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In this issue 10 papers · 3 free

01 Science Alternating atomic-dipole layers and switching dynamics in Al 1-x Sc x N ferroelectrics Free
02 Science Orbital magnetoresistance in the antiferromagnet CoO driven by dynamic orbital angular momentum Free
03 Nature N4-Acetylcytidine enhances synthetic mRNA translation yield and fidelity Free
04 Nature Hadean bridgmanite in the source of a present-day ocean island Subscribers
05 Nature Communications Targeted long-read sequencing enables comprehensive analysis of the genetic and epigenetic landscape of inherited myopathies Subscribers
06 Nature Communications Signaling downstream of tumor-stroma interaction regulates mucinous colorectal adenocarcinoma apicobasal polarity Subscribers
07 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Improving cell-free metabolism through direct integration of artificial respiratory chains Subscribers
08 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Beyond native sequence recovery: Improved modeling of the sequence-energy landscape of protein structures Subscribers
09 Nature Medicine A meta-analysis of the long-term effects of antihypertensive therapy on the risk of major cardiovascular disease across 51 randomized trials Subscribers
10 Nature Medicine Innate immune responsiveness predicts enhanced cellular immunity and symptomatic disease after controlled human influenza infection Subscribers

The papers Read free

Science·2 July 2026

Yonghui Zheng, Ruirong Bai et al.

Alternating atomic-dipole layers and switching dynamics in Al 1-x Sc x N ferroelectrics

Researchers studied a material called Al1-xScxN, a wurtzite ferroelectric that is useful for electronics because it holds strong electrical polarization and stays stable at high temperatures. They used a very high resolution electron microscope to look at how aluminum and scandium atoms are arranged inside the material at the atomic scale. They found that these atoms form alternating layers with slightly different atom spacing, creating a repeating pattern of tiny electric dipoles. By imaging the material while it switched polarization, they saw that the switching happens step by step through small local changes rather than all at once, and that the uneven mixing of atoms in these layers creates in-between states that make switching easier.

The study shows that alternating layers of aluminum and scandium atoms create atomic-scale dipole patterns that allow polarization to switch through a series of small intermediate steps rather than a single sudden flip, which lowers the energy needed for switching.

The number: No key statistic identified
The caveat: The study is based on detailed microscopy of the material's atomic structure and does not report broader device performance numbers or long-term reliability data, so it shows a mechanism rather than a ready-to-use engineering benchmark.

Integrity screen: passed (3 checks) Checked 6 July 2026. Retraction record: none. DOI resolves at doi.org. Metadata record found (Science). Read the source

Science·2 July 2026

Christin Schmitt, Sachin Krishnia et al.

Orbital magnetoresistance in the antiferromagnet CoO driven by dynamic orbital angular momentum

Scientists study "orbital currents," a newer alternative to spin currents that some predict could be much more powerful for controlling magnetic materials. Normally these orbital currents have to be converted into spin currents before they can affect magnets, since most magnets rely on spin. The researchers instead used cobalt II oxide (CoO), a magnet whose magnetism comes mainly from orbital motion rather than spin, paired with a specially oxidized copper layer (Cu*). They measured how much the electrical resistance of this material changed when magnetism was manipulated (called magnetoresistance), and compared it to a standard version using platinum instead of copper.

The CoO/Cu* combination showed a 70 times larger orbital-based magnetoresistance effect compared to the standard spin-based version using CoO/Pt.

The number: 70-fold enhancement in orbital Hall magnetoresistance in CoO/Cu* compared with spin Hall magnetoresistance in CoO/Pt.
The caveat: This is a demonstration in one specific material system (CoO with oxidized copper), so it is not yet clear how well this approach works in other materials or in practical devices.

Integrity screen: passed (3 checks) Checked 6 July 2026. Retraction record: none. DOI resolves at doi.org. Metadata record found (Science). Read the source

Nature·1 July 2026

Sarah Schiffers, Blake W. Nelson et al.

N4-Acetylcytidine enhances synthetic mRNA translation yield and fidelity

Synthetic mRNA medicines (like some vaccines) use modified building blocks to help the mRNA work well and avoid triggering unwanted immune reactions. The current standard modification, called m1 Psi, can cause the cell's protein-making machinery to make mistakes. Researchers tested a different modification called N4-acetylcytidine (ac4C) in cell cultures, human immune cells, and mouse liver, comparing it to m1 Psi. They found that ac4C calmed inflammatory responses just as well as m1 Psi but produced more protein, because the protein-building process moved faster and had fewer errors and slowdowns.

ac4C-modified mRNA produced higher protein yields than the standard m1 Psi modification because protein synthesis moved almost twice as fast, with fewer ribosome pileups and errors.

The number: Translation elongation with m1 Psi-modified mRNA was nearly twofold slower than with ac4C-modified mRNA.
The caveat: The comparisons were done in cultured cells, human immune cells grown in the lab, and mouse liver, not in human clinical trials, so it is not yet known whether ac4C would work as well or be as safe in people.

Integrity screen: passed (3 checks) Checked 6 July 2026. Retraction record: none. DOI resolves at doi.org. Metadata record found (Nature). Read the source

7 more papers are in the full issue.

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Nature·1 July 2026

Claudine Israel, Catherine Chauvel et al.