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Chondrule-like objects and CAIs in the Ryugu samples are early generations of chondrules and possibly oldest solids in the Solar System. They were transported from the inner solar nebula to the formation location of the Ryugu original parent body.

A common problem with double C–H activation/cross-coupling is the formation of homocoupled products. Here, the authors show that an ionic group on one reagent during Fe catalysed cross-couplings can lead to a clearly defined order of C–H activation and hence the avoidance of homocoupled side-products.

Molecular transport through nanoscale pores is important in many areas of science, but it is difficult to obtain information about the molecules as they pass through the pore. Now it has been shown that imaging with a transmission electron microscope can be used to observe the structure and orientation of a hydrocarbon chain as it passes through a defect in the wall of a carbon nanotube, and also to study how the chain interacts with the nanopore.

Electron holography discovered nonmagnetic framboids and many iron nanoparticles with a vortex magnetic flux formed by magnetite reduction due to a micrometeoroid impact on asteroid Ryugu, providing a new way to study the Solar System magnetic field.

Metal–π interactions typically hinder metal-catalysed C–H functionalization reactions involving large π-conjugated systems. Now, an iron-catalysed aza-annulation method, employing a bulky trisphosphine ligand and an aluminium base, proves efficient for large π-extended substrates, holding promise for electronic materials discovery.

Thin film organic solid-state lasers are low-cost flexible devices which require efficient, stable, colour-tunable, solution-processable materials. Here, the authors show that oligo(p-phenylenevinylene)s simultaneously possess all such properties, as demonstrated by their use in laser devices.

Mechanistic details on how a molecular crystal nucleates on a surface remain limited because it is difficult to probe rare events at the molecular scale. Now, single-molecule real-time transmission electron microscopy shows that a single-molecule template on the surface of carbon nanohorns can nucleate the crystallization of two organic compounds, and that the mechanism is reminiscent of a two-step nucleation process in solution.

The coupling of substituted thiophenes is central to the synthesis of conducting polymers but relies on costly Pd-catalysed cross-couplings. Here, Earth-abundant iron and aluminium are shown to catalyse a regioselective thienyl C–H/C–H dimerization, enabling the synthesis of an array of π-conjugated polythiophenes.

Limited oxidative weathering of crustal sulfide before the Gowganda glaciation suggests low atmospheric oxygen levels persisted long before the final Huronian glaciation, according to a geochemical and isotopic analysis of the upper Espanola and Serpent formations in Canada.

Numerous techniques have been used to study the crystallization process of metal-organic frameworks, but little is known about their prenucleation clusters. Here the authors use single-molecule atomic-resolution real-time electron microscopic video imaging to identify prenucleation clusters in the synthesis of MOF-2 and MOF-5.

Non-flammable high-performance electrolytes are in high demand for rechargeable batteries. Here the authors design cyclic phosphate-based electrolytes to enable stable operations of graphite anodes and high-voltage cathodes for lithium-ion batteries.

Well-resolved images of small molecules and their motions can be obtained with high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. It has now been shown that this technique can also be used to visualize individual chemical reactions involving the dimerization of fullerenes and metallo-fullerenes trapped inside carbon nanotubes by monitoring how the positions of their atoms change over time.

The relationship between electron-transfer properties and the structure of molecular electronics is still not fully understood. Now, a rigid and flat molecular wire has been shown to significantly enhance the rate of electron transfer compared with conventional flexible molecular wires. This enhancement is attributable to both conjugation-induced electronic coupling and inelastic electron tunnelling-enabled electron–vibration coupling.

Visualizing single-molecule reactions using electron microscopy can be difficult because of potential radiation damage from the electron beam. Now, however, it has been shown that a high-energy electron beam can be used to synthesize metallo-azafullerenes. Atomic-resolution, time-resolved transmission electron microscopy, with the help of computational calculations, is used to monitor the metal-encapsulation dynamics.

Oestrogen receptor-α (ERα) signalling has a role in breast cancer drug resistance. Here, the authors report a synthetic peptide that disrupts the interaction between the signalling molecules BIG3 and PHB2, and thereby suppresses tamoxifen resistance.

Myasthenia Gravis and thymoma are frequently associated with patients suffering from both diseases. Here the authors perform single cell sequencing of thymoma and find that there are autoimmune antigens such as neuromuscular proteins expressed aberrantly in neuromuscular mTECs in patients with both diseases.

The issues associated with the supply of rare-earth metals are a vivid reminder to all of us that natural resources are limited. Japan's Element Strategy Initiative is a good example of a long-term strategy towards the sustainable use of scarce elements.

Elimination of regulatory T cells via the anti-CCR4 monoclonal antibody, mogamulizumab, is expected to augment anti-tumour immune response. Authors show here that although regulatory T cell targeting is successful, clinical improvement remains minimal in patients with solid tumours due to concomitant and unintended depletion of central memory CD8⁺ T cells.

P2X receptors are nonselective cation channels that are gated by extracellular ATP. Here the authors present the crystal structure of chicken P2X7 with its bound competitive antagonist TNP-ATP and give mechanistic insights into TNP-ATP dependent inhibition through further computational analysis and electrophysiology measurements.

RIN has long been considered a major regulator for ripening induction in tomato as rin mutants fail to ripen. Now, a study shows that the rin allele is a gain-of-function, rather than null, mutation. RIN is not required for ripening initiation.

Hosen et al. identify an active conformation of integrin beta-7 as a cancer-associated antigen in multiple myeloma, and engineer a CAR-T cell that shows efficacy against MM in a mouse model. These findings describe the first conformation-specific CAR-T cell and highlight the potential of conformational targets in cancer immunotherapy.

Masato Kasuga and colleagues and Shiro Maeda and colleagues each report the independent identification of SNPs in KCNQ1 associated with type 2 diabetes in the Japanese population. Each group replicated the associations in other populations of East Asian and European descent.

Using more than 100 independent iPSC lines derived from patients with Alzheimer’s disease, the authors discovered loci associated with the neuronal production of amyloid β and confirmed their influence using RNA interference.