Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · 9 October 2026 · From issue 49

How biological synapses self-assemble gradient learning

In a computer model, self-wiring brain circuits learned as well as standard computer algorithms.

Qianli Liao, Liu Ziyin et al.

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Also in issue 49 15 papers

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A common lab drug damages cell membranes instead of blocking the protein clumping it was believed to stop.
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A sharp fold in the Sun's magnetic field traced back to hot loops near its surface.
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In a lab model, a bent fiber in a fluid channel can store memory by flipping between two shapes.
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In mice, red light lowered a key protein and reduced signs of aging in skin cells.
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A hidden pocket inside Cas9 switches on its DNA-cutting action when it grabs metal ions.
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In mouse embryos, two genes brake the same signal at different times to guide body building.
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A new gel blocked a parasitic weed and boosted rice branching in lab tests.
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Neanderthals made spears, trays, and tools from wood far more often than old evidence showed.
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In lab-grown vessels, one cell layer alone caused the worst damage from a rapid aging disease.
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