Physical Sciences / Applied Physical Sciences -- New results matching your topic search. https://www.pnas.org/action/doSearch?af=R Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences: Applied Physical Sciences Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences en-US http://www.atypon.com/images/atypon_logo_small.gif http://www.atypon.com https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2511080123?af=R Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 15, April 2026. <br/>SignificanceChemical synthesis is still performed today much like bespoke craftsmanship where each target molecule demands specialized equipment, ad hoc protocols, and labor intensive trial and error. We demonstrate that this is not a fundamental ... Chemputer and chemputation—A universal chemical compound synthesis machine doi:10.1073/pnas.2511080123 2026-04-07T07:00:00Z Leroy CroninSebastian PagelAbhishek SharmaaSchool of Chemistry, Advanced Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G11 6EW, United Kingdom Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 123 15 2026-04-14T07:00:00Z 2026-04-14T07:00:00Z 10.1073/pnas.2511080123 https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2511080123?af=R https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2536219123?af=R Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 15, April 2026. <br/>SignificanceThis work serves to extend the fundamental ductile vs. brittle fracture theory, specifically the Rice–Thomson criterion, by introducing a grain boundary ahead of an initiating crack which propagates at an oblique angle to impinge the boundary. ... Extended Rice–Thomson analysis and atomistic simulations revealing grain boundary effects on fracture in refractory high-entropy alloys doi:10.1073/pnas.2536219123 2026-04-09T07:00:00Z Wenqing WangDavid H. CookXiaoyu ChenPunit KumarAndrew M. MinorSatish I. RaoMark AstaRobert O. RitchieDiana FarkasaMaterials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720bDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720cDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, Computer Simulation Laboratory, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0237 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 123 15 2026-04-14T07:00:00Z 2026-04-14T07:00:00Z 10.1073/pnas.2536219123 https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2536219123?af=R https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2511994123?af=R Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 14, April 2026. <br/>SignificanceMany models suggest that spatial dynamics, such as vegetation pattern formation, enhance ecosystem resilience. Yet, these predictions have limited empirical validation and rely on assumptions that miss many of the complexities of real ... How spatial patterns can lead to less resilient ecosystems doi:10.1073/pnas.2511994123 2026-03-30T07:00:00Z David Pinto-RamosRicardo Martinez-GarciaaCenter for Advanced Systems Understanding, Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rosendorf, Görlitz 02826, GermanybInternational Center for Theoretical Physics - South American Institute for Fundamental Research & Instituto de Fisica Teorica, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), São Paulo 01140-070, BrazilcDepartment of Ecology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-090, Brazil Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 123 14 2026-04-07T07:00:00Z 2026-04-07T07:00:00Z 10.1073/pnas.2511994123 https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2511994123?af=R https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2517241123?af=R Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 14, April 2026. <br/>SignificanceIn liquids and gases, particles are distributed uniformly in space due to the absence of structural order. In contrast, particles in crystals are arranged in a “hyperuniform” manner, exhibiting long-range order with suppressed large-scale ... Jamming as a topological satisfiability transition with contact number hyperuniformity and criticality doi:10.1073/pnas.2517241123 2026-03-31T07:00:00Z Jin ShangYinqiao WangDeng PanYuliang JinJie ZhangaSchool of Physics and Astronomy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, ChinabSchool of Physics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, ChinacInstitute of Theoretical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, ChinadSchool of Physical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinaeWenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wenzhou 325000, ChinafInstitute of Natural Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 123 14 2026-04-07T07:00:00Z 2026-04-07T07:00:00Z 10.1073/pnas.2517241123 https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2517241123?af=R https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2531259123?af=R Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 14, April 2026. <br/>SignificanceWhen electrons in moiré superlattices form generalized Wigner crystals, excitons emerged from these correlated ground states exhibit unusual strongly interacting behaviors. By enabling large-scale first-principlesGW–Bethe–Salpeter equation ... Moiré excitons in generalized Wigner crystals doi:10.1073/pnas.2531259123 2026-03-31T07:00:00Z Jing-Yang YouChih-En HsuZien ZhuBenran ZhangZiliang YeMit H. NaikTing CaoHung-Chung HsuehSteven G. LouieMauro Del BenZhenglu LiaMork Family Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089bDepartment of Physics, Tamkang University, Tamsui, New Taipei 251301, TaiwancThomas Lord Department of Computer Science, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089dDepartment of Physics and Astronomy, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, CanadaeQuantum Matter Institute, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, CanadafDepartment of Physics, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712gDepartment of Material Science and Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195hDepartment