Crooked Bough News Round-up

— This mysterious lung disease affects millions of people — but a drug tested in mice shows promise

 

at 6/5/26 6:52pm

Nature, Published online: 04 June 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01789-xThe therapy activates a protein that could stop pulmonary fibrosis from progressing.

— What’s behind China’s historically high counts of corresponding authors?

 

at 6/5/26 6:11pm

Nature, Published online: 04 June 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01623-4From 2016 to 2020, almost one-third of papers by authors in China had multiple corresponding authors — but policy reforms are expected to have dampened the trend.

— First precise genome editing of human embryos triggers praise and alarm

 

at 6/5/26 5:40pm

Nature, Published online: 05 June 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01827-8The lead scientist on the use of ‘base editing’ in very early embryos say that the technique is far from ready for the clinic, but critics worry that the work will spur a rush to commercialization.

— Editorial Expression of Concern: Functional proteomic identification of DNA replication proteins by induced proteolysis in vivo

 

at 6/5/26 4:35pm

Nature, Published online: 03 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10727-wEditorial Expression of Concern: Functional proteomic identification of DNA replication proteins by induced proteolysis in vivo

— AI in science recruitment: friend or foe? Join our free webinar

 

at 6/5/26 4:05pm

Nature, Published online: 03 June 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01774-4Discover the strengths, limitations and risks associated with using artificial intelligence in your science job applications.

— Your phone can use tiny skin-colour changes to measure your heart rate

 

at 6/5/26 3:27pm

Nature, Published online: 03 June 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01793-1Passive heart-rate monitoring during regular phone use could provide early warning of health issues — plus, testing Richard Feynman’s solution to the ‘restaurant dilemma’ problem.

— Reply to: The size of tropical vegetation gross primary production

 

at 6/5/26 2:54pm

Nature, Published online: 03 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10561-0Reply to: The size of tropical vegetation gross primary production

— The size of tropical vegetation gross primary production

 

at 6/5/26 2:22pm

Nature, Published online: 03 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10562-zThe size of tropical vegetation gross primary production

— A natural depsipeptide antibiotic binds the E-site of the bacterial ribosome

 

at 6/5/26 1:48pm

Nature, Published online: 03 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10589-2Improved fractionation strategies can identify antibiotics with previously unseen scaffolds and mechanisms, exemplified by manikomycin from Streptomyces rimosus, which acts by targeting the E-site of the bacterial large ribosomal subunit.

— Earth’s east–west albedo symmetry

 

at 6/5/26 1:18pm

Nature, Published online: 03 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10624-2Analysis of a 25-year satellite record shows that Earth has a persistent east–west albedo symmetry split at 27° E, with clear-sky albedo, cloud radiative effect and open-ocean fraction exhibiting a triple symmetry around this meridian.

— Relativistic electron acceleration at the bow shock of Jupiter and beyond

 

at 6/5/26 12:48pm

Nature, Published online: 03 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10473-zNASA’s Juno observations show relativistic electron acceleration at the bow shock of Jupiter and establish a universal scaling law linking shock size to maximum cosmic ray energy.

— Acquired genetic and cell-state changes in IDH-mutant glioma progression

 

at 6/5/26 12:10pm

Nature, Published online: 03 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10612-6Longitudinal transcriptomic, chromatin and genomic analyses of the two types of IDH-mutant glioma reveal in detail how disease progression is influenced by interdependent genetic, epigenetic and microenvironmental factors.

— Mining triggers extensive additional deforestation in sub-Saharan Africa

 

at 6/5/26 11:39am

Nature, Published online: 03 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10551-2Extensive mining activity leads to large-scale deforestation of dense tropical forests across sub-Saharan Africa, driven particularly by key energy transition minerals such as cobalt.

— Briefing chat: Spinosaurs with salt glands could have lived in marine environments

 

at 6/5/26 11:06am

Nature, Published online: 05 June 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01831-yNature staff discuss some of the week’s top science news.

— See a helicopter destined for Mars and a spectacular flowery frame for the Milky Way — May’s best science images

 

at 6/5/26 11:06am

Nature, Published online: 05 June 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01609-2The month’s sharpest science shots, selected by Nature’s photo team.

— Electric vehicles cut pollution in China – and prevent 260,000 premature deaths

 

at 6/5/26 9:21am

Nature, Published online: 05 June 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01781-5Having fewer fossil-fuel powered cars on the road is reducing some pollutants, but not others.

— See a helicopter destined for Mars and a spectacular flowery frame for the Milky Way — May's best science images

 

at 6/5/26 7:42am

Nature, Published online: 05 June 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01609-2The month’s sharpest science shots, selected by Nature’s photo team.

— Europe is ditching US tech — what does this mean for researchers?

 

at 6/5/26 4:40am

Nature, Published online: 05 June 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01610-9European governments are choosing European digital tools — and some universities and researchers are doing the same.

— Babies’ birth weight improves with help of payments to parents

 

at 6/4/26 3:40pm

Nature, Published online: 04 June 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01765-5Interventions that included home visits and cash transfers led to more strapping infants in an Indian state.

— Author Correction: Physiology and immunology of a pig-to-human decedent kidney xenotransplant

 

at 6/4/26 1:00pm

Nature, Published online: 04 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10694-2Author Correction: Physiology and immunology of a pig-to-human decedent kidney xenotransplant

— Science with military applications is cited more than civilian-only research

 

at 6/4/26 1:00pm

Nature, Published online: 04 June 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01770-8Researchers analysed the scientific impact of dual-use research in US patent records and bibliometric databases.

As of 6/5/26 6:52pm. Last new 6/5/26 6:52pm.