Scientists have used low-error genome-sequencing methods in normal tissues from large cohorts of individuals to scan for mutations that set the stage for cancer.

The light frequency associated with changes in the energy state of atoms can be used to define the ticking of high-precision optical clocks. Experiments with ytterbium atoms have further enhanced the clocks’ precision by using a quantum amplification technique.

An approach for making nanoscale high-entropy alloys using liquid metal provides much-needed control over the structure and composition of these remarkable materials.

Close cooperation in flight between vertically stacked multirotor drones is widely regarded as dangerous, because there is persistent and intense ‘downwash’ interference. A ‘flying toolbox’ has been developed that achieves high-accuracy docking despite the downwash, enabling mid-air tool exchanges and unlocking diverse aerial manipulation tasks.