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Reactive capture—integrating CO₂ capture and electrochemical valorization—improves energy efficiency by eliminating gas-phase CO₂ desorption. Here, authors design a redox-active polymeric network to boost the direct conversion of captured CO₂ to multicarbon products with CO₂-free gas product stream.

GlyT1 critically regulates excitatory neurotransmission and has thus emerged as a therapeutic target for schizophrenia. This study delineates the binding sites of the clinically trialed drugs iclepertin and sarcosine and elucidates how cholesterol modulates GlyT1 activity.

The α6β4 receptor has been considered an appealing therapeutic target for pain. Here, the authors determined the structures of α6β4 bound with its agonists, nicotine and tebanicline, providing molecular insights into its function.

Scavenger receptor class A member 3 (SR-A3) is implicated in metabolic diseases, but its relationship with MAFLD remains unclear. Here, the authors show that SR-A3 is an important modulator of hepatic energy metabolism and is a potential therapeutic target against MAFLD.

Some chiral molecules can produce a giant spin polarization, a feature termed chirality-induced spin selectivity. The origin of this has been hotly debated. In this theory work, Zhao, Zhang and coauthors propose that the origin of the effect lies in charge trapping induced barrier modification, termed magnetochiral charge pumping.

Here the authors show structures of the vesicular acetylcholine transporter in its apo state and in complex with the substrate acetylcholine and the inhibitor vesamicol, providing insights into substrate recognition, proton coupling and conformational transition mechanisms.

Aragonite-dominated seep carbonates are a promising archive for understanding past seawater chemistry changes, according to an isotopic analysis of a core from the South China Sea.

This article presents a polymeric membrane-enclosed insulin crystal equipped with physiological signal-sensing microdomains, dubbed ‘smart drug crystals’, that enables long-term, glucose- and β-hydroxybutyrate-dually responsive drug release for type 1 diabetes therapy.

The isolation of compounds featuring an actinide–actinide bond is challenging. Now a well-defined Th(III) dimer with a Th–Th two-centre one-electron (2c-1e) σ bond and a 2c-1e π bond is synthesized. Theoretical and magnetic studies show that the open-shell singlet ground state and the two formal Th(III) centres exhibit strong antiferromagnetic coupling.

Orthogonal acute inducible degradation cell lines are used to delineate the mechanisms of how extrusive cohesin, cohesive cohesin and condensin interact to remodel chromosome architecture from interphase to mitosis.

Nanotwinning strategies are widely recognized for their ability to substantially enhance the mechanical properties of materials. Here diamond with both penetrating and interlocked twins was synthesized, yielding a hardness of 276 GPa, which can be explained by diamond models that feature diverse twin configurations and dimensions.

Structural analyses of the human dopamine transporter in apo and substrate-bound states and in complex with drugs and inhibitors reveal key binding residues and conformational transitions that occur during substrate transport.

Cryo-electron microscopy structures of the noradrenaline transporter (NET) reveal binding modes of adrenaline, coordination of sodium and chloride ion binding and the binding sites and mechanisms of inhibition by conotoxin, bupropion and ziprasidone.

In this Resource, authors profile peripheral immune cells from a total of 220 healthy volunteers from birth to over 90 years. This revealed that T cells were most affected by aging with divergent aging patterns in different subsets and identified a population of cytotoxic B cells that were enriched in children.

Controlled radical polymerization of fluorinated monomers typically synthesizes fluoropolymers of limited molecular weights with poor control. Now the controlled copolymerization of various fluoroalkenes under ambient conditions is reported by combining a redox-relay pathway and thermally activated delayed fluorescence catalysis.

The study by Fu and colleagues presents a ferritin-adaptor platform for vaccine development, featuring a rabies virus vaccine candidate that enhances antigen stability and provides potent, durable protection after a single-dose administration.

Glacial-interglacial cycles drove lithium-rich brine formation in the Qarhan Salt Lake in China, according to Th dating and fluid inclusion analyses in halite, and paleotemperature reconstructions.

Molecular disorder plays an important role in the thermal conductivity of materials. Using atomistic simulations, the authors show that thermal conductivity can be pressure-regulated in methane hydrates by manipulating disordered guest rotational dynamics.

Body cavity macrophages reside on the serous surfaces of organs and believed to participate in organ repair following injury. Here the authors show with a fate-mapping reporter system that these cells, although accumulate at the surfaces of injured liver or lung, don’t penetrate deeply into the tissue.

Hybrid rice cultivars are widely planted around the world. Here, the authors resequence 1,143 indica accessions, focusing on the parents of superior hybrid rice lines in China, and reveal genetic loci that are associated with heterosis via measuring frequency of parental variation difference (FPVD).

