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Two-dimensional transition metal carbides and nitrides, known as MXenes, are currently considered as energy storage materials. A generic Lewis acidic etching route for preparing high-rate negative-electrode MXenes with enhanced electrochemical performance in non-aqueous electrolyte is now proposed.

A single-step strategy is reported for the preparation of delaminated MXenes with positively charged surfaces from MAX phases. By combining Lewis acid etching with gas-mediated delamination in deep eutectic solvents, this approach offers a green, scalable and efficient route for MXene synthesis.

As of yet, no clear structure–performance descriptors have been developed to tune the catalytic activity of zeolitic methanol-to-olefin catalysts. Now it has been shown that introducing Lewis acidity into Brønsted acidic zeolites boosts their performance. Although Brønsted acidity is found to define propylene selectivity, Lewis acidity is responsible for prolonging lifetime.

A tissue-engineered esophageal segment is functional in minipigs.

Analysis combining multiple global tree databases reveals that whether a location is invaded by non-native tree species depends on anthropogenic factors, but the severity of the invasion depends on the native species diversity.

Vertical transmission is thought to favour beneficial host–microbe interactions, but these may also be context dependent. Here Bruijning et al. show with a model that variable environments can select for bet-hedging by hosts via imperfect vertical transmission of microbes.

Analysis suggests that to limit global temperature rise, we must slash emissions and invest now to protect, manage and restore ecosystems and land for the future.

A facile and cost-effective synthesis of MXenes is not yet available. Here, the authors propose a one-pot molten salt-based method of MXenes synthesis from elemental precursors in an air atmosphere. Li-ion storage properties of the MXenes are also reported and discussed.

The Amazon faces worsening droughts, yet little is known about large-scale variation in the physiological limits of Amazon trees. Here, the authors reveal family-level conservatism in embolism resistance and estimate that Brazilian and Guiana shield forests are more resistant than Western Amazonia forests.

Lactone monomers for recyclable polyesters are conventionally synthesized via endergonic, non-oxidative dehydrocyclization of fossil-derived diols in the vapor phase over precious-metal catalysts at elevated temperatures. Here, the authors demonstrate a low-temperature, solvent-free, oxidative route to lactones from bio-derivable liquid diols using earth-abundant calcium-copper mixed-metal oxide catalysts.

Baked sediment, heat-shattered artefacts and introduced pyrite in a 400,000-year-old Palaeolithic occupation site in Suffolk, UK provide evidence of intentional fire-making, marking a pivotal moment in human development.

From 2014–2017, marine heatwaves caused global mass coral bleaching, where the corals lose their symbiotic algae. The authors find, this event exceeded the severity of all prior global bleaching events in recorded history, with approximately half the world’s reefs bleaching and 15% experiencing substantial mortality.

Activation of the adenosine receptor A2AR is associated with suppression of T cell function in the tumor microenvironment. To overcome immunosuppression, here the authors show that CRISPR/Cas9 mediated deletion of A2AR enhances CAR T cell effector functions without altering memory or persistence properties, improving CAR-T mediated tumor control in pre-clinical models.

This study examines long-term changes in species richness across tropical forests in the Andes and Amazon. Hotter, drier and more seasonal forests in the eastern and southern Amazon are losing species, while Northern Andean forests are accumulating species, acting as a refuge for climate-displaced species.

Evo 2 is an artificial intelligence-based biological foundation model trained on 9 trillion DNA base pairs spanning all domains of life that predicts functional properties from genomic sequences and provides a rich generative model for researchers in biology.

Magnesium hydride is a potential hydrogen-storage material, but its use is hampered by its high stability and slow hydrogen sorption processes. Dimeric magnesium compounds can act as models for these materials, and it is now shown that they can be easily and reversibly hydrogenated across the magnesium–magnesium bond.

Wide-bandgap perovskite solar cells suffer from instability under rapid thermal cycling. Here, Sun et al. investigate the degradation mechanism, showing that temperature-induced structural strain, phase transition, and increased non-radiative defects drive the degradation processes.

The luminescent and magnetic properties of trivalent lanthanides are indispensable for many emerging technologies, but exacting fine control over these properties requires an understanding of the coordination geometry and site symmetry of Ln³⁺ centres. Here, the authors leverage an analysis of 12,670 eight-coordinate Ln³⁺ centres in the Cambridge Structural Database to prescribe useful strategies for controlling coordination geometry.

Peroxidases have long been considered to use ferryl heme intermediates (Fe(IV) = O) to catalyze oxidative chemistries. Here, Williams et al. find that ferric-oxyl (Fe^III–O^•–) excited states exist along the catalytic reaction coordinate of a peroxidase.

The authors present a deep learning approach to uncover complex genetic effects on circulating protein levels. They reveal new interactions and dominance patterns using UK Biobank proteomics data.

Increased effectiveness of anti-cancer chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy is associated with a stem-like phenotype through increased expression of FOXO1.

High spatial resolution analyses of plagioclase within 3.7–2.8-billion-year-old anorthosites are used to refine strontium isotope models of Earth’s early evolution and imply that large-scale continental growth began relatively late in Earth history.

With the generation of large pan-cancer whole-exome and whole-genome sequencing projects, a question remains about how comparable these datasets are. Here, using The Cancer Genome Atlas samples analysed as part of the Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes project, the authors explore the concordance of mutations called by whole exome sequencing and whole genome sequencing techniques.

