The escalating energy consumption of existing artificial intelligence hardware has become a serious global issue that demands immediate action. Neuromorphic computing offers promises to drastically reduce this footprint. Here, we introduce multicomponent p-type Hf(Sr,Ti)O2 thin films for energy-efficient, resistive switching–based neuromorphic devices. We demonstrate interfacial memristors with ultralow switching currents (≤~10−8 A), exceptional cycle-to-cycle and device-to-device uniformities, and retention >105 s. They reveal hundreds of ultralow conductance levels with a modulation range of >50 (without reaching any saturation) and reproducibly satisfy unsupervised learning rules. This performance originates from incorporating a self-assembled p-n heterointerface between p-type Hf(Sr,Ti)O2 and n-type TiOxNy, resulting in a fully depleted space-charge layer asymmetrically extended into Hf(Sr,Ti)O2, a large built-in potential, and extremely low saturation current density under reverse bias. Ultralow conductance modulation is controlled by tuning p-n heterointerface’s energy-barrier height through electro-ionic charge migration. This materials-engineering strategy addresses energy consumption and variability in existing memristors, opening a pathway toward energy-efficient neuromorphic computing systems.

Diamonds have been regarded as nonpiezoelectric materials for more than one century. Here, we uncover a notable piezoelectric effect in ultrathin and ultraflexible polycrystalline diamond membranes. Our experiments show that the piezoelectricity depends on membrane thickness, with peak response (exhibiting a piezoelectric voltage coefficient of ~82.2 millivolt meters per newton that surpasses many conventional piezoelectric materials) seen in ~5-micrometer-thick membranes. First-principles calculations reveal that the unexpected piezoelectricity in polycrystalline membranes originates from local asymmetry induced by grain boundaries, which alter the electric polarization within a finite region near the boundary during deformation. This finding together with the outstanding properties of our membranes is expected to catalyze the exploration and development of diamond-based applications in energy harvesting, intelligent sensing, and wearable electronics.

The petrochemical sector accounted for 15% of global industrial direct CO2 emissions in 2021, with China contributing 43% of global chemical output and therefore being central to climate-change mitigation efforts. However, the lack of China-specific, process-based assessments has constrained targeted strategies. Here, we present a comprehensive CO2 emissions analysis of 3119 petrochemical plants in China, capturing variations across 123 products, 185 processes, feedstocks, energy use, and product relationships within production chains. We estimate annual emissions at 813.7 million tonnes (Mt) CO2 (±25%) in 2021, offering refined region-specific details beyond previous global or national assessments. We identify distinct emission hotspots at specific processes and product-chain stages, where low-carbon substitutions in feedstocks and reactions can reduce carbon intensity by up to 2.9 tonnes of CO2 per tonne of product, while key stages in integrated complexes can account for up to 50% of chain emissions. These findings highlight the need for coordinated, chain-wide interventions to enable decarbonization.

RNA structure starts forming cotranscriptionally as the nascent RNA emerges from the RNA polymerase and is dynamically modulated by cellular factors. How individual RNA conformations, out of an ensemble of RNA molecules, relate to function is not well understood. Here, developing multicolor single-molecule fluorescence microscopy experiments, we track in real time nascent RNA structure formation, functionally characterizing up to eight different types of RNA molecules. We find that ribosomal proteins, RNA modification enzymes or antisense oligonucleotides specifically modulate a subset of the RNA folding classes. For example, we provide direct evidence that increased local RNA accessibility at specific sites correlates with the chaperoning activity of ribosomal proteins during ribosome assembly. These experiments provide a general framework to study how dynamic RNA folding, and misfolding, relates to function.

Sugarcane streak mosaic virus (SCSMV) is the major cause of sugarcane mosaic disease. Its P1 protein (P1SCSMV) is crucial for pathogenesis, but how it disrupts plant immunity remains unclear. Here, we found that P1SCSMV directly binds to the core transcription factor of brassinosteroid signaling, NbBES1, disrupting its binding to the E-box elements of the xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase gene 1 (NbXTH1) promoter and suppressing NbXTH1 transcription. NbXTH1 overexpression enhanced the plant resistance to fungal/viral infection, improved the contents of xyloglucan, which directly induced a damage-associated molecular pattern triggering innate immunity (DTI) and expression of several defense genes, and accompanied with a thickened middle lamellae and primary cell wall. Reduced xyloglucan due to NbXTH1 downexpression further weakened DTI responses and a thinner cell wall. This study reveals how a viral protein subverts cell wall-mediated immunity and identifies NbXTH1 as a broad-spectrum disease resistance factor. Our findings support using xyloglucan or NbXTH1 to engineer broad-spectrum disease resistance in crops.

