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The working mechanism of several low-cost electrocatalyst materials is still arguable. Here the authors show a model Fe,Mn/N-C catalyst where the oxygen reduction preferentially takes place on Fe(III) sites with the intermediate spin state (t2g4 eg1) caused by the adjacent Mn-N moieties.

Oncolytic adenoviruses (Ads)-mediated anti-tumor activity is related to virus-promoted autophagy in tumor cells. Here the authors describe the design of a microbial nanocomposite based on Ads-encapsulated in bacterial outer membrane vesicles to promote Ads intratumoral accumulation and induction of autophagy, promoting anti-tumor immune responses in preclinical cancer models.

The development of Ni-rich layered lithium transition metal oxides is plagued by their voltage and capacity fading on battery cycling. Here, the authors demonstrate an effective approach to treat these problems by infusing a solid electrolyte into the grain boundaries of the secondary particles of these layered materials.

The correlated optoelectronic characteristics of multi-terminal mixed-dimensional graphene–germanium heterostructure devices can be used for the accurate detection and robust tracking of dim targets.

Charge-to-spin conversion allows for the generation and control of spin polarization via a charge current. Typically, this is done with non-magnetic materials with large spin-orbit interactions such as Platinum. Herein, Dai et al demonstrate an intriguing charge-to-spin mechanism, a magnetic spin Hall effect, in a van der Waals heterostructure.

The relationship between the charge density wave and excitonic correlations in a layered compound 1T-TiSe₂ has remained controversial. Here, the authors observe a photo-induced dimensional crossover of the charge density wave and conclude that excitonic correlations are responsible for its out-of-plane phase coherence.

A homojunction device made from two-dimensional tungsten diselenide can be used to create circuits that exhibit multifunctional logic and neuromorphic capabilities with simpler designs than conventional silicon-based systems.

Li_6.5La₃Zr_1.5Ta_0.5O₁₂ (LLZO) is a promising solid electrolyte but suffers from severe surface degradation in air. Here, authors use mapping of resonant Auger spectroscopy and various ambient pressure X-ray spectroscopies to elucidate the dynamical evolution of CO₂ and H₂O on clean LLZO surfaces.

Large language models promise substantial advances in molecular modelling and design. A multimodal benchmark is proposed to analyse performance, and 1,263 experiments are conducted to examine the compatibility of a large language model with data modalities and knowledge acquisition.

The residual strains in the mixed halide perovskite thin films and their effects on the solar cell devices are less understood. Here Zhu et al. study the impact of the gradient in-plane strain on the carrier dynamics of the strained perovskite films and optimize the device efficiency.

RuO₂ is a promising anode catalyst for proton exchange membrane water electrolyzers but suffers from poor catalytic stability. Here the authors present a rhenium-doped RuO₂ with a unique dynamic electron accepting-donating that adaptively boosts activity and stability in acidic water oxidation.

Gene activation methods are valuable for studying gene functions and may have potential applications in bioengineering and medicine. Here the authors developed Narta technology to achieve gene activation by recruiting artificial transcription factors to transcription sites through nascent RNAs of the target gene.

Using an experimental simulator of the extended Hubbard model with spin–valley isospins arising in chiral-stacked twisted double bilayer graphene, the presence of highly tunable quantum criticalities is demonstrated.

In bulk materials crystal lattices typically have a limited resistance to elastic strain, beyond which yielding and plastic deformation occur. Here, usingin situtransmission electron microscopy, a continuous elastic lattice deformation is observed in nickel nanowires, up to a strain of 34.6%.

The network mechanism supporting seizure spread in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is only partially understood. Using optogenetic methods, Lu et al.identify a feed-forward propagation pathway of ictal discharges from the dentate gyrus/hilus to the medial entorhinal cortex in a mouse model of TLE.

Structures of E. coli threonyl-tRNA synthetase in complex with natural product obafluorin (OB) reveal that OB is a unique covalent inhibitor.

Liang et al. present an industrial perspective on the evolving landscape of laser technology used in advanced LiDAR systems. The authors discuss recent trends, practical considerations within the industry, current challenges, and potential solutions, explicitly focusing on VCSEL/AR-VCSEL-based technologies and their strong potential for commercial LiDAR applications.

A power generator exhibits enhanced output due to a dual-charge-carrier design. The voltage produced is constant yet competitive even under low relative humidity.

Defect density reduction is pertinent for halide perovskite solar cells but a universal strategy has not been exploited. Here Chen et al. show that by fine tuning the alkaline environment in precursor solution, they can greatly suppress defects density and obtain high certified efficiency of 20.87%.

The authors here report on the influence of grain orientation on the charge distribution in polycrystalline materials for batteries. The quantitative characterization provides mechanistic insight into the way the grain orientation can be engineered to mitigate the charge heterogeneity.

Schistosoma sex-biased Bantam and miR-1989 microRNAs shed light on the roles of ovarian development and egg production in females by targeting Wnt signaling pathway.

How sulfur dioxide emitted through coal combustion is oxidized to sulfate particles during winter haze pollution events has been the subject of debate. Here, the authors show that rapid oxidation takes place by nitrogen dioxide and nitrous acid, producing nitrous oxide together with sulfate.

Observational analyses from the China Kadoorie Biobank found that alcohol consumption was associated with higher risks of 61 diseases in Chinese men, with most of these associations confirmed by genetic analyses.

The stability of granular assemblies depends on particle shape, but clear laws governing key properties like contact number and friction coefficient remain elusive. Using X-ray tomography and simulations, the authors uncover linear scaling laws linking shape to these properties, showing that the scaling of contact number persists at a lower sphericity than that for the apparent friction coefficient, and that elongation increases contact numbers but does not significantly enhance stability.

Moisture-sorption-based energy harvesting (MSEH) is a promising strategy for obtaining heat, cold and electricity from ubiquitous moisture anywhere and anytime. This Perspective article discusses the thermodynamic characteristics of MSEH, evaluates global energy production potential and highlights challenges and strategies for realizing high-energy-productivity MSEH.

Pharmacological inhibitors of fatty acid synthase, including the approved anti-obesity drug orlistat, are shown to inhibit replication of SARS-CoV-2 in vitro and in a mouse model of infection in vivo.