Behind the Paper
The real stories behind the latest research papers, from conception to publication, the highs and the lows
Meta-microscope for high-quality phase imaging
Compact, stable metasurface-based microscope is established for quantitative phase imaging of transparent samples with high resolution and large field-of-view (FOV).
Carbon Quantum Dots as Multifunctional Nanomaterials for Sustainable Optoelectronic Biosensing and Green Photonics
Carbon Quantum Dots—Tiny Lights for Cleaner Water, Better Sensing, and Greener Photonics
How an ancient autophagy pathway shaped glycogen-based energy strategies in animals
By integrating molecular evolution with autophagy function, our Communications Biology study reveals how protein structural evolution shapes clade-specific diversification in glycogen utilization, offering new mechanistic insight into the evolutionary dynamics of energy metabolism.
Making cells bigger to see what was previously invisible
How signals move inside living cells has been hard to see because cells are small and signals propagate fast. We enlarged Dictyostelium cells by blocking division without harming function, enabling direct visualization of front–rear cAMP and calcium signal flow in single living cells.
STING Agonism and B Cells in Liver Cancer: How Immune Activation Can Drive Both Tumor Control and Metastasis—and Why Targeting Regulatory B Cells Can Unlock Durable Anti-Tumor Immunity
Immunotherapy can potently activate anti-cancer immunity, yet liver cancer often resists it. Our new research reveals one reason why: STING agonism or PD1/VEGFR2 blockade increases regulatory B cells that suppress T cells. Targeting these B cells can restore the immune balance and block metastasis.
A bendable low-frequency mechanical antenna for cross-medium communication in unmanned missions
Conventional radios fail in seawater, underground, or behind rock; high-frequency signals attenuate so quickly. We developed a flexible, magnet-based low-frequency mechanical antenna that provides a robust, low-rate link for cross-medium coordination among unmanned systems, even when RF breaks down.
Faster than expected drying in western Europe: mechanisms, attribution and implications
As global temperatures continue to climb, Western Europe is fast becoming ground zero for a new climate reality — one where drought and water scarcity are no longer distant threats but present-day crises. Understanding this recent shift is essential for the design of no-regret adaptation strategies.
Reorganisation of North Atlantic Atmospheric Circulation Patterns due to Anthropogenic Warming
The North Atlantic weather impacts hundreds of millions, from European winter storms to Eastern North America cold spells, driven by recurring atmospheric circulation patterns called atmospheric regimes.
