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A large-scale framework for estimating soil carbon, nitrogen, pH, and salinity dynamics for 1985–2023

Soil is fundamental to sustaining life on Earth, providing ecosystem services, regulating climate, and playing a central role in global food systems. In the last decades, due to human activities and climate change, soils worldwide have experienced substantial changes in their key properties, resulting in alterations to their functions. In this context, global soil mapping is crucial for identifying degradation trends and informing effective adaptation strategies. To address these challenges, this work leverages advances in machine learning and cloud computing to develop HUMERIS, a global dataset spanning 1985 to 2023 and covering four key soil properties: salinity (EC e ), pH, nitrogen (N), and organic carbon (OC) across natural ice-free land surfaces globally. The goal of HUMERIS is to create a framework able to predict long-term soil dynamics across spatial scales, time, and depth. For topsoil over the reference period, the analysis suggests an increase in N (+0.4% per year) and OC (+0.5% per year), associated with a decrease of EC e (−0.2% per year) and stable values of pH. Looking at biomes and land cover classes two contrasting dynamics emerge. Colder regions show an increase in predicted OC and N compared to warmer ones, while land-use analysis reveals that areas converted from natural to cropland exhibit a relative decrease of −0.2%. These results suggest shifts in global soil properties with implications for agroecological modeling, socioeconomic analysis, and sustainable land management.

Cyanine-modified ssODNs enhance CRISPR-Cas9 HDR in stem cell embryo models via chromatin and chemical modulation

3D insights into the multiorigins of nanophase Fe ⁰ in the Moon surface

Nanophase metallic iron (npFe 0 ) in lunar soils is a key indicator for understanding the space weathering mechanisms of airless bodies. However, the detailed three-dimensional (3D) spatial topology and distribution of layered npFe 0 have rarely been documented in lunar soil samples. Here, we reveal the unique 3D spatial multilayered distributions and morphologies of npFe 0 in the Chang’e-5 impact glass using a combination of electron tomography and spectroscopic techniques, demonstrating that npFe 0 originates from multiple effects including iron sulfide decomposition, Fe(II) disproportionation, and solar wind irradiation. We provide direct evidence for the decomposition of iron sulfide to produce irregularly shaped npFe 0 . This study quantifies the 3D abundance of npFe 0 in a piece of lunar impact glass, revealing localized Fe 0 accumulation up to 7.1 wt%. Our results provide 3D nanoscale analysis for multiple coexisting formation mechanisms of npFe 0 , elucidating the complex space weathering processes in the lunar surface.

Charge-engineered cellulose nanofibril binders for PFAS-free, high-loading lithium battery positive electrodes

Blindness to minority absence

Our cognitive processes are largely shaped by what is present in our environment, while absences are often overlooked. This fundamental tendency of the human mind can lead to a significant social bias: individuals frequently fail to notice the absence of minority groups, even in situations where that absence is meaningful and consequential (e.g., educational settings, workplaces). In three preregistered field studies conducted across two cultures, we found robust evidence for blindness to minority absence. Our findings reveal that this blindness can persist for years, even among individuals who, once the absence is pointed out, acknowledge its significance and the need to address it. Eight preregistered laboratory experiments confirm that people are unlikely to detect the absence of a minority group. As our results indicate, people are more likely to notice the presence of a single minority member than the group’s complete absence. In contrast, the absence of majority group members is far more noticeable. These patterns emerge even when monetary incentives for accuracy are introduced, regardless of participants’ ideologies or social attitudes, and are evident even among individuals from minority groups. The final experiment suggests that highlighting an overlooked minority absence leads to higher stated support for diversity-promoting policies. Taken together, our findings suggest that basic cognitive constraints bias what people spontaneously notice in social environments: minority absences often go unnoticed, while majority absences and minority presences are more readily perceived. We propose that this bias may present a significant barrier to fostering inclusive social environments.

