Olympic gels are an elusive form of soft matter, comprising a 3D network of mechanically interlocked cyclic molecules. In the absence of defined network junctions, the high conformational freedom of the molecules was previously theorized to confer unique mechanical properties to Olympic gels, such as non-linear elasticity and unconventional swelling characteristics. However, the synthesis of an Olympic gel exhibiting these intriguing features is challenging, since unintended crosslinking and polymerization processes are often favored over cyclization. Here, we report the successful assembly of a true Olympic gel from a library of DNA rings comprising more than 16 000 distinct molecules. Each of these rings contains a unique sequence domain that can be enzymatically activated to produce reactive termini that favor intramolecular cyclization. We characterized the genetic, mechanical, and structural characteristics of the material by next-generation sequencing, oscillatory rheology, large-scale computational simulations, atomic force microscopy, and cryogenic electron microscopy. Our results confirm the formation of a stable Olympic gel, which exhibits unique swelling behavior and an elastic response that is exclusively determined by entanglements, yet persists on long time scales. By combining concepts from polymer physics, synthetic biology, and DNA nanotechnology, this new material class provides a flexible experimental platform for future studies into the effects of network topology on macroscopic material properties and its function as a carrier of genetic information in biological and biomimetic systems. This work moreover demonstrates that exotic material properties can emerge in systems with a high compositional complexity that is more reminiscent of biological than synthetic matter.

Protein-Inspired Reconfigurable Nanovector-Based Coacervates Intrinsically disordered protein–inspired nanovectors undergo reversible conformational transitions that enable coacervate formation with diverse biomacromolecules. The resulting nanocoacervates remain stable under physiological conditions and can directly penetrate cellular membranes through the dynamic motion of the nanovectors. This platform supports efficient cytosolic delivery of a wide range of cargos, providing a versatile approach for intracellular transport technologies. More details can be found in the Research Article by Kwan Hyi Lee, Ja-Hyoung Ryu, Youngdo Jeong, and co-workers (DOI: 10.1002/adma.202507877).

Scalable Solar Evaporator In the Research Article by Ji-Hyun Jang and co-workers (DOI: 10.1002/adma.202517285), a bandgap-engineered CuMnCrO4 spinel oxide is introduced as a high-performance photothermal absorber for solar desalination. Multi-cation design broadens solar absorption, enabling excellent evaporation rates. Integrated into an inverted U-shaped architecture, the system achieves continuous water transport, salt resistance, and exceptional stability under saline, extreme pH, and contaminated conditions, demonstrating scalable and durable freshwater production.

Chiral Acoustic Phonons In their Research Article (DOI: 10.1002/adma.202511289), Changsoo Kim, Chanyong Hwang, and co-workers report the existence of chiral acoustic phonons in the right- and left-handed chiral structures of α-quartz and demonstrate the conservation of pseudoangular momentum that governs their inelastic interactions with light. According to the pseudoangular-momentum selection rule, circularly polarized light of a given helicity couples exclusively to chiral phonons rotating in the corresponding direction, as verified through Brillouin light-scattering measurements. This work provides microscopic evidence for chiral acoustic phonons and suggests potential synergies with spintronics and orbitronics that exploit electron angular momentum.

Resolving the mRNA Encapsulation-Release Trade-off Overcoming the inherent trade-off between mRNA encapsulation and intracellular release remains a central challenge for lipid nanoparticles. Yufei Xia, Ying Ren, and co-workers rationally engineer compensatory forces in LNP (DOI: 10.1002/adma.202512235). By leveraging short-range intermolecular interactions to dynamically balance long-range Coulombic binding, reduces empty particles and ionizable lipid content, enabling efficient mRNA encapsulation and enhanced delivery for vaccination and gene-editing applications.

All-Perovskite Tandem Solar Cells All-perovskite tandem solar cells promise exceptional power-to-weight ratios for space photovoltaics, yet their operation under low-intensity, low-temperature conditions remains poorly understood. This work reveals distinct loss regimes that emerge below room temperature. Weaker entropic mixing below ≈240 K leads to accelerated halide segregation, inducing current mismatch and fill factor loss, while C60 transport limitations dominate at cryogenic temperatures. More details can be found in the Research Article by Felix Lang and co-workers (DOI: 10.1002/adma.202517703). Background image: Courtesy NASA.

Structural Precision Meets Spectral Freedom ns2-ion–doped hybrid metal halides transform subtle lattice distortions into intense, broadband light, seamlessly spanning UV, visible, and near-infrared emission. This unified platform enables efficient white lighting, hidden NIR imaging, and multi-level optical security within a single crystalline framework. More details can be found in the Research Article by Yang Yu, Junsheng Chen, Ruifeng Lu, and co-workers (DOI: 10.1002/adma.202511051).