Nature (Nature) | Latest Research

Abstract In transiting planetary systems, in which planetary sizes are accurately determined from transit observations, the presence of transit-timing variations1 (TTVs), especially when combined with radial velocity (RV) data, provides powerful constraints on masses and orbital eccentricities. Tog

A mosaic of whole-body representations on the human precentral gyrus

Abstract Understanding how the body is represented in the motor cortex is key to understanding how the brain controls movement. Although the motor cortex has been mapped in animal models at a fine scale1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10, characterization in humans remains primarily limited to low-resolution reco

Probing picometre-scale interlayer deformations via hyperbolic polaritons

Abstract The resilience of van der Waals (vdW) materials to large strain fields makes them an ideal platform for tuning electronic, optical and magnetic properties1,2,3,4. Although in-plane strain is readily mapped, non-invasive and quantitative characterization of out-of-plane strain remains a for

A 98-qubit trapped-ion quantum computer with all-to-all connectivity

Abstract Quantum computers require both high-fidelity operations and large qubit numbers to surpass classical capabilities1. Trapped-ion platforms have demonstrated the highest gate fidelities of any modality2,3,4,99.99% fidelity without ground-state cooling. Preprint at https://ar

Cortical development dynamics across autism spectrum disorder mouse models

Abstract Despite the functional diversity of over 100 causal genes1,2,3, phenotypic convergence across models may reveal common neurobiological processes in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Here we profiled 251 samples from 11 monogenic mouse models of ASD using single-nucleus multi-omic sequencing

Mapping the neuronal building blocks of human language with language models

Abstract Humans can convey new and highly diverse information through language. This ability to form and combine words into elaborate phrases and sentences enables us to express inexhaustible meanings and is fundamental to human cognition1,2,3,4,5. However, understanding the microscopic cellular bu

Towards Conversational AI for Disease Management

Abstract While large language models (LLMs) have shown promise in diagnostic dialogue1, their capabilities for effective management reasoning—including disease progression, therapeutic response, and safe medication prescription—remain under-explored. We advance the previously demonstrated diagnosti

Fast formation to reinforce lithium-rich cathodes

Abstract Formation in lithium-ion battery manufacturing typically involves low-rate charge–discharge cycles to establish stable electrode–electrolyte interfaces—a time-consuming process1,2,3,4. Here, our findings on lithium-rich layered oxide cathodes challenge the necessity of conventional formati

A prototype differential atom interferometer for fundamental physics

Abstract Gravitational waves and ultralight dark matter are among the most compelling frontiers in fundamental physics, motivating proposals for very-long-baseline atom interferometerssuch as AION1, MAGIS2, AICE3 and AEDGE4 that aim to detect at frequencies at which ground-based5 and space-borne6 l

Optical fibre gripper for high-performance 3D micromanipulation

Abstract Optical tweezers offer precise, non-contact control, but operate in a limited force regime and impose strict requirements on the characteristics of the targets as well as the environmental conditions1,2,3,4. Millimetre-scale mechanical tweezers can offer higher gripping force but are not s

Towards autonomous medical artificial intelligence agents

Abstract Large language models (LLMs) show great potential for clinical decision-making, yet most applications remain narrow, task-specific chat tools rather than systems integrated into clinical workflows1,2. However, building physician copilots will require models that operate within the electron

Analysis of 173,303 exomes and genomes in the Pakistan Genome Resource

Abstract Naturally occurring loss-of-function variants in human genes enable drug target discovery because they mimic pharmacological inhibition of proteins. However, the study of these genetic variants is constrained by their rarity. Sequencing of diverse populations, particularly those enriched i

Molecular basis of polyadenylated RNA fate determination in the nucleus

Abstract Eukaryotic genomes generate a plethora of polyadenylated (pA+) RNAs1,2, which are packaged into ribonucleoprotein particles (RNPs). To ensure faithful gene expression, functional pA+ RNPs, including protein-coding RNPs, are exported to the cytoplasm, whereas transcripts within non-function

