Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Articles in this Issue
Analyzing multiple mediators in multiple single-mediator models leads to wrong conclusions
Advancing evaluation of AI systems when humans make the decisions
The variability of evolvability: Properties of dynamic fitness landscapes determine how phenotypic variability evolves
The magnitude and shape of phenotypic variation depends on properties of the genotype-to-phenotype (GP) map, which itself can evolve over time. The evolution of GP maps is particularly interesting in...
Revealing tattoo traditions in ancient Nubia through multispectral imaging
Evidence for tattooing in ancient Nubia is long-standing, although no systematic studies have compared application techniques, motifs, and the demography of tattooed individuals. We surveyed 1,048 Mer...
Carbon uptake dynamics of cement-based materials: Linking market structure, material use, and the carbon cycle
Cement-based products sequester CO 2 in the atmosphere throughout their life cycle. The extent of sequestration highly depends on the context. We implement a bo...
Rapid morphological change in an urban bird due to COVID-19 restrictions
The COVID-19 pandemic provided a natural experiment to test the impacts of human activity on urban-dwelling wildlife. Urban dark-eyed juncos differ in bill shape and size in Los Angeles in comparison...
Cortical tracking of sign language: The role of language knowledge in tracking of different articulators
In sign languages, linguistic information is transmitted through the simultaneous movement of several bodily articulators. This study investigates cortical tracking of sign language and whether experi...
CHARGE-MAP: An integrated framework to study the multicriteria EV charging infrastructure expansion problem
The widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in recent years has necessitated the development of effective charging infrastructures. However, charging infrastructure expansion is a multifaceted...
Interstep compatibility of a model for the prebiotic synthesis of RNA consistent with Hadean natural history
Models for prebiotic syntheses often have many steps, each separately validated by laboratory experiments. The challenge then asks whether these steps work together in natural geological environments,...
Revealing the risk of macroplastic ingestion to marine wildlife
Recruiting ESCRT to single-chain heterotrimer peptide MHCI releases antigen-presenting vesicles that stimulate T cells selectively
Immune cells naturally secrete extracellular antigen-presenting vesicles (APVs) displaying peptide:MHC complexes to facilitate the initiation, expansion, maintenance, or silencing of immune responses....
The paradox of intervention: Resilience in adaptive multirole coordination networks
Complex adaptive networks exhibit remarkable resilience, driven by the dynamic interplay of structure (interactions) and function (state). While static-network analyses offer valuable insights, unders...
Dual-targeted ping-pong CAR T cells: Leveraging peripheral expansion to improve solid tumor immunotherapy
Clinical responses to CD19-directed CAR T cell therapy in B cell malignancies are strongly associated with robust CAR T cell expansion in the peripheral blood. In contrast, CAR T cells targeting solid...
Why working from home varies across countries and people
We investigate why work from home (WFH) rates vary so widely across countries using the Global Survey of Working Arrangements (G-SWA). Conducted in late 2024 and early 2025, G-SWA is the only harmoniz...
Unusually broad-spectrum small-molecule sensing using a single protein scaffold
Small-molecule sensing in plants is dominated by chemical-induced dimerization modules. In the abscisic acid (ABA) system, allosteric receptors recruit phosphatase effectors and achieve nM in vivo res...
Long-term exposure to wildfire smoke and mortality: Heterogeneous effects by exposure metric and across subpopulations
Wildfire smoke, once rare, is a hazard that populations across the globe are increasingly exposed to repeatedly. Evidence of acute health effects of wildfire particulate matter (PM...
Hormonal mechanisms of women’s risk in the face of traumatic stress
Women are underrepresented in biomedical research, limiting understanding of their disproportionate rates of stress-related disorders. Although men experience more trauma, women are twice as likely to...
The COVID-19 pandemic had heterogeneous effects on migration dynamics
Oxytocin varies across the life course in a sex-specific way in a human subsistence population
Oxytocin, a hormone linked to reproduction and health, may mediate life-history trade-offs across the human life course. Yet, how oxytocin naturally varies with age remains poorly understood. Here, wo...
Fluctuation theorems for autonomous work
Classical fluctuation theorems for work have been obtained theoretically, and verified experimentally, within a nonautonomous framework in which work is performed on a system of interest,...
Reviving Vavilov’s vision: The tragedy of biodiversity governance and principles for reform
This perspective addresses two of humanity’s greatest challenges: feeding a growing population and conserving biodiversity. We begin by examining the legacy of Nikolai Vavilov, who pioneered the impro...
Biomechanics of the mandibular middle ear of the cynodont <i>Thrinaxodon</i> and the evolution of mammal hearing
The middle ear of mammals is a major functional innovation, distinctive in that it is detached from the mandible and has a tympanic membrane supported by a ring-like ectotympanic. These novelties of t...
Warming substantially amplifies Antarctic coastal polynyas as key carbon sinks
The Southern Ocean plays an important role in the global carbon cycle by absorbing atmospheric CO 2 , aiding climate change mitigation. Antarctic coastal polyny...
Structural insights into nonpeptide antagonist inhibition of somatostatin receptor subtype 5
The somatostatin receptor subtype 5 (SSTR5) is a critical pharmacological target involved in neuroendocrine signaling, metabolic regulation, and tumorigenesis. Despite its therapeutic potential, the s...
High-speed X-ray tomography for 4D imaging
Capturing high-rate spatiotemporal deformation of materials in three dimensions (3D) remains a significant challenge with current X-ray imaging techniques. We present a methodology that combines advan...