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Electrolysis of dirty water is an attractive route to clean hydrogen, but fluctuating surface pH quickly ruins electrodes. Here, the authors report an ion-selective polymer gate that steadies surface pH, bars harmful ions and lets seawater-fed cells run 1500 h with pure-water durability.

Single-cell RNA sequencing and assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing profiling of human retinal samples from diverse ancestries create an epitranscriptomic atlas characterizing over 130 cell types. Integration with genome-wide association study and expression quantitative trait loci data provides further insights into gene regulation and disease etiology.

‘Ultrathin’ gold interlayers are shown to form nanoparticles that balance optical losses and electrical contact, enabling efficient perovskite–perovskite integration for scalable and durable triple-junction photovoltaics.

The mechanism of how different anion dopants influence the catalytic performance for sulfur species is currently lacking systematic theoretical studies. Here, an accurate p-p-s electronic coupling descriptor was proposed as a criterion to guide the design of anion-doped Li-S catalysts.

Copper-based catalysts are preferred for electrochemical CO₂ reduction to hydrocarbons, which however easily undergo structural reconstruction. Here, the authors report a class of reconstruction-resistant copper sites with tunable electronic structures through σ-π dative bonding interaction.

The short Argonaute-based bacterial defence system SPARDA exhibits collateral nuclease activity during phage infection. Here, the authors show that target DNA-induced filament assembly of SPARDA leads to tetramerization and activation of the DREN nuclease domain.

Anode catalysts in proton-exchange-membrane water electrolyzers usually trade activity for stability. Here, the authors report an electronic-structure-tuning strategy that modulates the metal–oxygen redox behavior of RuO₂, yielding a catalyst that is both highly active and durable.

This study identifies adenosine A_2A receptor (A_2AR) signaling in the choroid plexus as a key driver of cerebrospinal fluid hypersecretion and ventriculomegaly in hydrocephalus. Pharmacological or genetic inhibition of choroid plexus A_2AR mitigates disease pathology, highlighting A_2AR antagonism as a promising therapeutic strategy for hydrocephalus.

The most recent common ancestor of the stony coral Scleractinia dates to about 460 million years ago and was probably a solitary, heterotrophic and free-living organism.

Conventional propylene oxide production relies on hazardous oxidants and high energy input. Here, the authors report a triazole-chelated silver catalyst that electro-oxidizes propylene in water, achieving platinum-level current and efficiency with thirty-fold cheaper metal.

Aqueous-hydrotrope hybrid liquid electrolyte solutions enable overcoming the electrochemical stability window and operational temperature limits of aqueous electrolyte solutions in secondary zinc-based batteries, also improving the battery performance.

Chen et al. identify a brain-to-bone communication axis whereby extracellular vesicles from aged brain neurons transport WDFY1 protein to distal bone, driving bone-fat imbalance and promoting osteoporosis.

Subduction of sediment, derived from weathered continental crust, can enrich the mantle in critical metals and volatiles. Melting of such enriched mantle produces alkaline magmas that may form major rare-earth deposits.

Low temperature is a major factor limiting productivity in rice. Here the authors show that theCTB4a gene confers cold tolerance to japonicavarieties adapted to cold habitats at the booting stage of development, and propose that CTB4a acts via an interaction with the beta subunit of ATP synthase.

Whole-exome sequencing analyses in a cohort of 2,140 participants with female infertility after recurrent in vitro fertilization, coupled with functional analyses, identified genes associated with oocyte and early embryo competence defects.

Iron metal batteries are hindered by poor reversibility and hydrogen evolution. Here, authors introduce a urea-based hydrotrope to create a high-concentration ferrous sulfate electrolyte, enabling stable, dendrite-free cycling and advancing cost-effective, sustainable energy storage.

Sulfide solid electrolytes show potential for safer, higher-performance batteries, but costly Li₂S precursors hinder commercial adoption. Here, authors develop a scalable, potentially eco-friendly Li₂S synthesis method that reduces its production costs, which could facilitate wider deployment of sulfide solid electrolytes.

Peripheral nerve transfer can restore motor functions of the upper limbs after peripheral nerve injuries. Here, the authors developed an implantable multisite optogenetic stimulation system for wireless evaluation of peripheral nerve plexus with sub nerve resolution.

Archaeal membrane lipids have distinct structures but lack comprehensive databases for high-throughput identification. Here, authors present ArchLips, a database containing over 219,348 in silico structures and mass spectra, enabling automated, accurate annotation of archaeal lipids.

The large-scale production of bilirubin has long been a challenge. Here, the authors engineered an in vitro enzymatic cascade through systems-level design, enabling gram-scale synthesis of bilirubin.

H₂O, a primary proton donor, governs CO₂ reduction pathways and regulates selectivity, yet its coordination effects remain elusive. By exploiting the long-range structural order and porosity of crystalline coordination frameworks, this work uncovers how coordinated H₂O influences CO₂ reduction.