of Physics, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720iMaterials Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720jApplied Mathematics and Computational Research Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 123 14 2026-04-07T07:00:00Z 2026-04-07T07:00:00Z 10.1073/pnas.2531259123 https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2531259123?af=R https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2518064123?af=R Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 13, March 2026. <br/>SignificanceUnderstanding the propagation of nonlinear excitations is a crucial challenge in multiple science and engineering domains. We use liquid crystals (LCs) as model materials in which we can easily design strain profiles and propagate highly ... Controlled propagation of soliton bullets in an engineered strain field doi:10.1073/pnas.2518064123 2026-03-26T07:00:00Z Alexis de la CotteXingzhou TangChuqiao ChenS. J. KoleNoe AtzinJuan J. de PabloNicholas L. AbbottaSmith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853bPritzker School of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637cCollege of Electronic and Optical Engineering and College of Flexible Electronics (Future Technology), Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Nanjing 210023, ChinadDepartment of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, Centre for Mathematical Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0WA, United KingdomeDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Tandon School of Engineering, New York University, Brooklyn, NY 11201fDepartment of Computer Science, Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, New York University, New York, NY 10012gDepartment of Physics, New York University, New York, NY 10012hMaterials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL 60439 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 123 13 2026-03-31T07:00:00Z 2026-03-31T07:00:00Z 10.1073/pnas.2518064123 https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2518064123?af=R https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2531743123?af=R Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 13, March 2026. <br/>SignificanceAdaptive motion in microorganisms arises from a coupling between flexibility and activity—an interplay long difficult to replicate in synthetic microsystems. Harnessing this coupling could enable feedback between shape and motion and thus life-... Life-like behavior emerging in active and flexible microstructures doi:10.1073/pnas.2531743123 2026-03-26T07:00:00Z Mengshi WeiDaniela J. KraftaLeiden Institute of Physics, Huygens-Kamerlingh Onnes Laboratory, Leiden University, Leiden 2300 RA, The Netherlands Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 123 13 2026-03-31T07:00:00Z 2026-03-31T07:00:00Z 10.1073/pnas.2531743123 https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2531743123?af=R https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2525239123?af=R Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 12, March 2026. <br/>SignificanceThree-dimensional analysis of biological tissue is crucial for linking tissue morphology to cellular function. While conventional histology remains the gold standard for visualizing tissue architecture at subcellular resolution, it is limited ... Three-dimensional high-content imaging of unstained soft tissue with subcellular resolution using a laboratory-based X-ray microscope doi:10.1073/pnas.2525239123 2026-03-17T07:00:00Z Michela EspositoAlberto AstolfoYang ZhouIan BuchananAlexei TeplovJohn Ciaran HutchinsonMarco EndrizziAlexandra Egido VinogradovaOlga MakarovaRalu DivanCha-Mei TangYukako YagiPeter D. LeeClaire L. WalshJoseph D. FerraraAlessandro OlivoaDepartment of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United KingdombDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, United KingdomcDepartment of Pathology and Lab Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York 10065, NYdDepartment of Histopathology, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children National Health Service Foundation Trust, London WC1N 1EH, United KingdomeX-ray microscopy and tomography lab, The Francis Crick Institute, London NW1 1AT, United KingdomfRigaku Americas, The Woodlands, TX 77381gCreatv MicroTech Inc., Chicago, IL 60612hCenter for Nanoscale Materials, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL 60439iCreatv MicroTech Inc., Potomac, MD 20854 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 123 12 2026-03-24T07:00:00Z 2026-03-24T07:00:00Z 10.1073/pnas.2525239123 https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2525239123?af=R https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2527410123?af=R Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 12, March 2026. <br/>SignificanceSelf-assembly of colloidal building blocks is a promising method, inspired by nature, to build materials with varied structural features from which the material may derive interesting optical and mechanical properties. However, features on ... A DNA-encoded recipe to direct multistage colloidal assembly doi:10.1073/pnas.2527410123 2026-03-19T07:00:00Z Pepijn G. MoermanCheng-Hung ChouThomas E. VidebækW. Benjamin RogersRebecca SchulmanaDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218bDepartment of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven 5612 AE, The NetherlandscMartin A. Fisher School of Physics, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453dDepartment of Chemistry and Computer Science, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 123 12 2026-03-24T07:00:00Z 2026-03-24T07:00:00Z 10.1073/pnas.2527410123 https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2527410123?af=R https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2529908123?af=R Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 12, March 2026. <br/>SignificanceInspired by the structural advantages of both slit and hair microreceptors of arthropods, this work