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Spin defects in 2D materials offer practical advantages for quantum sensing over their 3D counterparts. Here, the authors demonstrate quantum sensing under high pressure using boron vacancy centers in hBN placed inside a diamond anvil cell and use it to detect both stress gradient inside the pressure chamber and pressure-induced magnetic phase transitions.

Commonly used opioids for pain management primarily target the mu opioid receptor. However, mu opioid receptor agonists often come with harmful side effects. Here, the authors report the results of two phase 3 trials of HSK21542 (anrikefon), a highly selective activator of peripheral kappa opioid receptor agonists, for postoperative pain treatment following abdominal surgery.

Disulfide bonds are widely found in nature and are prevalent in therapeutic contexts due to their dynamic nature. Here, the authors disclose a click chemistry protocol to convert thiols to disulfides using SO₂F₂, and show its application in aqueous contexts, in flow, and for polymerizations.

Deformation twinning, a key deformation mechanism that is rarely explored in superhard materials, is shown to be activated in cubic boron nitride and other cubic covalent materials under a loading-specific twinning criterion.

A bulk ceramic composed of interlocked boron nitride nanoplates with a laminated structure of twist-stacked nanoslices is created using hot-pressing and spark plasma sintering, which exhibits large elastic and plastic deformability and high strength at room temperature.

Genome evolution of Allium genus and genomic basis underlying the pungency flavor formation remain poorly understood. Here, the authors assemble the genome of bunching onion and conduct population genetics analyses to reveal Allium genome evolution, flavor formation and domestication history.

A paddle-like self-stirring nanoreactor system with spatially isolated multifunctional components is successfully constructed. The rotation–revolution pattern enhances the internal and reverse dual-dynamic diffusion processes, thus effectively boosting the cascade efficiency.

Na₃Ni₂BiO₆ with a honeycomb lattice is found to host a one-third magnetization plateau phase signifying frustrated interactions and indicates that Kitaev interactions can be realized in high-spin magnets.

The mechanisms by which tillandsioids adapt to elevated aerial habitats remain largely unexplored. Here, the authors report their evolution and link life history, diversification, comparative genomic, and functional changes to processes underlying the unique biology of air plants.

In situ composites consisting of nanodiamond homogeneously dispersed in disordered multilayer graphene with incoherent interfaces and complex bonding are synthesized that exhibit an ultrahigh hardness and compressive strength, and excellent electrical conductivity.

Transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1) has been shown to be upregulated in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Here the authors report that TfR1 can be targeted in hypoxic NPC lesions using ferritin nanozymes.

Fast charging of electrochemical energy storage devices in under 10 minutes is desired but difficult to achieve in Li-ion batteries. Here, authors present an ampere-hour-scale potassium-ion hybrid capacitor, combining the merits of a battery and capacitor, and demonstrate a 6-minute charging time.

We report atomic observations of six incoherent twin boundary configurations and structural transitions in diamond at room temperature, showing a dislocation-mediated mechanism different from metallic systems and shedding new light on grain boundary behaviour.

The discovery of graphite–diamond hybrid carbon, Gradia, which consists of graphite and diamond nanodomains interlocked through coherent interfaces, clarifies the long-standing mystery of how graphite turns into diamond.

The poor structural stability of cathode materials is responsible for the rapid capacity loss of sodium-ion batteries during cycling. This work addresses the instability by introducing vacancies into the transition metal layers and realize long-life pouch cells.

Layered oxide cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries often experience irreversible phase transitions and structural instability. Now researchers have developed a P2-type oxide containing earth-abundant elements, featuring an intergrowth phase structure that enables long-cycle, high-energy sodium-ion batteries.

Mathematical functions can be found throughout nature and have importance for studying the assembly of single particles into branched superstructures. Here, Wedderburn–Etherington number patterns are produced in branched mesoporous silica nanotrees.

Defect modulation and understanding its impact on electrode materials remain challenging. Here, authors introduce twin boundaries into spinel cathode and demonstrate that their presence enables fast lithium ion diffusion.

The hardness, toughness and chemical stability of the well-known superhard material cubic boron nitride have been improved by using a synthesis technique based on specially prepared ‘onion-like’ precursor materials.

Colloidal liquid crystals account for various applications due to the combination of characteristics relevant for liquid crystals and colloids. The authors elaborate the impact of concave geometry on the properties of colloidal liquid crystals for development of functional materials.

Non-pollen palynomorph data from the western-central Nile Delta region indicates the abundant presence of 7,000 year-old animal micro-fossils such as hair and dung, suggesting that early herders were present in the area prior to widespread agriculture.

Here, the authors report the controlled growth of polycrystalline WS₂ films with high density of grain boundaries to realize surface plasmon Hg²⁺ ion sensors exhibiting attomolar sensitivity and enhanced selectivity.

Prokineticin-2 (Prok2) is a secreted protein involved in many physiological processes. Here, the authors show that Prok2 prevents neuronal cell ferroptosis after traumatic brain injury and its administration before cortical injury reduces neuronal degeneration, and motor and cognitive impairments.

Concept and application diagram based on TD-PUF.

Size-scalable ZnO QD scintillators for advanced X-ray imaging.Introduction

Graph neural networks (GNNs) are an important technology for electrical engineering, physics, materials science and biology. This Review discusses how GNNs can help these research fields and how electrical engineering can resolve the technical challenges of GNNs.

Nanotwinned diamond synthesized with onion carbon nanoparticles as precursors has much higher hardness and thermal stability than natural diamond; its enhanced hardness is due to the reduced size of its twin structures.

Whole-genome sequencing analysis of the Central Plains Han Chinese population provides important genetic evidence of the population history and dietary adaptations of the East Asian populations.