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In this issue 15 papers · 5 free

01 Nature Communications Deep learning aging marker from retinal images unveils sex-specific clinical and genetic signatures Free
02 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Large-scale brain network reinstatement supports recognition memory Free
03 Nature Insights into longevity and virus-driven adaptation from Myotis bat genomes Free
04 Nature Synergistic degradation of fucoidans in the ocean Free
05 Nature Spontaneously charged water drops induce corrosion Free
06 PNAS Nexus Is entropy objective? rethinking the foundations of irreversibility and the second law Subscribers
07 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Sensory context improves language prediction in humans and LLMs Subscribers
08 PNAS Nexus The global structure of classroom social networks predicts academic and psycho-social adjustment Subscribers
09 Physical Review Letters First Observation of D 0 ( + ) → K ¯ ω e + ν e and Determination of the Branching Fraction of K ¯ 1 ( 1270 ) → K ¯ ω Subscribers
10 The Astrophysical Journal Old and Bright: The Remarkable Radio Brightening of the Engine-driven SN 2012au Several Years after Explosion Signals the Birth of a Pulsar Wind Nebula Subscribers
11 Nature Chemistry Programmable regiodivergent light-driven cyclization of acyclic 1,5-dienes unlocks rigid bicyclic architectures Subscribers
12 Nature Genetics Dissecting pleiotropy between major depressive disorder and physical disease comorbidities Subscribers
13 PLOS Medicine Sex differences in trajectories to cardio-renal and mental health outcomes following the onset of type 2 diabetes: An observational cohort study using multi-state analysis in the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink Subscribers
14 Nature Communications Sustained formation movement and destruction of coacervates in a waste-free system driven by electricity Subscribers
15 PNAS Nexus Evolution of complex organelles in ocelloid-bearing dinoflagellates Subscribers

The papers Read free

Nature Communications·26 August 2026

Olga Trofimova, Leah Böttger et al.

An eye scan predicted age within 2.85 years and flagged disease risk differently in men and women.

A computer program can look at a photo of the back of your eye and guess your age with a small margin of error, off by less than three years on average. When the guessed age is older than the real age, that gap links to higher risks of heart disease, dementia, cancer, and early death. This eye-age gap shows up differently in men and women. In men it connects more to metabolic problems, while in women it connects more to changes in eye blood vessels, especially after menopause.

The number 2.85 years

The average error when the program guessed a person's age from an eye photo.

One large biobank study only, not tested elsewhere yet.

Integrity screen: passed (3 checks) Checked 27 August 2026. Olga Trofimova, Leah Böttger et al., Deep learning aging marker from retinal images unveils sex-specific clinical and genetic signatures Read the source

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·26 August 2026

Jintao Sheng, Junle Li et al.

Patterns across connected brain regions, not just single spots, predict memory accuracy.

When someone recognizes a picture, whole networks of brain regions fire together, not just single spots. This shared firing pattern predicts how well people remember specific images. The patterns line up with brain chemical signals and energy use in cells. They work alongside older theories about single brain regions, but tell a separate part of the story.

What it could change Networks of brain regions, not just single spots, replay patterns that predict memory accuracy.

Shows network-wide brain activity, separate from single-region activity, tracks recognition memory performance.

Brain scan data only, no behavior training tested.

Integrity screen: passed (3 checks) Checked 27 August 2026. Jintao Sheng, Junle Li et al., Large-scale brain network reinstatement supports recognition memory Read the source

Nature·26 August 2026

Juan M. Vazquez, M. Elise Lauterbur et al.

Long-lived bats evolved gene changes that fight viruses and may also block cancer and ageing.

Some bats live much longer than other mammals their size and rarely get cancer. They also carry many viruses without getting sick. Scientists compared genomes from eight closely related bat species and grew their cells in the lab. They found that these bats evolved special gene changes that help fight viruses and also seem to protect against cancer and ageing.

The number 8 bat species

The number of closely related bat species whose genomes and cells were compared in this study.

Genome and lab-cell study only, no living bats tested.

Integrity screen: passed (3 checks) Checked 27 August 2026. Juan M. Vazquez, M. Elise Lauterbur et al., Insights into longevity and virus-driven adaptation from Myotis bat genomes Read the source

Nature·26 August 2026

Andreas Sichert, Shaul Pollak et al.

Teams of ocean bacteria fully break down tough algae sugars that single microbes cannot handle alone.

Ocean bacteria can team up to break down tough sugar molecules from algae. Scientists once thought these molecules resisted decay for a very long time. Working together, different bacteria removed up to 97.1% of the material. No single microbe could do this alone, because each one only handles part of the job.

The number 97.1%

The share of tough algae sugar broken down when bacteria worked together as a team.

Lab-built bacteria community only, not tested in the open ocean.

Integrity screen: passed (3 checks) Checked 27 August 2026. Andreas Sichert, Shaul Pollak et al., Synergistic degradation of fucoidans in the ocean Read the source

Nature·26 August 2026

Zhongyuan Ni, Xiaomei Li et al.

Charged water drops can break protective coatings and cause metal to rust.

Water drops build up static electricity just by sliding across surfaces like glass or leaves. This charge can reach over 1,000 volts. When charged drops hit a coated metal surface, they can break down the coating and let the metal rust underneath.

The number 1,000 volts

The electric charge a water drop can build up just by sliding across a surface.

Lab tests only, real-world buildings and cars not measured yet.

Integrity screen: passed (3 checks) Checked 27 August 2026. Zhongyuan Ni, Xiaomei Li et al., Spontaneously charged water drops induce corrosion Read the source

10 more papers are in the full issue.

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PNAS Nexus·26 August 2026

Juan M R Parrondo