Nature · 7 October 2026 · From issue 48

A nuclear clock synchronized to 229Th

A laser locked to an atom's core built a working nuclear clock for the first time.

Beichen Huang, Gaowei Yan et al.

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Also in issue 48 15 papers

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Hidden black holes stir up gas far outside their home galaxy's center, new X-ray data shows.
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A hybrid physics and learning model predicts how complex gels and pastes flow and stiffen.
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In zebrafish and human cells, one protein both calls immune cells to wounds and protects healing tissue.
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In a theoretical model, acting agents must trade off predicting the future against saving energy.
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A finished water gel can be rewired from the inside, changing its strength and shape without breaking it apart.
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In a climate model, over 40% of world river basins will lose usable water by 2100.
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