The voltage-gated sodium channel Na_v1.7 has a dual role in osteoarthritis—in chondrocytes, it promotes joint damage, and in dorsal root ganglia neurons, it increases pain transmission.

We report atomic observations of six incoherent twin boundary configurations and structural transitions in diamond at room temperature, showing a dislocation-mediated mechanism different from metallic systems and shedding new light on grain boundary behaviour.

In situ composites consisting of nanodiamond homogeneously dispersed in disordered multilayer graphene with incoherent interfaces and complex bonding are synthesized that exhibit an ultrahigh hardness and compressive strength, and excellent electrical conductivity.

Authors find that freestanding single crystalline antiferroelectric PbZrO₃ membranes exhibit remarkable flexibility that can endure a maximum bending strain of 3.5%, with the assistance of mechanical-induced antiferroelectric-ferroelectric phase transition.

In situ evaporation of Eu and As onto InAs nanowires results in the mutual exchange of Eu from the shell with In from the core. This solid-state exchange reaction converts wurtzite InAs nanowires into Zintl Eu₃In₂As₄.

CaV1.2 is crucial in cardiac, vascular and neuronal function, serving as a target for many drugs. Here, authors identify the binding site of herb-derived drug tetrandrine, and explore inhibitory mechanism of L/T-type selective DHP drug benidipine.

Single-atom catalysts are very attractive due to their ability to maintain high activities at the lowest possible precious metal loading. Here, a double transition metal MXene that effectively anchors single Pt atoms is reported, and exhibits superior performance and stability towards the hydrogen evolution reaction.

The study of the mechanical properties of twisted van der Waals structures can provide important information about their interlayer coupling and electronic behaviour. Here, the authors report a nanoindentation-based technique to determine the interlayer shear stress in bilayer MoS2, showing its independence as a function of the twist angle.

It is vital to unveil the effects of extracellular matrix cues on endothelial cell (EC) outgrowth for desirably governing vasculature formation, but the role of matrix plasticity on EC outgrowth is elusive. Here, the authors develop hydrogels with tunable mechanical plasticity independent of stiffness, and elucidate the plasticity-mediated responses of ECs during vasculogenesis and angiogenesis.

Thin Li foils are desirable for high-energy Li battery applications. Here, Cui and team devise a fabrication route for ultrathin (less than 20 μm) Li foils that show promise for improving existing anodes including silicon, graphite and metallic Li.

Current methods for analysing protein structures and interactions generally require the separation of specific organelles or changes to the intracellular environment. Here, authors developed nanocarrier-based cross-linking mass spectrometry techniques to assess mitochondrial proteins within living cells.

Immunological adjuvants are a crucial component of cancer vaccines. Here the authors design a light-activable immunological adjuvant, based on hypoxia-responsive amphiphilic dendrimer nanoparticles loaded with a photodynamic agent, promoting anti-tumor immune responses in preclinical cancer models.

The hardness, toughness and chemical stability of the well-known superhard material cubic boron nitride have been improved by using a synthesis technique based on specially prepared ‘onion-like’ precursor materials.

CO₂ electroreduction in acidic electrolytes avoids carbon loss but entails the issue of salt formation arising from the addition of metal cations, thereby limiting operational stability. Now copper is decorated with immobilized cationic ionomers, achieving stable CO₂ reduction towards multi-carbon products in metal cation-free acidic electrolytes.

Experimentally detectable signature of an axion insulator remains elusive. Here, the authors predict a topological phase diagram of MnBi₂Te₄/(Bi₂Te₃)_n heterostructure, where the chiral hinge mode induced by the surface anomalous Hall conductivity is identified as a signature of an axion insulator state.

The slow research cycle of material design, characterization and testing has hampered the development of new cathode materials for solid oxide fuel cells. Here the authors develop a machine-learning approach, which makes use of ionic Lewis acid strength as a descriptor, for discovery of improved perovskite oxide cathodes.

The discovery of graphite–diamond hybrid carbon, Gradia, which consists of graphite and diamond nanodomains interlocked through coherent interfaces, clarifies the long-standing mystery of how graphite turns into diamond.

Modulating single-metal sites at the atomic level can boost the intrinsic catalytic activity. Here, the authors describe the design of Pt atomic clusters containing Pt-O-Pt units supported on Co single atoms and N co-doped carbon for enhanced hydrogen evolution catalysis.

Li-O₂ batteries are promising candidates for the next generation of rechargeable batteries, but the side reactions and poor cycling stability limit their applications. Here, the authors show a versatile ionic liquid with functional groups that can address both issues for cells operated in oxygen and air.