbody radiation is measured in an atom interferometer and, surprisingly, it dominates gravity and radiation pressure

In contrast to the significant retreat of Arctic sea-ice, Antarctic sea-ice has exhibited a modest expansion in recent decades. Here, the authors employ model simulations to investigate the drivers of this unexpected trend.

How genetic variation contributes to brain morphology is still poorly understood. Here Chenet al. combine brain imaging with single-nucleotide polymorphism data to discover that a substantial degree of cortical variation is derived from underlying genetic differences.

Maternal diet affects DNA methylation in the developing offspring, leading to phenotypic changes. Here, Dominguez-Salas et al. exploit seasonal variation in the diet of Gambian women to show that maternal methyl donor nutrient status around the time of conception predicts methylation levels at metastable epialleles in infants.

Drought is a major factor limiting crop productivity. Here, via eQTL analysis and comparative genomics, the authors show compensatory evolution between trans-regulatory loci and transcription factor binding sites that shape the drought response networks in the model C4 grass Panicum hallii.

A structural investigation on the formation of 3D superlattices of colloidal PbSe quantum dots reveals a topotactic transition from the self-assembled phase of ligand-capped quantum dots to the epitaxially fused phase typical of conductive solids.

Gambiense human African trypanosomiasis has been targeted for elimination of transmission by 2030. Here, the authors assess the cost-effectiveness of elimination strategies in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and find that those which lead to elimination of transmission might also be considered cost-effective by conventional thresholds.

A multiomics approach is used to produce a spatiotemporal atlas of the human maternal–fetal interface in the first half of pregnancy, revealing relationships among gestational age, extravillous trophoblasts and spiral artery remodelling.

Lolamicin, a novel antibiotic developed from a pyridinepyrazole precursor, exhibits potent activity against a broad range of Gram-negative multidrug-resistant clinical isolates, and good efficacy in mouse models of infection without inducing gut dysbiosis.

Identifying sources of quasiparticle poisoning is an active problem in superconducting quantum circuits. Here the authors show that the rate of quasiparticle bursts in a cryogenic calorimeter decreases by two orders of magnitude in a low-stress suspended state, suggesting stress as a key mechanism.

Pump–probe measurements conventionally achieve femtosecond time resolution for X-ray crystallography of reactive processes, but the measured structural dynamics are complex. Using coherent control techniques, we show that the ultrafast crystallographic differences of a fluorescent protein are dominated by ground-state vibrational processes that are unconnected to the photoisomerization reaction of the chromophore.

The largest earthquakes often cause rupture for hundreds of kilometres along a single subducting plate, and often begin or end at structural boundaries on the overriding plate. But the Solomons earthquake on 1 April 2007 ruptured across a triple junction, where the Australian and Woodlark plates subduct beneath the overriding Pacific plate.

Geochemical evidence suggests that sulphur-metabolizing bacteria were present at least 3.5 billion years ago. Geochemical and petrological analyses of microstructures from 3.4-billion-year-old rocks in Western Australia suggest they are the remains of early sulphur-reducing and sulphur-disproportionating bacteria.

Dichloromethane (CH₂Cl₂) is an unregulated ozone depleting substance whose emissions have strongly increased in recent years. Here, the authors show that rising emissions of dichloromethane in China between 2011 and 2019 can explain much of this global increase.