Chromosomal instability (CIN), a pervasive feature of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), drives tumor aggressiveness and metastasis. CIN stimulates the cGAS–STING pathway, typically linked to antitumor immunity. However, despite the high CIN burden in EAC, the cGAS–STING pathway remains largely intact. To address this paradox, we interrogated multiple esophageal cancer models, finding myeloid-attracting chemokines—with CXCL8 as a prominent hit—as conserved CIN-driven targets in EAC. Using multiplexed immunofluorescence microscopy, we quantified ongoing CIN in human EAC tumors by measuring cGAS-positive micronuclei, validated by whole-genome sequencing. Coupling in situ CIN detection with single-nucleus RNA sequencing and multiplex immunophenotyping of human EAC, we link CIN to tumor-intrinsic innate immune activation, CXCL8 expression, and myeloid cell–mediated immunosuppression. In patients with EAC, CINhigh, myeloid-dominated tumors correlate with poor outcomes and aberrant cGAS–STING signaling. These insights explain the counterintuitive maintenance of cGAS–STING and highlight the disruption of the CIN–cGAS–inflammation axis as a potential therapeutic strategy in EAC.

Apart from positive ions and electrons, negative ions are expected in various astrophysical environments. However, they have never been detected on the Moon until the Chang'E-6 mission. The NILS instrument onboard Chang'E-6 lander is the first dedicated instrument for detecting negative ions beyond Earth and has successfully obtained H- spectra on the lunar surface, providing an unprecedented opportunity to investigate their origin and distribution. Here, we present a positive correlation between the H- spectra and solar wind parameters, which provides direct evidence for the generation of negative ions from solar wind-surface interaction. Combined with Monte Carlo simulations, we predict a thin dayside H- layer and a long nightside H- tail, which can contribute to the lunar plasma environment, especially during an extreme solar wind density event. These findings greatly improve our understanding of the generation and distribution of negative ions on the Moon and other airless bodies.

The long-standing view that bonobos (Pan paniscus) are peaceful while chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) are aggressive has shaped our understanding of primate and human social evolution. However, recent observations from the wild challenge this dichotomy, warranting standardized comparative analyses of aggression in the Pan species. Here, we examined aggressive interactions across 22 zoo-housed groups of chimpanzees (N = 9 groups, 101 individuals) and bonobos (N = 13 groups, 88 individuals) using Bayesian social network analysis. We find no species differences in overall or contact aggression rates, accounting for group size and sex ratio. However, aggression patterns diverge by sex: Bonobos exhibit higher female-to-male aggression, while chimpanzees show the reverse. Notably, absolute aggression rates varied substantially between groups within each species, reinforcing recent evidence on group-specific social structures in Pan. These findings challenge the traditional aggression dichotomy between bonobos and chimpanzees and provide insights into the evolutionary dynamics of social conflict strategies in great apes, including humans.

Extreme fire weather (hot, dry, and windy conditions) has intensified globally, yet formally attributing this trend to anthropogenic climate change remains challenging. Here, we analyze global trends in extreme fire weather days (FWI95d, annual count of days with Fire Weather Index above the 95th percentile) over 1980–2023, using climate model ensembles, observational data, and fingerprint detection techniques. We find that the observed increase in extreme fire weather bears a clear externally forced signal, detectable at 99% confidence above natural variability and attributable to human-induced climate change. This emerging human-induced fingerprint on extreme fire weather highlights a benchmark for climate science and underscores the urgency of integrating these insights into wildfire risk management and adaptation strategies.

Dielectric elastomers (DEs) with high energy conversion density are highly desirable for flexible actuation and sensing applications. However, current DEs only perform well under electrical actuation, incapable of regulating interfacial interactions between materials and their environment, such as active control of electroadhesion and electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD). Herein, we report a method using polar small-molecule additives to enable electroactive interfacial regulation in DEs. For electroadhesion, the electroactive interface–enhanced dielectric elastomer (EIEDE) with a metal mesh electrode attains adhesion strength of 31.75 kilopascals at 14 megavolts per meter, which is 488 times greater than that before modification. For EWOD performance, the EIEDE induces droplet contact angle to decrease sharply from 83.15° to 9.92°, showing the best electric-field response among DEs and enabling functions like droplet transport and shape modulation. The EIEDE simultaneously integrates large-strain deformation with electroactive interfacial regulation, achieving breakthrough performance in superhigh electroadhesion and excellent EWOD performance.