The 1925 debate about adopting the word ‘scientist’ heats up
Nature, Published online: 18 February 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00464-x
The pros and cons of a word gaining popularity, and publication of an updated edition of a book by Charles Darwin in this week’s pick from the Nature archive.A human gene makes mice squeak differently — did it contribute to language?
Nature, Published online: 18 February 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00518-0
A gene variant present in most people might have contributed to cognitive differences between humans and their closest relatives.Could psychedelics be fine-tuned to relieve anxiety but skip the ‘trip’?
Nature, Published online: 18 February 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00454-z
Interest in psychedelic substances as medicines is rising. Identifying the neural circuits that mediate the benefits of psychedelics could pave the way for long-lasting anxiety treatments without the short-term sensory disturbances.Pinpointing neurons that hinder cancer treatment
Nature, Published online: 18 February 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00501-9
Pancreatic tumours hijack neuronal signalling mechanisms to boost cancer growth. A technology to identify and profile mouse neurons that connect the spinal cord to pancreatic cancer might improve treatment of this disease.‘Unconventional’ nickel superconductor excites physicists
Nature, Published online: 18 February 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00450-3
Compounds called nickelates can conduct electricity without resistance well above absolute zero and at ambient pressure.Learn COVID pandemic lessons — before it’s too late
Nature, Published online: 18 February 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00498-1
Five years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, public weariness and irresponsible politics are hampering an effective response to global infectious-disease outbreaks.China made waves with Deepseek, but its real ambition is AI-driven industrial innovation
Nature, Published online: 18 February 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00460-1
The country is betting on AI to develop practical, cost-effective business tools for global markets, especially lower-income countries.A sustainable ocean needs thriving ocean societies
Nature, Published online: 18 February 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00494-5
A sustainable ocean needs thriving ocean societiesA giant leap for machine translation could be even bigger
Nature, Published online: 18 February 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00497-2
A giant leap for machine translation could be even biggerCharles Darwin saw the importance of development in evolution
Nature, Published online: 18 February 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00495-4
Charles Darwin saw the importance of development in evolutionDon’t overlook the mental-health costs of California’s wildfires
Nature, Published online: 18 February 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00496-3
Don’t overlook the mental-health costs of California’s wildfiresWhy is it so hard to rewrite a genome?
Nature, Published online: 18 February 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00462-z
Synthetic biologists have the know-how and ambition to retool whole genomes. But the hidden complexity of biological systems continues to surprise them.Molecular glue unexpectedly mimics the effect of cancer mutations
Nature, Published online: 18 February 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00090-7
Many conventional small-molecule drugs work by inhibiting proteins, affecting their function. One small molecule instead imbues a protein with a new function in a mechanism that could inform rational drug design.Migraine is more than a headache — a radical rethink offers hope to one billion people
Nature, Published online: 18 February 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00456-x
Drugs that can prevent or relieve migraine attacks are only effective for some people. Research is starting to untangle the reasons why.Daily briefing: The ‘dark side’ of the Asilomar conference
Nature, Published online: 17 February 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00516-2
A new theory on how intelligent life evolved on Earth. Plus, the ‘dark side’ of the Asilomar conference on recombinant DNA.Author Correction: FANCD2–FANCI surveys DNA and recognizes double- to single-stranded junctions
Nature, Published online: 17 February 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08763-z
Author Correction: FANCD2–FANCI surveys DNA and recognizes double- to single-stranded junctionsAmbient-pressure superconductivity onset above 40 K in (La,Pr)<sub>3</sub>Ni<sub>2</sub>O<sub>7</sub> films
Nature, Published online: 17 February 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08755-z
Ambient-pressure superconductivity onset above 40 K in (La,Pr)3Ni2O7 filmsCharacterization of single neurons reprogrammed by pancreatic cancer
Nature, Published online: 17 February 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-08735-3
Characterization of single neurons reprogrammed by pancreatic cancer‘Talking won’t save the planet’: uniting efforts to save Panama’s parks
Nature, Published online: 17 February 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00463-y
Juan Carlos Navarro shares his hopes and frustrations as he works to protect his country’s biodiversity and fight climate change.Here’s how to bag a hefty research prize to turbocharge innovation
Nature, Published online: 17 February 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-00461-0
‘Challenge’ prizes are growing in popularity, but stimulating creativity takes more than financial incentives.