presents a unique crack–helix soft microsensor within a single polymer helical microfiber. Under weak stimuli, sufficient deformation can be ... Single polymer fiber–based ultrasensitive and multifunctional flexible microsensor via arthropod-inspired crack-helix coupling doi:10.1073/pnas.2529908123 2026-03-17T07:00:00Z Zixun ChenYe ZhangHuaizhi LiuZhiwei LiJiuyang ZhangaDepartment of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, ChinabNational Graduate College for Elite Engineers, Wuxi Campus, Southeast University, Wuxi 214000, ChinacDepartment of Materials and Chemistry, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 123 12 2026-03-24T07:00:00Z 2026-03-24T07:00:00Z 10.1073/pnas.2529908123 https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2529908123?af=R https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2520834123?af=R Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 11, March 2026. <br/>SignificanceThis study introduces a neurophysiological quantum-inspired cognition framework grounded in dual-brain Electroencephalogram (EEG) data. We develop and validate the Quantum Aligned-Misaligned Entanglement Model (QAEM), which distinguishes ... Quantum-inspired entanglement between collaborating brains during human memory encoding doi:10.1073/pnas.2520834123 2026-03-11T07:00:00Z Xue YangYi JiangQianxiang ZhouKuan PeiChunyan GuoPeng ZhangaBeijing Key Laboratory of Learning and Cognition, School of Psychology, Capital Normal University, Beijing 100048, ChinabState Key Laboratory of Cognitive Science and Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, ChinacDepartment of Psychology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, ChinadDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, ChinaeDepartment of Biomedical Engineering, Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 102433, ChinafDepartment of Modern Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 123 11 2026-03-17T07:00:00Z 2026-03-17T07:00:00Z 10.1073/pnas.2520834123 https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2520834123?af=R https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2527851123?af=R Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 11, March 2026. <br/>SignificanceWave propagation depends critically on phase. The Pancharatnam–Berry (PB) phase has revolutionized nanophotonics by enabling metasurfaces, yet its existence in acoustics has remained elusive due to the longitudinal nature of airborne sound. We ... Acoustic Pancharatnam–Berry geometric phase for structured sound manipulation doi:10.1073/pnas.2527851123 2026-03-12T07:00:00Z Wanyue XiaoWenjian KuangSibo HuangShanjun LiangDin Ping TsaiShubo WangaDepartment of Physics, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon 999077, Hong Kong, ChinabDivision of Science, Engineering and Health Studies, School of Professional Education and Executive Development, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong 999077, ChinacDepartment of Electrical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon 999077, Hong Kong, ChinadState Key Laboratory of Mechanical System and Vibration, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 123 11 2026-03-17T07:00:00Z 2026-03-17T07:00:00Z 10.1073/pnas.2527851123 https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2527851123?af=R https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2533145123?af=R Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 11, March 2026. <br/>SignificanceIntraoperative craniocerebral monitoring of neurophysiological activity via electrodes presents significant clinical value for neural damage assessment. Existing devices have limitations including sharp adhesion degradation, mechanical ... A soft electrode array with reconfigurable hydrogel interfaces for high-fidelity neurophysiological monitoring during craniotomy doi:10.1073/pnas.2533145123 2026-03-11T07:00:00Z Ganguang YangBo PangHangyu GongYuqi QiuCaixin GongSen ZhouQingyang ZhengZhixin WangTianzhao BuShabei XuXiang LuoHaiyan QiaoZhouping YinChangsheng WuHao WuaFlexible Electronics Research Center, State Key Laboratory of Intelligent Manufacturing Equipment and Technology, School of Mechanical Science and Engineering, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, ChinabDepartment of Neurology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430022, ChinacDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117575, SingaporedInstitute for Health Innovation and Technology, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117599, SingaporeeDepartment of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 119276, SingaporefThe N.1 Institute for Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117456, SingaporegSchool of Integrated Circuits, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 123 11 2026-03-17T07:00:00Z 2026-03-17T07:00:00Z 10.1073/pnas.2533145123 https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2533145123?af=R https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2508669123?af=R Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 10, March 2026. <br/>SignificanceNeuromast sensory organs of the lateral line system allow all fishes (and aquatic amphibians) to detect water flows enabling formulation of behaviors critical for survival. A computational model was designed to ask how known variation in ... Functional significance of morphological variation in the mechanosensory lateral line system of fishes and its biomimetic potential doi:10.1073/pnas.2508669123 2026-03-03T08:00:00Z Ishu AggarwalJacqueline F. WebbPatrick R. OnckAjay Giri Prakash KottapalliaDepartment of Bioinspired Micro Electromechanical Systems and Biomedical Devices, Engineering and Technology Institute Groningen, University of Groningen, 9747 AG Groningen, The NetherlandsbMicromechanics Research Group, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, 9747 AG Groningen, The NetherlandscDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881dDepartment of