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  • As new materials and manufacturing techniques are discovered, their benefits transform every branch of science and engineering. In spacecraft propulsion, a new generation of ion engines could provide unprecedented performance and flexibility in space mission design.

    • Paulo C. Lozano
    Comment
  • Nanoparticles (NPs) administered in the human body will undergo rapid surface modification upon contact with biological fluids driven by their interfacial interaction with a diverse range of biomolecules. Such spontaneous self-assembly and adsorption of proteins and other biomolecules onto the NP surface constitute what is commonly known as the protein or biomolecule corona. This surface biotransformation of the NPs modulates their biological interactions and impact on physiological systems and can influence their overall pharmacological profile. Here, we comment on how the initially considered ‘nuisance’ of the in vivo corona formation can now be considered a nanoparticle engineering tool for biomedical use, such as in endogenous tissue targeting, personalized biomarker discovery and immunomodulation.

    • Marilena Hadjidemetriou
    • Morteza Mahmoudi
    • Kostas Kostarelos
    Comment
  • An article in Science Advances presents a method to create starch superstructures to potentially improve food supply.

    • Charlotte Allard
    Research Highlight
  • An article in Matter uses rice grains as scaffolds for cultivated beef cells to produce an innovative beef-infused rice.

    • Ariane Vartanian
    Research Highlight
  • Solar photovoltaics has tremendous potential to address current gaps in electricity access for resource-challenged settings, such as sub-Saharan Africa. However, a rapid surge in installations and future growth will lead to an increase in waste from panels and batteries, which needs to be tackled urgently. Innovative technical solutions and improved policies and standards are required to address end-of-life challenges for solar photovoltaics in sub-Saharan Africa.

    • Priti Parikh
    • Ryan Wang
    • Jing Meng
    Comment
  • Material World: A Substantial Story of Our Past and Future, the latest book by Ed Conway, explores the materials that underline our modern civilization, discussing their supply and manufacturing, but also history and innovators.

    • Giulia Pacchioni
    Books & Arts
  • Materialism, a podcast exploring the past, present and future of materials science, is turning five. Co-founders and co-hosts Taylor Sparks (a professor at the University of Utah) and Andrew Falkowski (a PhD student in Sparks’ group) discuss how they use storytelling to create compelling episodes and share their journey and lessons learned.

    • Giulia Pacchioni
    Q&A
  • An article in Nature Machine Intelligence presents an adaptable method to control magnetic microrobots’ navigation using reinforcement learning.

    • Charlotte Allard
    Research Highlight
  • Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) lacks sufficient haptic feedback to the surgeon due to the length and flexibility of surgical tools. This haptic disconnect is exacerbated in robotic-MIS, which utilizes tele-operation to control surgical tools. Tactile sensation in MIS and robotic-MIS can be restored in a safe and conformable manner through soft sensors and soft haptic feedback devices.

    • Arincheyan Gerald
    • Sheila Russo
    Comment
  • The production of conventional meat contributes to climate change and uses up around 70% of available arable land. Cultured meat is emerging as a potential solution, but presently can be only produced at the pilot scale. Biofabrication technologies developed for biomedical applications could be leveraged to introduce automation and standardization in the production of cultured meat, accelerating its path to market.

    • Simon Heine
    • Tilman Ahlfeld
    • Petra J. Kluger
    Comment
  • An article in Nature Electronics introduces a single-step platform for integrating 2D materials into functional devices, addressing a fundamental constraint in van der Waals integration.

    • Chenyu Wang
    Research Highlight
  • An article in Advanced Healthcare Materials reports a 4D-printed hydrogel dressing that shrinks at body temperature and promotes healing in chronic diabetic wounds.

    • Ariane Vartanian
    In Brief
  • An article in Science reports an exceptionally warm and thin sweater knitted from stretchy aerogel fibres, whose core–shell structures are inspired by the fur of polar bears.

    • Ariane Vartanian
    In Brief
  • An article in Nature Communications reports 3D-printed personalized liver models that can self-heal and are as soft as real livers.

    • Ariane Vartanian
    In Brief
  • An article in Nature Communications reports a dynamic gelation strategy to fabricate strong aerogel fibres at high speed and large scale.

    • Ariane Vartanian
    In Brief
  • An article in Nature Chemistry discovers that the two light-controlled isomers of azobenzene also have very different rupture forces.

    • Ariane Vartanian
    Research Highlight
  • An article in Science presents a method for deep-penetration volumetric printing.

    • Charlotte Allard
    Research Highlight
  • Biochar is proposed as a promising solution for sustainable development, but proper risk management and careful evaluation are essential when considering its use. It is crucial to acknowledge the limitations of biochar and recognize that it is not a magic bullet for green technologies.

    • Guangcai Tan
    • Han-Qing Yu
    Comment