Review Articles

Despite promises of Li-S batteries as high energy storage systems, a cohesive design framework, systematic performance analysis, and benchmarks remain absent. Here, authors map recent advancements in the literature to identify general patterns that apply universally across all cell formats and materials chemistry, outlining key areas for optimization and future development towards practical Li-S batteries.

Organic matter associated with reactive soil minerals is assumed to be the most persistent terrestrial carbon pool. This work introduces a novel mechanistic framework for the vulnerability of this vast carbon reservoir to disruption in the rhizosphere.

Plant-diversity effects on particulate and mineral-associated organic matter in soil remain underexplored. The authors propose that elucidating the mechanisms underlying these effects can help explain inconsistencies in plant-diversity–soil-carbon relationships across studies and better predict consequences of biodiversity loss/gain for soil carbon stocks.

Spatial transcriptomics (ST) has transformed our knowledge of tissue biology through the examination of gene expression in cells within their tissue context. This review aims to categorise methods that combine ST with tissue morphology, focusing on either translating or integrating morphological features into ST analyses.

Large-scale biobanks have become a font of data that have led to discoveries across many fields of research. Here, the authors provide an overview of the Estonian Biobank, highlighting its value for research and towards personalized medicine.

Nanopore electrical detection has shown potential in sensing subtle protein and peptide conformation changes, and its sensitivity makes it promising for point-of-care applications. In this Review, the authors discuss the capability of nanopore sensing for detecting and quantifying conformational modifications and enantiomers in biomarker proteins and peptides, as well as the practicalities and challenges for this approach to be used for clinical and point-of-care diagnosis.

This review examines the role of endogenous opioid receptors (EORs) in maladaptive feeding, focusing on shared mechanisms between obesity and anorexia nervosa. It highlights EOR-driven neural plasticity, links to pain and substance use, and proposes directions for EOR-targeted therapeutic research.

Genomics resources are crucial for discovering and producing phytochemicals with pharmacological activities. Here, the authors summarize current advancements and limitations in medicinal plant genomics and provide outlooks to move the field forward.

This review highlights knowledge gaps in assessing climate benefits of afforestation in Canada’s north, emphasizing the need to consider various factors beyond carbon, like permafrost, albedo, and energy exchange, before drawing conclusions.

Artificial Intelligence is transforming the study of extreme climate events like floods, droughts, and wildfires, helping to overcome challenges such as limited data and real-time integration. This review article highlights the need for transparent, reliable AI models to improve disaster response, risk communication and stakeholder trust.

Neural technologies are adopting bio-inspired designs to enhance biointegration and functionality. This review maps the growing field of bio-inspired electronics and discusses recent developments in tissue-like bioelectronics, from soft interfaces to ‘biohybrid’ and ‘all-living’ platforms.

Repurposed drugs provide a rich source of potential therapies for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative disorders (NDD). In this review, the authors discuss the advantages and challenges of repurposing, offer strategies for overcoming the obstacles and describe the key contributions of repurposing to drug development.

Lignocellulose is a promising feedstock to produce bioenergy and biomaterials. Here, the authors review current efforts, including genome editing informed by machine learning, for lignocellulosic feedstock-based bioenergy and biomaterials production and provide outlook for improving feedstock traits.

The bidirectional interactions between metamaterials and artificial intelligence have recently attracted much attention. Here, the authors stand from a unified perspective to discuss intelligent metamaterials (AI for metamaterials) and metamaterials intelligence (metamaterials for AI).

In spatial transcriptomics data analysis, identifying spatially variable genes (SVGs) is crucial for understanding tissue organization and function. The authors categorize 34 computational methods for SVG detection, exploring their definitions, methodologies—including statistical approaches—and applications, while proposing future research directions.

Machine learning has emerged as a promising tool for crop improvement. Here, the authors review transferring knowledge from major crops to orphan crops and using machine learning to improve accuracy and efficiency of orphan crops breeding.

N-terminal acetylation is a ubiquitous protein modification in eukaryotes. Here, the authors review the N-terminal acetylation machinery, its impact on protein function and fate, and its role in physiology and human disease.

Breeding environmental adaptive crop cultivars under the climate changing scenario is anything but easy. Here, the authors review the concepts of plasticity and canalization and their integration with contemporary studies of genotype-environmental interactions with the objective to facilitate crop breeding.

In this review, authors highlight the unique safety challenges of natural hydrogen extraction wells, such as hydrogen embrittlement, microbiological corrosion, and H2-cement reaction. They identify potential solutions within the literature, emphasizing the need for more research under real-world conditions.

A single reference genome is not enough to harness the full genetic variation of a species. Here, the authors review pangenomics principles, construction and applications for orphan crop improvement, and discuss the possible ways to support pangenomics-driven molecular breeding.