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This study finds that plastic mulch substantially increases crop yields but also contaminates soils and pollutes the environment. The authors propose biodegradable films, AI-driven farming, and policy reforms to address the productivity–sustainability trade-offs.

Wastewater treatment plants harbour extensive but poorly characterized microbial genetic diversity. Using 828 metagenomes from wastewater treatement plants globally, this study reconstructs >24,000 metagenome-assembled genomes, including >12,000 new species, providing a genome-resolved framework for understanding and engineering activated sludge functions.

Controlling the hydrothermal reaction kinetics during the fabrication of Sb₂(S,Se)₃ solar cells is challenging. Chen Qian et al. show that sodium sulfide buffers the pH and allows a controlled release of Se, enabling a certified efficiency of 10.7%.

Photovoltaics based on kesterite materials have now achieved 15% efficiency after remaining at lower levels for years. In this Review, Jimenez-Arguijo et al. explore the critical roles of precursor chemistry and the formation pathway in enabling performance improvements in these complex multinary semiconductors.

Analyses of Chang’e-6 samples from the lunar farside reveal high water contents and low δD values, with comparisons to other lunar samples suggesting that solar-wind-implanted surface water varies with latitude and regolith maturity.

Four receptor-like cytoplasmic kinases (RLCKs) phosphorylate guanine nucleotide exchange factors (RopGEFs), filling a critical gap in the signalling pathway connecting cell surface auxin and RHO GTPases (ROPs) in Arabidopsis.

Na_V1.3 is involved in neuronal development, hormone secretion and pain perception. Here, the authors elucidate the molecular mechanism for modulation of Na_V1.3 by a site-2 neurotoxin bulleyaconitine A and a subtype selective antagonist ICA121431.

The performance of kesterite solar cells is limited by the formation of secondary phases and defects during the growth of their photovoltaic absorbers. New research shows that a tailored partial pressure of selenium leads to less-defective kesterite without the formation of intermediate phases, enabling 13.8%-efficiency solar cells.

The power conversion efficiency of wide-bandgap pure-sulfide kesterite is low. Wang et al. propose annealing in a hydrogen-containing atmosphere and report the underlying mechanism that enables a certified efficiency of 11.4%.

SERS spectroscopy critically relies on the accumulation of analyte molecules in electromagnetic ‘hotspots’. Here, the authors demonstrate plasmonic trimers with central particles that act as chemical traps, enabling the subtyping of lung tumors using fresh tissue samples.

CaV1.2 is crucial in cardiac, vascular and neuronal function, serving as a target for many drugs. Here, authors identify the binding site of herb-derived drug tetrandrine, and explore inhibitory mechanism of L/T-type selective DHP drug benidipine.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) are clinically heterogeneous, with varying degrees of aggressiveness. Here, the authors describe the genomic and transcriptomic landscape of 117 GISTs from 105 patients; they find four molecular subtypes as well as recurrent inactivating YLPM1 mutations in high-risk/metastatic GIST.

In this phase 3 trial, first-line treatment of patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma with anti-PD-1 finotonlimab plus cisplatin plus 5-fluorouracil (C5F) prolonged overall survival compared with placebo plus C5F.

The performance of kesterite solar cells is limited by charge carrier losses, and the underlying mechanisms are unclear. By means of an integrated experimental and modelling framework, Li et al. identify the dominant loss mechanism in charge recombination at grain boundaries.

The addition of DDT to the spiro-OMeTAD hole transport material enhances the stability of perovskite solar cells to humidity, heat and illumination stress. Fabricated devices exhibit a champion certified power conversion efficiency of 23.1%. Also, the devices could retain 90% of the initial efficiency after 1,000 h of continuous illumination, 97% under moisture stress for 530 h and 91% under 144 h of heat stress.

This study finds that during acute viral infection of the CNS, meningeal lymphatic vessels (MLVs) can transport virus from the CNS to draining cervical lymph nodes. VEGF-C-induced expansion of functional MLVs facilitated virus clearance.