A blastoporal organizer in a ctenophore

Abstract In an iconic experiment in 1924, Hilde Mangold and Hans Spemann established that the dorsal blastopore lip of amphibian embryos functions as an organizer and induces a secondary body axis when transplanted into a host embryo1. This discovery demonstrated that specific embryonic regions can

Revealing competitive interfacial reactions in high-energy Li–S batteries

Abstract Charge transfer at solid–liquid interfaces plays a critical role in various energy-storage systems1, particularly under dynamically varying reactant concentrations. Deciphering these intricate reaction pathways remains a substantial challenge, notably in lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries, in

Confined migration induces non-lethal DNA damage in developing neurons

Abstract Migratory cells tend to have soft nuclei that deform and penetrate narrow spaces1,2. Extensive nuclear deformation during migration can cause nuclear-envelope rupture and DNA damage in cancer cells, which may contribute to malignant transformation during tumour progression3,4,5,6. However,

Lethal plague outbreaks in Lake Baikal hunter-gatherers 5,500 years ago

Abstract Plague is among the most devastating diseases in human history1. However, early strains of the plague-causing bacterium Yersinia pestis lacked virulence factors that are required for the bubonic form until around 3,800 years ago2,3. Consequently, the morbidity and mortality of early plague

Rock weathering can counteract river CO2 emissions induced by permafrost thaw

Abstract Climate-induced permafrost thaw unlocks large stores of organic carbon that are mineralized and emitted as carbon dioxide (CO2) from rivers to the atmosphere1. Concurrently, warming and permafrost thaw can increase mineral weathering rates, thus affecting the release and sequestration of i

Structure of the pre-initiation complex explains CMGE biogenesis

Abstract When cells enter S phase, bidirectional DNA replication is initiated through the kinase-regulated recruitment of three activators (Cdc45, GINS and Pol ε) to a duplex-DNA-loaded double hexamer of minichromosome maintenance (MCM) ATPases. Together, these proteins form two CMGE helicases that

Spatial distribution of the proteome in the human body and in cancers

Abstract A detailed, spatially resolved quantitative map of the human proteome is essential for a deeper understanding of human biology and disease1,2,3,4. Here we present a comprehensive human proteomic landscape, generated by profiling more than 13,000 proteins across 2,856 samples using data-ind

Nanocrystal-tailored recombination for all-perovskite tandem solar modules

9 days ago

Abstract The commercialization of all-perovskite tandem solar modules is hindered by the reliance on the conventional gold-based tunnel recombination junction (TRJ)1,2. Specifically, this TRJ introduces substantial near-infrared parasitic absorption3 and suffers from interfacial instability4, limit

Structural basis for chaperone-guided assembly of RNA-induced silencing complex

Abstract The RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC), comprising an Argonaute (AGO) protein and a small RNA, is the central effector in RNA silencing. Small RNAs are loaded onto AGO as bulky duplexes in an HSP70- and HSP90-dependent process1,2,3, but the molecular mechanism remains poorly understood.

A 5.3-million-year-old deep-sea whale necropolis in the Diamantina Zone

Abstract Whale falls are biodiversity oases at seabeds1,2,3,4,5,6, yet their record from the oceans has remained sparse and fragmentary6,7. Here we report the discovery of a vast whale necropolis in the Diamantina Zone (4,616- to 7,001-m depth), extending about 1,200 km along the sea floor of the s

SIRT7 regulates dosage compensation and safeguards the female X chromosome

Abstract Sirtuins are deacetylases implicated in stress responses and longevity in mammals1,2. Although their differential impact on disease for the two sexes has been noted3,4,5,6,7, the underlying reasons are unclear. Here, using Sirt7 as a model in mice, we examine the mechanisms leading to sex

A prognostic human brain network for diffuse midline glioma