Sphingosine kinase-2 inhibition promotes immunogenic differentiation of myeloid-derived suppressor cells through an Acetyl-CoA carboxylase-phosphatidylcholine axis

Transition of the presynaptic vesicle cluster from a compact to dispersed organization during long-term potentiation

Long-term potentiation (LTP) is a lasting form of synaptic plasticity that can persist for hours or even days. It is associated with structural changes in both the presynaptic terminal and the postsynaptic spine. Presynaptically, the number and distribution of synaptic vesicles (SVs) affect synaptic efficacy. How the functional changes in synaptic efficacy after the induction of LTP are mirrored by identifiable structural alterations in the SV cluster is not fully understood. Here, we interrogated presynaptic terminals in 3DEM reconstructions from CA3-to-CA1 synapses in stratum radiatum of adult rats that had undergone control stimulation, or theta-burst stimulation to produce LTP. An increase was observed in the dispersion of SVs at 2 h after LTP induction. This dispersion resulted in greater distances between neighboring SVs, longer distances to the center of the SV cluster, and an increased variance in SV position relative to the cluster’s center. Analysis of the SV clusters distinguished terminals that were potentiated based on their degree of dispersion, distances to neighboring SVs, and SV cluster densities. Our analysis demonstrates that the density of SVs is a property independent of the bouton or SV cluster volumes and is subject to strong regulation. Comparing the spatial distribution of SVs to randomized distributions revealed increased SV mobility following LTP induction. Moreover, theoretical calculations informed by the measured SV cluster densities suggest an increase in the mobility of SVs within the cluster during LTP. These findings provide evidence that the SV cluster undergoes a transition from tight to dispersed, making SVs more mobile during LTP.

Revealing buried ferroelectric topologies by depth-resolved electron diffraction imaging

Correction for Gao et al., Cross-linking of collagen fibrils leads to preferential gap zone mineralization in vitro

Synergistic pulsed electrocatalysis enables green and efficient synthesis of nylon monomer adipic acid

Ecological opportunity and the onset of polyploid niche expansion waves

Polyploidy, the presence of more than two sets of chromosomes, has evolved many times across the tree of life, yet we still do not know why some polyploid lineages persist while most go extinct. The establishment of polyploid populations is often reported to be associated with harsh environmental conditions, and stress tolerance in particular, which has led to the widespread view that polyploidy-specific niche requirements are key to their persistence at ecological and evolutionary timescales. Here, we reevaluate this perspective using a classical mathematical model of polyploid establishment, presenting analytical and numerical results, along with an empirical case study. We show that simple eco-evolutionary processes at the margins of diploid range-expansion waves, more specifically ecological drift and dispersal limitation, can be sufficient to allow polyploid populations to carve out their own space, without any a priori adaptive advantage over their diploid ancestors. Our modeling effort reveals three key insights. First, polyploids most readily gain a foothold at the low-density front of a diploid range expansion wave, where ecological drift is strongest. Second, limited dispersal accelerates spatial clustering of polyploid organisms through assortative mating. Third, once spatially segregated along gradients, diploid and polyploid populations are expected to experience distinct environments, allowing natural selection to drive niche divergence. We illustrate these interconnected principles by simulating the phylogeographic history of a well-documented autopolyploid complex of Neobatrachus, Australian burrowing frogs. Altogether, our results provide a neutral baseline against which the ecological consequences of polyploidization can be more easily inferred within natural populations.

Rational design of carbazole-based STING inhibitors for treating cGAS-STING pathway-driven inflammatory disorders

Acoel whole-body regeneration begins with spreading, multi-tissue ERK signaling downstream of <i>neuregulin-1</i>

Rapid activation of ERK (extracellular signal-regulated kinase) signaling drives transcriptional responses to injury across metazoans. Yet, it is unclear whether key aspects of ERK as a wound signal—its upstream inputs, activating cell type(s), and spatiotemporal pattern—are conserved. To facilitate thorough comparisons, we examined wound-induced ERK during whole-body regeneration in the acoel Hofstenia miamia . Wounding triggers rapid ERK activation, which begins in the most wound-proximal cells but expands distally over time among stem cells and muscle cells. ERK drives transcriptional responses to wounding in both cell types, and inhibiting ERK activation perturbs the progress of regeneration. Finally, neuregulin-1 , a ligand produced exclusively by muscle cells, and its putative receptor egfr-1 (epidermal growth factor receptor-1) act upstream of ERK activation upon wounding. Our data identify a key signaling role of muscle cells in driving ERK activation following injury and reveal a spatial spreading phenomenon with both parallels to and distinctions from dynamic ERK patterns in other systems.