The flagship paper of the ICGC/TCGA Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes Consortium describes the generation of the integrative analyses of 2,658 cancer whole genomes and their matching normal tissues across 38 tumour types, the structures for international data sharing and standardized analyses, and the main scientific findings from across the consortium studies.

An analysis of 24,202 critical cases of COVID-19 identifies potentially druggable targets in inflammatory signalling (JAK1), monocyte–macrophage activation and endothelial permeability (PDE4A), immunometabolism (SLC2A5 and AK5), and host factors required for viral entry and replication (TMPRSS2 and RAB2A).

The Grignard reaction represents one of the most powerful carbon-carbon bond forming reactions and is the subject of continual study. Here, the authors report a halide effect on the diastereoselectivity of 1,2-addition reactions to β-hydroxy ketones involving Grignard reagents, serving as a foundation for the rapid production of C4’-modified nucleosides with diversifiable positions at the nucleobase and C4’.

Insufficient oxygen limits the efficacy of cell encapsulation therapies for type 1 diabetes. Here, the authors develop an implantable system that continuously generates oxygen to support high-density islet cell survival and function, enabling diabetes reversal in rats without immunosuppression.

Unlike other halogen atoms, the ability for fluorine to exist in a [C–X–C]⁺ connectivity pattern has only been shown in spectroscopic studies. Here the authors present a single crystal structure of a fluoronium cation, characterized by X-ray diffraction.

A two-coordinate monovalent gold complex that features a highly polarized aluminium–gold covalent bond, Al^δ+–Au^δ−, has been synthesized using a very strongly electron-donating aluminyl ligand. In solution, the complex reacts as a nucleophilic source of gold towards heteroallenes such as carbodiimides and CO₂.

Despite their great diversity, human languages are shaped by recurring grammatical universals. Verkerk et al. show that about one-third of the proposed universals hold cross-linguistically through analyses of the Grambank database.

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are prodrugs that are activated by protonation in the highly acidic environment of the stomach lining. Now, coordination of PPIs to protein-bound zinc ions is revealed as another pathway to PPI activation. Acting as a Lewis acid, the zinc ion facilitates conjugation of the drug to zinc-coordinating cysteine residues.

Vinylidene, (H₂C=C), is a short-lived structural isomer of acetylene. By employing bulky and strongly electron-donating boryl co-ligands, the synthesis of an analogous group 14 vinylidene compound is reported. The digermavinylidene, {(HCDippN)₂B}₂GeGe, (where Dipp = 2,6-ⁱPr₂C₆H₃), is synthesized via oxidation of the corresponding symmetrical Ge⁰ compound K₂[(boryl)GeGe(boryl)].

Identifying jets originating from heavy quarks plays a fundamental role in hadronic collider experiments. In this work, the ATLAS Collaboration describes and tests a transformer-based neural network architecture for jet flavour tagging based on low-level input and physics-inspired constraints.

For the methanol-to-hydrocarbons process, coke build can rapidly deactivate the zeolite catalyst. Here the authors show that the addition of liquid metal gallium can reduce coke deposition and increase catalyst lifetime.

The chemistry of beryllium, one of the periodic table’s lightest elements, remains poorly understood. Now, a nucleophilic beryllium complex with a highly polarized Be–Be bond has been prepared—this compound could be seen as a mixed-oxidation state Be(0)/Be(II) complex. The Be–Be bond is cleaved upon reaction with an organic substrate.

A global network of researchers was formed to investigate the role of human genetics in SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 severity; this paper reports 13 genome-wide significant loci and potentially actionable mechanisms in response to infection.

This study applies a global food and land system modelling framework to quantify the impact of 23 food system measures on 15 outcome indicators related to public health, the environment, social inclusion and the economy—from today until 2050.

Understanding deregulation of biological pathways in cancer can provide insight into disease etiology and potential therapies. Here, as part of the PanCancer Analysis of Whole Genomes (PCAWG) consortium, the authors present pathway and network analysis of 2583 whole cancer genomes from 27 tumour types.

There’s an emerging body of evidence to show how biological sex impacts cancer incidence, treatment and underlying biology. Here, using a large pan-cancer dataset, the authors further highlight how sex differences shape the cancer genome.

Analyses of 2,658 whole genomes across 38 types of cancer identify the contribution of non-coding point mutations and structural variants to driving cancer.

In somatic cells the mechanisms maintaining the chromosome ends are normally inactivated; however, cancer cells can re-activate these pathways to support continuous growth. Here, the authors characterize the telomeric landscapes across tumour types and identify genomic alterations associated with different telomere maintenance mechanisms.

Integrative analyses of transcriptome and whole-genome sequencing data for 1,188 tumours across 27 types of cancer are used to provide a comprehensive catalogue of RNA-level alterations in cancer.

Whole-genome sequencing data from more than 2,500 cancers of 38 tumour types reveal 16 signatures that can be used to classify somatic structural variants, highlighting the diversity of genomic rearrangements in cancer.

Viral pathogen load in cancer genomes is estimated through analysis of sequencing data from 2,656 tumors across 35 cancer types using multiple pathogen-detection pipelines, identifying viruses in 382 genomic and 68 transcriptome datasets.

Analysis of cancer genome sequencing data has enabled the discovery of driver mutations. Here, as part of the ICGC/TCGA Pan-Cancer Analysis of Whole Genomes (PCAWG) Consortium the authors present DriverPower, a software package that identifies coding and non-coding driver mutations within cancer whole genomes via consideration of mutational burden and functional impact evidence.