Use AI, but don’t mask it
Nature, Published online: 28 July 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02347-1Use AI, but don’t mask it
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Why some wool is wavy
Nature, Published online: 28 July 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02104-4How crimps form in the coats of sheep, and the history of the word ‘ionosphere’, in this week’s pick from the Nature archive.
Wildfires rampaged across Europe in the dying days of the Triassic
Nature, Published online: 28 July 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02333-7Infernos ravaged continental expanses of ferns during mass extinction of land and sea animals.
Conversational AI: align commercial incentives with public interests
Nature, Published online: 28 July 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02348-0Conversational AI: align commercial incentives with public interests
Fertility clinics are offering young mitochondria in controversial fertility technique
Nature, Published online: 28 July 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01935-5Researchers are alarmed that the procedure, which has not been rigorously studied, is being advertised by clinics around the world.
Skin cancer spreads between catfish in a freshwater lake
Nature, Published online: 28 July 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02287-wThe discovery of a transmissible melanoma in a freshwater catfish raises questions about the disease’s origin, mode of transmission and broader impact on the species.
When physicians and AI work together, who is accountable? How to lay out medical liability
Nature, Published online: 28 July 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02315-9A staging system based on how big a role AI has in patient care can help to identify who is responsible in cases in which care fails.
First volunteer gets Ebola vaccine — three months after the outbreak began
Nature, Published online: 28 July 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02278-xThe University of Oxford has already vaccinated its first clinical-trial participant. The study’s lead scientist, Teresa Lambe, tells Nature how the team was able to move so fast.
Daily briefing: Why all living cells emit a faint glow
Nature, Published online: 28 July 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02363-1The emission of ‘biophotons’ could be a cell’s way of communicating with its neighbours. Plus, a ‘timer’ in the brain that tracks sleep and who is accountable when physicians and AI work together.
First mission to fly through monstrous ‘fire clouds’ is about to take off
Nature, Published online: 28 July 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02351-5The towering formations appearing over severe wildfires in France and Oregon loft smoke so high they have global consequences.
Somatic mutations reveal the ontogeny of microglia in human aging
Nature, Published online: 30 July 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10939-0Somatic mutations reveal the ontogeny of microglia in human aging
Author Correction: Sleep chart of biological ageing clocks in middle and late life
Nature, Published online: 30 July 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10920-xAuthor Correction: Sleep chart of biological ageing clocks in middle and late life
Job insecurity is chipping away at me and my cohort. Is it us, or the state of the economy?
Nature, Published online: 30 July 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-01843-8The career market is difficult to navigate — and academic achievements feel like they’re no longer enough, says Daniella Watson.
Demand for lithium is surging: here’s how to make mining more sustainable
Nature, Published online: 30 July 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02195-zResearchers are looking for ways to extract the metal from underground reservoirs that use less water.
Fires in Europe are breaking records: here’s what the future holds
Nature, Published online: 30 July 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02361-3Countries such as Spain and France can expect fire regimes more like those of California as climate change favours hot, dry conditions, scientists suggest.
How I use statistics and my law degree to fight human-rights abuses
Nature, Published online: 30 July 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02079-2Some 50 years after exposing gender discrimination in US academics’ retirement benefits, Mary Gray works as a statistician and social-justice campaigner.
Author Correction: A ductile solid electrolyte interphase for solid-state batteries
Nature, Published online: 29 July 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10945-2Author Correction: A ductile solid electrolyte interphase for solid-state batteries
Retraction Note: Human HDAC6 senses valine abundancy to regulate DNA damage
Nature, Published online: 29 July 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10942-5Retraction Note: Human HDAC6 senses valine abundancy to regulate DNA damage
Earthworks spotted in the Amazon hint at huge ancient civilization
Nature, Published online: 29 July 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02367-xDiscovery of almost 400 structures may help to redefine the true scale of the Aquiry civilization — plus, tiny fossils of the earliest fossil squid ancestor.
Why tomorrow’s nanotechnologies need support today
Nature, Published online: 29 July 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02179-zThe field seems to be on the cusp of big advances, but a concerted effort is needed to realize its true potential.