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The sustainable synthesis of carbohydrates from CO₂ is challenging due to the complexity of controlled CO₂ reduction. Here a two-step method for the sustainable synthesis of C₅₊ carbohydrates is reported. CO₂ is initially fixed into hydroxymethanesulfonate, which is then used as a formaldehyde surrogate in a formose reaction to synthesize C₅₊ carbohydrates.

Electrocatalytic co-reduction of CO₂ and NO₃ ^- for urea synthesis is constrained by low efficiency. Here, the stable Cu^δ+ active sites, regulated by an analogous rectifying interface effect, not only enhanced the critical C-N coupling dynamics but also enabled high-performance urea synthesis.

The process by which life arose using information from the prebiotic environment and inherent molecular reactivity is unclear. Now, it has been shown that systems of chemical reactions exhibit well-defined self-organization in varying environments, providing a potential mechanism for chemical evolution processes that bridge the gap between prebiotic building blocks and life’s origin.

Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is an eco-friendly oxidizer and a promising energy carrier, but it is primarily synthesized through the energy-intensive anthraquinone process. Here sustainable and unassisted electrochemical H₂O₂ production coupled to glycerol oxidation is reported, operating without an external bias or solar energy input.

A complete understanding of the competing reaction pathways in methanol conversion over zeolites remains elusive. Here the authors explore a Brønsted acid site (BAS)-mediated Meerwein–Ponndorf–Verley (MPV) reduction pathway within ZSM-5 zeolites, facilitating the conversion of acetaldehyde to ethene.

A sustainable two-step strategy for oxime synthesis in a neutral KHCO₃ medium is reported. Free-state NH₂OH is initially synthesized via nitrite electroreduction over a Ketjen-black-supported iron phthalocyanine catalyst, followed by a chemical aldehyde or ketone oximation using the electrochemically synthesized NH₂OH.

Aqueous formaldehyde is an attractive hydrogen storage system due to the high weight percentage of hydrogen present. Here the authors report a highly active homogeneous ruthenium catalyst system, allowing hydrogen production from formaldehyde-water under mild conditions.

Hydrogen production by electrocatalytic water splitting is limited by the sluggish evolution kinetics of low value-oxygen. Here, authors show concurrent electrolytic productions of H₂ and glycerol oxidation to formate by utilizing Ni-Mo-N/CFC electro-catalyst as both anodic and cathodic catalysts.

Solar-driven artificial food synthesis from CO₂ provides an approach to overcome the limitations of natural photosynthesis, but it is very challenging. Here, the authors report a hybrid electrocatalytic-biocatalytic flow system, coupling photovoltaics-powered electrocatalysis (CO₂ to formate) with a five enzyme cascade platform (formate to sugar), which achieves conversion of CO₂ to C6 sugar (L-sorbose) with a solar-to-food energy conversion efficiency of 3.5%.

Synthesizing superstructures with precisely controlled nanoscale building blocks is challenging. Here the assembly of superstructures is reported from atomically precise Ce₂₄O₂₈(OH)₈ and other rare-earth metal-oxide nanoclusters and their multicomponent combinations. A high-temperature ligand-switching mechanism controls the self-assembly.

While the reduction of CO₂ to specific products offers a valuable approach mitigating gas emissions, it is challenging to control the formation of crucial intermediates. Here, authors report a strategy to promote the formation of oxygen-bound intermediates and boost the methanol production.

Plastic upcycling to value-added products is of great interests. Here the authors investigate a nickel-cobalt phosphide electrocatalyst for electroreforming of polyethylene terephthalate plastic toward valuable potassium diformate, terephthalic acid, and H₂ fuel.

The interfacing of Cu with nitrogen-doped nanodiamond enables the electrocatalytic production of C₂ oxygenates from CO₂ with promising stability.

Selective cleavage of C-C bonds is very important in organic chemistry, but remains challenging because of their inert chemical nature. Here, the authors report that Zn²⁺ coordinated with N species on N-doped carbon catalysts can catalyze the aerobic oxidative cleavage and esterification of C(CO)-C bonds with high efficiency and activity.

The molecular interplay between metabolic and synaptic functions of astrocytes is underexplored. Here, the authors show that astrocyte cannabinoid type-1 receptors integrate lactate and D-serine signaling to promote NMDA receptor-dependent cognition.

The bacterium Helicobacter pylori, often found in the human stomach, can be classified into distinct subpopulations associated with the geographic origin of the host. Here, the authors provide insights into H. pylori population structure by collecting over 1,000 clinical strains from 50 countries and generating and analyzing high-quality bacterial genome sequences.

CO₂ hydrogenation is promising for the conversion of waste CO₂ emissions into value-added chemicals. This Review examines the atomic-level design of heterogeneous catalysts with precise active sites and related catalytic reaction engineering for tuning CO₂ hydrogenation selectivity.

Huntington’s disease is caused by mutation in the HTT gene. Here, the authors screen for suppressors of mutant HTT-induced toxicity, identifying Mtf1. Mtf1 reduced oxidative stress and cell death in stem cells, and motor defects and protein aggregates in mouse models.

The small molecule GS-6207, which disrupts the function of the HIV capsid protein, shows potential as a long-acting therapeutic agent for the treatment and prevention of HIV infection.

2I/Borisov is the first interstellar comet we know to have visited the Solar System, and the second interstellar visitor after ‘Oumuamua. Initial observations with the William Herschel Telescope and Gemini North Telescope reveal cometary features indistinguishable from Solar System comets, apart from its hyperbolic orbit.

The histone methyltransferase DOT1L and the chromatin reader BRD4 together facilitate transcription of genes critical to the molecular pathogenesis of MLL leukemia.

The macroalgae Sargassum has grown for centuries in the oligotrophic North Atlantic supported by natural nutrient sources and cycling. Here the authors show that changes in tissue nutrient contents since the 1980s reflect global anthropogenic nitrogen enrichment, causing blooms in the wider Atlantic basin.

The periodic system was formulated in the 1860s by analysing order and similarities among chemical elements, but it is unclear how the exponentially growing chemical space has affected the periodic system. Here, evolution of the chemical space between 1800 and 2021 is analyzed, and it is shown that the system converged towards its current stable structure through six historical stages.

Membranous nephropathy (MN) is a rare autoimmune disease of podocyte-directed antibodies, such as anti-phospholipase A2 receptor. Here, the authors report a genome-wide association study for MN and identify two previously unreported loci encompassing the NFKB1 and IRF4 genes and additional ancestry-specific effects.