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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.

Understanding the three-dimensional nature of fracture formation and dynamics is challenging. Experiments now show that a fracture front, after originating at a particular locus in a material, propagates jump-wise and expands transversely at high speed.

The human Shu complex promotes homologous recombination by regulating RAD51. Here the authors reveal that the Shu complex proteins, SWSAP1-SWS1, decorate the RAD51 filament on ssDNA and facilitate its strand exchange reaction by stimulating RPA diffusion on ssDNA. Lastly, that SWSAP1-SWS1 knockouts are Olaparib sensitive.

Quantum electrodynamics predicts a rare process in which light is scattered by light. The ATLAS Collaboration reports signs of this elusive effect in the collisions of ultra-relativistic lead ions.

Survey data collected across ten low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) in Asia, Africa and South America compared with surveys from Russia and the United States reveal heterogeneity in vaccine confidence in LMICs, with healthcare providers being trusted sources of information, as well as greater levels of vaccine acceptance in these countries than in Russia and the United States.

Gold-standard evidence for correlates of protection is provided by analysis of a randomized phase 3 trial of Ad26.COV2.S for protection against moderate to severe-critical COVID-19 disease.

The ‘invariant rate of ageing’ hypothesis suggests that the rate of ageing tends to be constant within species. Here, Colchero et al. find support for the hypothesis across primates, including humans, suggesting biological constraints on the rate of ageing.

Observations of ZTF SLRN-2020, a short-lived optical outburst in the Galactic disk accompanied by bright, long-lived infrared emission, show that the resulting light curve and spectra are consistent with the signatures of a planet being engulfed by its host star.

Reducing the platinum content of industrial catalysts is an important research target. Here, the authors present a nanocatalyst containing less than 1% platinum, where the isolated platinum atoms contribute to both the catalyst activity and selectivity for butadiene hydrogenation.

At the Large Hadron Collider, the MoEDAL experiment shows no evidence for magnetic monopoles generated via the Schwinger mechanism at integer Dirac charges below 3, and suggests a lower mass limit of 75 GeV/c².

SARS-CoV-2 variants with mutations in spike have emerged during the pandemic. Magaret et al. show that in Latin America, efficacy of the Ad26.COV2.S vaccine against moderate to severe–critical COVID-19 varied by sequence features, antibody escape scores, and neutralization impacting features of the SARS-CoV-2 variant.

Ten years after the discovery of the Higgs boson, the ATLAS  experiment at CERN probes its kinematic properties with a significantly larger dataset from 2015–2018 and provides further insights on its interaction with other known particles.

Pathogens growing in host cells can be destroyed by a cellular process called autophagy. Here, the authors identify a strategy that allows one such bacterial pathogen, Legionella pneumophila, to block autophagic targeting of the pathogen and support its survival within host cells.

Peptide-based therapeutics are promising therapeutic modalities, however, their prevalent drawback is poor circulation half-life in vivo. Here, the authors report the selection of albumin-binding macrocyclic peptides from genetically encoded libraries of peptides modified by perfluoroaryl-cysteine chemistry, with decafluoro-diphenylsulfone.

Single-atom alloys are promising catalysts for a number of different reactions. Here, the authors demonstrate that carbon monoxide can be used to transition a PdAu catalyst between a single atom and a cluster phase which exhibit distinct selectivities for ethanol dehydrogenation.

The Authors present an exciting dielectric waveguide mechanism that can confine light in regions of varying sizes, unlike conventional designs. The platform offers a unique blend of properties by leveraging radiation modes while minimizing optical losses. This work holds promise for serving as the next generation of fundamental building blocks for integrated photonics applications.

Solid stress generated by brain tumours can cause neurological dysfunction in patients, and this could be countered by administering lithium, according to magnetic resonance imaging of patient brains and mouse models of human brain tumours.

The authors use time-resolved metabolomics and microfluidics to characterize enhanced heterotroph chemoattraction to metabolites released from cyanobacteria during early stages of phage infection.

Sequential drinks of crosslinker and polymer solutions form a tough hydrogel in the stomach, enabling delivery of drugs and biologics in this harsh chemical environment.

A substudy nested within a double-blind cluster-randomized controlled trial in Bangladesh shows that drinking chlorinated water had relatively minor impacts on children’s gut microbiome development in this setting.

A renewed interest in C–H bond activation has developed on account of the recent increased availability of shale gas. Now, using a combination of surface science, microscopy, theory and nanoparticle studies, the ability of coke-resistant Pt/Cu single-atom alloys to efficiently activate C–H bonds in alkanes has been demonstrated under realistic catalytic conditions.

JWST/NIRSpec observations of Abell2744-QSO1 show a high black-hole-to-host mass ratio in the early Universe, which indicates that we are seeing the black hole in a phase of rapid growth, accreting at 30% of the Eddington limit.