Antimony chalcogenides are emerging photovoltaic materials, yet difficulties in fabricating high-quality films limit device performance. We show that hydrothermal synthesis affords good morphology and reduced defects in antimony selenosulfide films, enabling solar cells with an efficiency of 10%.

The emerging kesterite Cu₂ZnSnS₄ solar cell offers a potential low-cost, non-toxic, materially abundant platform for next-generation photovoltaics, yet its efficiency has been mired below 10%. Yan et al. now use post-heat treatment of the heterojunction to show device efficiencies that surpass 10%.

The WalKR signal transduction system is involved in extracellular signal recognition, but the details of this function are not well established. Here, the authors report the crystal structure of this two-component system alongside the characterisation of a small-molecule activator.

Myocardial infarction (MI) is the most common emergent manifestation of cardiovascular diseases. Here, the authors designed a nanomedicine that can reprogram MI microenvironment by converting the detrimental substances (H+, ROS and hypoxia) into beneficial elements (O2 and H2O), as such demonstrates promising potential for the clinical application.

Diagnosis of gastric cancer currently requires gastroscopic biopsy, which requires time and expertize to perform. Here, the authors demonstrate a femto-SRS imaging method which showed high accuracy in diagnosing gastric cancer without the need for pathologistbased diagnosis.

Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are remnants of ancient viruses embedded in animal DNA. This study found that the solitary long terminal repeats of ERVs in birds, particularly Passeriformes, have evolved to influence gene expression, potentially contributing to adaptive diversification of species.

MXene materials are regarded as versatile catalysts for multi-energy utilization, however, designing a single system for multiple energy harvesting applications is challenging. Here, the authors theoretically and experimentally validate the utilization of multiple energy sources by MXene materials.

The RIG-I-MAVS signalling pathway plays an important role in sensing virus infection. Here the authors identify the ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes Ube2D3 and Ube2N as essential for RIG-I activation and define their roles in mediating MAVS aggregation.

This study maps the single-axon projections of 7,180 hypothalamic peptidergic neurons in male mice and uncovers extensive collateralization, topographic target innervation and modular intra-hypothalamic organization.

Silicon heterojunction solar cells are expected to increase their market share in the near future. Qu et al. identify an embedded nanotwin structure at the crystalline silicon/hydrogenated amorphous silicon interface of silicon heterojunction cells that limits the device performance and devise an approach to suppress its formation.

Here, using a mouse model of chronic stress, the authors investigate how diet impacts stress and gut microbial structure and epithelial integrity and show that dietary raffinose metabolism to fructose couples stress-induced gut microbial remodeling to intestinal stem cell renewal and epithelial homeostasis.

Scorpions have maintained the primary anatomical features of their Paleozoic arthropod ancestors. Here, the authors report the genome sequence of Mesobuthus martensiiand highlight evidence of genetic and morphological evolution that represents a unique adaptation model of arthropods.

Over 8% efficient ultrathin kesterite Cu₂ZnSnS₄ (CZTS) solar cells have been developed by interface reaction route controlling and self-organized nanopattern at the back contact. An ultrathin dielectric Al₂O₃ intermediate layer is inserted into the Mo/CZTS interface to inhibit the detrimental interfacial reaction between CZTS and Mo, and then turns into a self-organized nanopatterning with opening for electrical contact. The typical issues of phase segregation and voids at the back contact region therefore can be addressed, which reduces back contact recombination and improves the device performance. A 7.6% efficiency world record for 1 cm² CZTS solar cells also has been achieved by this interface modification.

Huang, Qin, Shang et al. profile double-strand breaks (DSBs) generated by C-to-G base editors (CGBEs) and find that HMCES protects abasic sites and reduces CGBE-triggered DSBs.

Ferroelectricity in solar cells can improve charge carrier separation and provide higher than bandgap device voltages. Here, first-principles calculations in strained BaZrS3 reveal ferroelectricity and exotic properties akin to halide perovskites for photovoltaics applications.