Science

Recently discovered genetic variants seem to protect against Alzheimer’s disease, suggesting a path toward a cure. But are their powers believable?

New measurements test a decades-old hypothesis about the proton’s identity

The electrical properties of polycrystalline materials are governed by crystallite characteristics and spatial arrangement. We grew ruthenium polycrystals with a near-complete out-of-plane preferred orientation and predominantly low-energy grain boundaries on amorphous dielectric substrates, without relying on epitaxial growth or lattice-matched conditions. Whereas prior studies used high-density…

Highlights from the Science family of journals

Mitotic chromosome size and shape are influenced by conditions that control ionic hydrogels

Hypertension is a leading cause of disease burden and mortality. Here, we present a single-cell analysis of hypertension and end-organ damage across six organs and tissues in angiotensin II–treated mice, Dahl salt–sensitive rats, and spontaneously hypertensive rats. We identified gene programs associated with blood pressure and renal injury, including a conserved vascular smooth muscle cell progr…

A field experiment among Côte d’Ivoire cocoa farms suggests an approach to improve auditor reporting

Prior expectations guide attention and support perceptual filtering during decision-making. In mice performing a visual discrimination task, choices depended on trial-by-trial differences between consecutive stimuli (|ΔDir|). We hypothesized that thalamic lateral posterior (LP; rodent pulvinar) projections to prefrontal areas such as the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), previously implicated in s…

After a record-low snowpack, federal authorities canceled dam releases for managing fish and sandbars

Over the past 19 months, the devastating effects of federal cuts to science funding in the United States have become plain: Young researchers are leaving scientific fields. Labs are struggling to fund promising projects, limiting hiring, training, and sometimes shuttering altogether. Data collected over decades will instead collect dust, ending future scientific discovery and innovation. But perh…

The fossil record attributes shark decline in the Caribbean to human activity

Chance—and preparation—reveal live action at midocean ridges

Studies probe the limits of new sodium channel blockers

Opinions shift after new data suggest vaccine for Ebola Zaire may also protect against Bundibugyo

Modeling suggests infamous “Kessler syndrome” would make the swarms unsustainable

Textured piezoelectric ceramics could deliver the ultrahigh piezoelectricity of single crystals while retaining the mechanical robustness and cost-effectiveness of conventional ceramics, but after decades of effort, their piezoelectricity has not approached that of single crystals. We exploited compositional flexibility of textured ceramics, a critical advantage over single-crystal counterparts, …

Study of mitochondria suggests new treatment strategy for Alzheimer’s and other diseases

Plasmodium falciparum sporozoite vaccines, in which parasites are attenuated at the liver stage, provide high efficacy but require complex manufacture and intravenous administration of high sporozoite doses. We found that a single low-dose P. berghei sporozoite exposure (intravenous or mosquito bite) and treatment with a plasmepsin IX and X (PMIX/X) inhibitor, either WM382 or MK-7602, that produc…