The COVID-19 vaccine mRNA-1273 reduced SARS-CoV-2 copy number and duration of virus shedding, in addition to disease burden and infections, in exploratory analyses of breakthrough infections in the COVE trial.

Better analytical methods are needed to extract biological meaning from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of psychiatric disorders. Here the authors take GWAS data from over 60,000 subjects, including patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depression, and identify common etiological pathways shared amongst them.

Prime-editing mouse models enable the study of specific cancer mutations in vivo.

Microswimmers tend to accumulate in regions where their speed is significantly reduced, but experimental and numerical evidence now points towards a viscophobic turning mechanism that biases certain microalgae away from high-viscosity areas.

The authors measure the nucleon axial vector form factor, which encodes information on the distribution of the nucleon weak charge, through antineutrino–proton scattering.

Developmental duration is a key life-history trait. Cooney et al. compile data on 3096 bird species to quantify the degree to which phylogenetic history, body size and ecological variables like predation risk or breeding phenology influence variation in developmental duration.

Graphene is characterized by unique physical properties that offer substantial promise, most notably for electronic applications. Mannooret al. present a wireless graphene-based sensor for detecting bacteria on a range of biological tissues.

Electronics that are capable of intimate integration with the surfaces of biological tissues create opportunities for improving animal/machine interfaces. A bio-interfaced system of ultrathin electronics supported by bioresorbable silk-fibroin substrates is now presented. Mounting such devices on tissue and then allowing the silk to dissolve initiates a conformal wrapping process that is driven by capillary forces.

This Registered Report presents evidence from 87 countries and regions showing that brief emotion-regulation interventions consistently reduced negative emotions and increased positive emotions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

An analysis of eight ultra-faint galaxies during the epoch of reionization with absolute magnitudes between −17 mag and −15  mag shows that most of the photons that reionized the Universe come from dwarf galaxies.

Genome-wide analysis of self-reported dyslexia identifies 42 associated loci, including 27 not previously associated with cognitive traits. Dyslexia shows genetic correlation with ambidexterity but not neuroanatomical measures of language-related circuitry.

Analysis of data from 33 longitudinal cohorts from low- and middle-income countries indicates that conditions during pre-conception, pregnancy and the first few months of life are crucial in determining the risk of growth faltering in young children.

Data on the richness and composition of the skin microbiome from 2,349 individual amphibians, representing 205 species across a broad geographic range, is compared with local biotic and abiotic environmental factors.

Production of tagatose, a sugar substitute, by isomerization of galactose suffers from unfavorable enzymatic kinetics, low enzyme stability, and low equilibrium constant. Here, the authors simultaneously overcome these limitations by encapsulating l-arabinose isomerase in permeabilized Lactobacillus plantarum.

The autism spectrum disorders are complex genetic traits characterized by various neurodevelopmental deficits. Here, the authors analyse defective gene family interaction networks in autism cases and healthy controls and identify potential gene family interactions that may contribute to autism aetiology.

Chromatophores in cephalopod skin are known for fast changes in coloration due to light-scattering pigment granules. Here, authors demonstrate structural coloration facilitated by reflectin in sheath cells and offer insights into the interplay between structural and pigmentary coloration elements.

This Analysis compares and contrasts methods for measuring the mechanical properties of cells by applying the different approaches to the same breast cancer cell line.

To facilitate the conversion of maize into biofuels, Shen et al. equip the plant with a thermoregulated intein-modified xylanase that does not compromise yield and allows cell-wall degradation at high temperatures.

Humans rely heavily on non-renewable groundwater, especially to support agricultural production. Like other depletable resources, groundwater extraction is expected to peak and subsequently decline during the twenty-first century, highlighting imminent transformations in the availability and use of water globally.

Concrete is a vital material in meeting present day construction demands. Here, the authors report a computational combinatorial approach to understand how molecular level characteristics influence the mechanical properties of cement hydrates, via screening against distinct defect types.

Single-atom catalysts are of growing importance, but the nature of their structure and reactivity remains under debate. Here, Sykes and co-workers show that single Pt atoms on a well-defined Cu₂O surface are capable of performing low-temperature CO oxidation, and provide data on the binding site and electronic structure of the Pt atoms.

Volumetric additive manufacturing of protein scaffolds has a wide range of possible biomedical applications. Here the authors report on the bioprinting of unmodified silk sericin and silk fibroin inks with shape-memory and tuneable mechanical properties and demonstrate the potential of the inks in different applications.

Jones et al. examine the generalizability of the valence–dominance model of social judgements of faces in 41 countries across 11 world regions. They find evidence of both generalizability and variation, depending on the analytical method.