Species mixing is known to influence leaf litter decomposition, but its effects on root decomposition remain poorly understood. This study reveals strong non-additive mixing effects in absorptive root decomposition, especially in combinations including ectomycorrhizal species, with implications for soil carbon and nutrient dynamics.

Dysfunctional NK cells contribute to the immune-hostile tumour microenvironment of triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC). Here authors show that NKSM, a micropeptide encoded by the long non-coding RNA UGDH-AS1, is specifically expressed in the intra-tumoral NK cells in TNBC and interferes with their anti-tumour activity.

Two-electron oxygen reduction reaction for hydrogen peroxide electrosynthesis is hindered by slow proton-feeding kinetics. Here, authors report bio-inspired B coordinated Ni-based metal-organic frameworks to accelerate water dissociation, achieving industrial-level hydrogen peroxide production.

Using sacrificial salts to enhance sodium-ion batteries is hampered by practical issues. Here, authors demonstrate a solvent-free dry-processing method that ensures complete salt decomposition for major gains in energy density and lifespan.

Lithium metal batteries are restricted by their low safety and poor electrochemical performance. Here, authors present a flame-retardant electrolyte with weakly coordinating dichloroalkane diluents, demonstrating application potential in safer lithium metal batteries in the −60 to +60 °C temperature range.

Global air connectivity shapes where multinational firms locate subsidiaries, especially in knowledge-intensive sectors, by reducing coordination frictions. Eigenvector centrality emerges as the strongest predictor of a city’s attractiveness for foreign investment.

A modular nanobody-based approach assembles combination vaccines by stably attaching diverse antigens to hepatitis E virus-like particles, preserving native immunogenicity and inducing broad protection against respiratory pathogens.

The relationship between interacting sites and catalytic mechanisms in single-atom catalysts remains unclear. Here a support engineering strategy is used to tune the binding strength between single-metal atoms and the support, optimizing active Cu sites and enhancing CH₄ formation.

The magnitude of the increase in global river flow between 1980 and 2014 is 13.6% lower than Earth system models estimate and is expected to be 9.3% lower in the future, according to an analysis of emerging constraints on the components of the water cycle.

An electrostatic-repulsion-enabled advanced transfer technique based on ammonia solution is introduced for separating van der Waals thin-film materials from their substrates, demonstrating suitability for its use in the complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) industry.

Achieving wireless and high charge density neural stimulation remains challenging. To address this issue, the authors develop a sonocapacitor from piezoelectric-dielectric composite nanospheres and two-dimensional cellulose.

A nanoengineered, zero-volume-change, complete-sealing Li-based composite electrode, comprising multilayer reduced graphene oxide and zinc oxide, is developed, achieving Li plating/stripping Coulombic efficiencies of ≥99.99%.

Population genomics has primarily focused on sequence polymorphisms rather than gene expression diversity. Here, the conduct RNA-seq for 328 common wheat lines to investigate the role of gene expression variation in shaping agronomic traits and their contributions to modern wheat improvement.

Liu et al. report Chinese normative lifespan brain charts showing later neurodevelopmental milestones than those detected in Western cohorts. Individual deviations from these norms are valuable in assessing clinical risk and outcomes.

The charge transport properties of organic semiconductors limit their low-dose X-ray imaging capability. Here, authors report 3D 4-methyl hydroxybenzoate for enhanced π-π stacking, achieving stable X-ray detection with detection limit of 4.22 nGy_air s⁻¹ and high-resolution imaging at 1.6 lp mm⁻¹.

Solar hydrogen peroxide production is hampered by a chemical conflict: the high oxygen levels needed for one reaction inhibit the other. Here, the authors assemble nanoscale oxygen traps selectively on reduction sites, creating ideal local environments to boost H₂O₂ yield.

The authors propose a universal descriptor for thermal conductivity based solely on the atomic number in the primitive cell and sound velocity, enabling rapid and scalable materials screening.

Yuan et al. report pyrrodiazole additives for simultaneous immobilizing of lead iodide and formamidinium iodide during slot-die coating perovskite films in air, ensuring consistent growth rate for upper and lower layers of the film, leading to certified efficiency of 20.3% for 10 cm × 10 cm solar modules.

Microgravity triggers carotid artery aging via SREBP1. This lipid regulator remodels chromatin by boosting acetyl-CoA, silencing contractile genes while activating aging pathways. Targeting SREBP1 blocks senescence, revealing a therapeutic strategy for spaceflight-associated vascular remodeling.

Many premalignant colorectal polyps in familial adenomatous polyposis arise polyclonally rather than from a single mutated cell, showing diverse early evolutionary trajectories that frequently occur without clonal APC or KRAS driver events.