Three-dimensional printing of multilayer stretchable electronics with inclined interconnect accesses

Introduced species will not save Caribbean coral reefs

Genome-guided generative adversarial learning enables nanopore adaptive sequencing

Impact of sex chromosomes and gonad type in stress susceptibility in corticostriatal brain regions

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is characterized by symptom heterogeneity and sex differences in prevalence. To gain insight into these sex differences, we utilized the subchronic variable stress paradigm (SCVS) in which female mice are susceptible, while males are behaviorally resilient. We used the Four Core Genotypes mice to differentiate between sex chromosome complement (XX vs. XY) and gonad type (ovaries vs. testes) in stress susceptibility, uncoupling these factors by removing the testes-determining SRY gene from the Y chromosome. Mice were subjected to SCVS followed by assays to assess anxiety-/depressive-like behaviors. Regardless of gonads, XX mice were stress susceptible, while XY mice were stress resilient, underscoring the importance of sex chromosome effects to sex differences in susceptibility to SCVS, independent of gonad type. We then performed RNA-sequencing of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and nucleus accumbens (NAc). Consistent with human MDD and previous rodent SCVS findings, there was little overlap in genes altered by SCVS across sex. In stress susceptible XX mice, stress exposure altered pathways related to immune function, while in resilient XY mice, stress exposure altered pathways involved in neuronal function. There was brain region specificity to how sex chromosome complement and gonad type contributed to sex-specific stress effects. In the NAc, sex chromosome complement was the primary contributor to stress-induced gene expression, while in the PFC, both sex chromosome complement and gonad type contributed. These findings underscore a complex relationship between sex chromosome complement and gonadal factors in shaping stress vulnerability, partly through immune-related pathways.

Subduction modulated the long-term oxygenation of Earth’s surface

On Earth, atmospheric oxygen is inferred to have risen over three major intervals before reaching modern levels, with each interval having a profound impact on the evolution of the biosphere. However, the principal driver behind these stepwise increases remains elusive. Here, we compile metamorphic thermobaric ratios ( T / P ) through time and use them as a first-order, probabilistic proxy for the likelihood of “cold” subduction (i.e., with T / P &lt; 375 °C GPa –1 ) during secular cooling of Earth’s mantle. Then, we couple this tectonic forcing to biogeochemical modeling to test whether more efficient cold subduction may have enhanced the net transfer of reduced organic carbon and pyrite to Earth’s deep interior, thereby diminishing oxygen sinks and allowing surface oxygen levels to increase at geological timescales. Modeling results indicate that the progressive emergence of cold subduction could plausibly have contributed to the long-term oxygenation trajectory and associated secular trends in atmospheric carbon dioxide, seawater sulfate, sedimentary phosphorus, and marine redox conditions. Although the absolute magnitudes remain uncertain, the predicted trajectory of surface oxygenation is qualitatively consistent with the broad three-step pattern inferred from geochemical proxies. We propose that the progressive evolution of subduction may have been a key driver of long-term surface oxygenation, linking mantle cooling to the rise of conditions favorable for aerobic lifeforms.

Reply to Arroyo et al.: Universality and diversity in thermal performance curves

Not all gut cellular circadian oscillators are food entrainable

Circadian rhythms are ubiquitous, and most of the organs in the body contain circadian oscillators. The intestine comprises diverse cell types with distinct developmental origins and physiological functions. However, which intestinal cells contain cell-autonomous circadian oscillators and how circadian oscillators in distinct intestinal cell types synchronize with one another and with environmental daily cycles remain poorly understood. To address these questions, we generated a Cre-dependent PER2::LUCIFERASE reporter knock-in mouse that enables ex vivo measurement of circadian oscillations in defined cell populations. Ex vivo gut explants from mice expressing the reporter in one of five major cell types of the muscularis externa—enteric neurons (ENs), enteric glial cells (EGCs), interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs), smooth muscle cells (SMCs), and muscularis macrophages (MMs)—exhibited robust, self-sustained circadian bioluminescence rhythms, demonstrating that each of these cell types harbors a cell-autonomous circadian oscillator. Importantly, circadian oscillators in ENs, EGCs, SMCs, and MMs entrained to feeding-fasting cycles, whereas circadian oscillators in ICCs remained resistant to food entrainment. These findings reveal that distinct intestinal cell types possess unique entrainment properties, and feeding during inactive time induces heterogeneous phase shifts across gut circadian oscillators, leading to temporal circadian misalignment within the intestine. As circadian disruptions, such as those associated with shift work, contribute to intestinal disorders, including inflammatory bowel disease and disorders of the gut–brain interaction, studying how intercellular circadian desynchrony influences intestinal homeostasis should provide chronobiology-based therapeutic strategies to combat these diseases.