Nature (Nature) | Latest Research

3 days ago

Abstract Most biological functions are regulated by chiral molecules1 that contain at least one tertiary stereogenic carbon, i.e., a carbon with one C(sp3)–H bond. Hydrogen Atom Transfer (HAT)2 is a straightforward strategy to either edit3 or introduce tertiary stereocenters in multiple synthetical

Passive heart-rate monitoring during smartphone use in everyday life

3 days ago

Abstract Resting heart rate (RHR) is a key biomarker of cardiovascular health and mortality1,2,3, but passively tracking it longitudinally generally requires a wearable device, limiting its availability. Here we present passive heart-rate monitoring (PHRM), a deep-learning system that uses facial v

β-Arrestin condensates regulate G-protein-coupled receptor function

Abstract β-Arrestins 1 and 2 are multifunctional adaptor proteins1 that regulate the signalling of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), the largest class of receptors, which impact nearly all aspects of physiology and are one of the most common drug targets2. Although β-arrestins interact with a wi

Sparse-to-dense coding transformation between hippocampal areas CA3 and CA1

Abstract The hippocampus is crucial for spatial memory and navigation. It contains place cells1,2,3,4,5,6,7: spatially selective neurons found in areas CA1 and CA3—two distinct hippocampal subregions with substantially different anatomical connectivity8. Previous studies have found highly similar s

Darkness and body size shaped end-Cretaceous marine extinction patterns

Abstract The Chicxulub asteroid impact at the Cretaceous–Paleogene (K–Pg) boundary (66 Ma) is thought to have caused the extinction of around 75% of species in the fossil record by triggering catastrophic environmental changes1. However, despite decades of research, the mechanisms linking the envir

Human haematopoietic stem cells remember inflammatory stress

Abstract Inflammation activates blood cells, contributing to ageing and malignancy1,2,3. Haematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) survive a lifetime of infection to sustain life-long haematopoiesis1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9, but how human HSCs respond and adapt to inflammatory stress is largely unknown. Here, to em

Distinct genetic architecture in the tails of complex traits

Abstract Complex traits are highly polygenic, with heritability explained by many hundreds of common variants of small effect together with rare variants of large effect1. Yet how this genetic architecture varies along the trait continuum has been underexplored, as has the role of natural selection

αKG-mediated carnitine synthesis drives DNA repair via histone acetylation

Abstract Homologous recombination (HR) deficiency increases sensitivity to DNA-damaging agents that are commonly used to treat cancer1. In HR-proficient cancers, the metabolic mechanisms that drive response or resistance to DNA-damaging agents remain unclear. Here we have identified that depletion

Rising global hail damage potential in a warming world

Abstract Anthropogenic climate change (ACC) is expected to modify severe convective storms and their associated hazards, including hailstorms, a primary driver of weather-related economic losses1,2,3,4. Despite some research on the response of hailstorms to ACC, most studies have focused on regiona

Four ppm measurement of the antihydrogen ground-state hyperfine splitting

Abstract The hydrogen atom is a touchstone for the foundations, evolution and frontiers of quantum theory1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9. Key spectral lines of this atom have been determined to remarkable precision10,11. Our research focuses on the study of antihydrogen, the antimatter counterpart of hydrogen. W

Transcription factor codes patterning neuronal groundplans of the cerebrum

Abstract Brain regions that regulate motivated behaviours, including the vertebrate hypothalamus and arthropod cerebrum, house bespoke neural circuits dedicated to perceptual and internal regulation of many behavioural states1,2. These circuits are built to purpose from complex sets of cell types w

Technology mediation in child sexual exploitation and abuse in Africa and Asia

Abstract As digital access expands rapidly among children worldwide, technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA), including online grooming, sexual solicitation, non-consensual image sharing and sexual extortion, has emerged as urgent yet underexamined category of digital harm

Substrate selectivity of the human RNA m5C methyltransferase NSUN2

Abstract Specific deposition of RNA modifications is important for regulating gene expression1,2. 5-Methylcytosine (m5C) is a common epitranscriptomic modification, and NSUN2 is a key enzyme responsible for m5C methylation of various types of RNA. Dysregulation of NSUN2 is associated with numerous

Cellular water-potential sensing through biomolecular condensation

Abstract Water molecules, as solvents for biomolecules, are essential to cells. The water potential of the cell decreases under water-deficient conditions1,2, yet how cells sense changes in water potential remains unknown. Here we identify a sterile alpha motif (SAM)-containing protein, SAM8, that

Universal transcriptomic hallmarks of mammalian ageing and mortality

Abstract Ageing and interventions modulate health and mortality1, yet the underlying molecular mechanisms of this modulation remain unclear. Here we integrate more than 11,000 transcriptomes from more than 25 tissues across 4 mammals (mouse, rat, macaque and human) to develop accurate, interpretabl

Bohmian mechanics remains unchallenged by tunnelling experiment

Access through your institution Buy or subscribe arising from: V. Sharoglazova et al. Nature https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09099-4 (2025). In a recent work1, Sharoglazova et al. reported an experiment aimed at determining how f

Mechanism of age-related accumulation of mtDNA mutations in human blood

Abstract Accumulation of mutant mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) heteroplasmy is among the strongest signatures of ageing1. Here we investigated the underlying mechanism by calling mtDNA sequence, mtDNA abundance and mtDNA heteroplasmic variants in human blood using whole-genome sequences from approximate

Cavity-driven attractive interactions in quantum materials

Abstract Many-body phenomena in quantum materials emerge from the interplay among a broad continuum of electronic states and controlling these interactions is critical for engineering new phases. One promising approach exploits light confined within optical cavities to tailor electronic properties1

Experimental randomness amplification

Abstract Realistic quantum information processing devices are inherently imperfect, leading to computational errors that require quantum error correction. Likewise, random bits generated by such devices are flawed and must be enhanced to be usable for applications such as generating cryptographic k

Redesigning algorithms to intervene on social norm misperceptions during a national election

Abstract For the first time in history, civic discourse commonly occurs in digital environments in which algorithms influence exposure to social information1,2. It is increasingly important to understand whether and how these algorithms affect political discourse3,4,5. Here we built custom feed-ran

Dynamical freezing for magnetometry in an interacting spin ensemble

Abstract Understanding and controlling non-equilibrium dynamics in quantum many-body systems is a fundamental challenge in modern physics1,2,3,4,5, with profound implications for advancing quantum technologies. Typically, periodically driven systems in the absence of conservation laws thermalize to

Spatiotemporal transcriptome atlas of human embryos after gastrulation

Abstract The comprehensive spatiotemporal atlas of gene expression during early human embryonic development is critical for insights into embryogenesis1, organogenesis2 and disease origins3,4. Here, leveraging Stereo-seq technology, we generated spatial transcriptomic profiles across 77 sagittal se

Bottom-Up Synthesis of Molecular Nanodiamond from Nanographene

9 days ago

Abstract Nanodiamonds hosting colour centres are promising building blocks for quantum technologies, enabling advances in quantum computation1,2, nanoscale NMR spectroscopy3–6, single-spin magnetometry7,8, wide-field quantum imaging9 and single-photon sources10,11. However, the controlled bottom-up

De novo design of miniproteins targeting GPCRs

14 days ago

Abstract G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) play key roles in physiology and are central targets for drug discovery and development1,2, but the design of protein agonists and antagonists has been challenging as GPCRs are integral membrane proteins and conformationally dynamic3–6. Here we describe

Spinal neuromotor rehabilitation using a portable isokinetic training robot