Ichthyology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 123 10 2026-03-10T07:00:00Z 2026-03-10T07:00:00Z 10.1073/pnas.2508669123 https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2508669123?af=R https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2516407123?af=R Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 10, March 2026. <br/>SignificanceVesicles, which consist of aqueous cores surrounded by lipid bilayers, are widely explored for drug encapsulation and delivery due to their resemblance to cell membranes. Polymersomes, formed from bilayers of block copolymers, offer enhanced ... Mechanical performance of hybrid polymer–lipid vesicles with leaflet asymmetry engineered using microfluidics doi:10.1073/pnas.2516407123 2026-03-06T08:00:00Z Yuting HuangArash ManafiradSimon MatooriLaura R. ArriagaSijie SunAnqi ChenXin YangAnthony D. DinsmoreDavid J. MooneyDavid A. WeitzaDepartment of Applied Physics, Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138bDepartment of Physics, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01003cDepartment of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3T 1J4, CanadadDepartment of Bioengineering, Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115eDepartment of Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics, Condensed Matter Physics Center and Instituto Nicolás Cabrera, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid 28049, SpainfDepartment of Grain and Food Science, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506gDepartment of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 123 10 2026-03-10T07:00:00Z 2026-03-10T07:00:00Z 10.1073/pnas.2516407123 https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2516407123?af=R https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2526098123?af=R Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 10, March 2026. <br/>SignificancePointed objects such as stingers, horns, and teeth have been observed to exhibit a paraboloid geometry at the tip. Interestingly, this tip geometry is not exclusive to biological structures; it is also found in abiotic forms as disparate as ... The geometry of Nature’s stingers is universal due to stochastic mechanical wear doi:10.1073/pnas.2526098123 2026-03-06T08:00:00Z John SebastianKaare H. JensenaDepartment of Physics, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby DK-2800, Denmark Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 123 10 2026-03-10T07:00:00Z 2026-03-10T07:00:00Z 10.1073/pnas.2526098123 https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2526098123?af=R https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2530175123?af=R Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 10, March 2026. <br/>SignificanceTough elastomers comprising multiple polymer networks are soft solids with outstanding mechanical properties, combining large extensibility, and high stress at rupture, thanks to delocalized damage. In spite of their importance in many ... Probing the microscopic origin of toughness in multiple polymer networks doi:10.1073/pnas.2530175123 2026-03-04T08:00:00Z Nicholas H. P. OrrMagali Le GoffBurebi YimingJean-Louis BarratMehdi BouzidLaurence RamosCostantino CretonKirsten MartensLuca CipellettiaLaboratoire Charles Coulomb, University of Montpellier, CNRS, Montpellier 34095, FrancebDepartment of Chemistry, Chimie Physique et Chimie du Vivant, École Normale Supérieure, Paris Science et Lettres University, Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Paris 75005, FrancecLIPhy, University Grenoble-Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble 38000, FrancedInstitut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Innsbruck, Innsbruck A-6020, AustriaeSciences et Ingénierie de la Matière Molle, CNRS UMR 7615, École supérieure de physique et de chimie industrielles de la Ville de Paris, Sorbonne Université, Paris Sciences et Lettres Universitè, Paris 75005, Francef3SR, Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, Grenoble INP, Grenoble F-38000, FrancegInstitut Universitaire de France, Paris 75005, France Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 123 10 2026-03-10T07:00:00Z 2026-03-10T07:00:00Z 10.1073/pnas.2530175123 https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2530175123?af=R https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2531794123?af=R Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 10, March 2026. <br/>SignificanceThe solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) governs the performance, lifetime, and safety of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), yet its formation dynamics have remained unresolved due to its nanometric thickness and reactivity. Using operando optical ... Direct optical observation of solid electrolyte interphase formation dynamics in lithium-ion batteries doi:10.1073/pnas.2531794123 2026-03-03T08:00:00Z Wenlong LiTianxiao SunSameep Rajubhai ShahZhengyu JuJigang ZhouKejie ZhaoGuihua YuYijin LiuaMaterials Science and Engineering Program and Walker Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712bSchool of Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907cGeneral Motors Company, Warren, MI 48092 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 123 10 2026-03-10T07:00:00Z 2026-03-10T07:00:00Z 10.1073/pnas.2531794123 https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2531794123?af=R https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2533066123?af=R Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 10, March 2026. <br/>SignificancePolymer mechanochemistry offers a powerful strategy for remote molecular control, yet its application in plants remains unexplored. Existing activation methods often interact with plants’ intrinsic sensing and signaling pathways, underscoring ... Ultrasound-driven mechanophore activation in living plants doi:10.1073/pnas.2533066123 2026-03-04T08:00:00Z Junxi YiFangbai XieJennifer Q. MollerZhenchuang XuShensheng ZhaoYing DiaoAndrew D. B. LeakeyJeffrey S. MooreYun-Sheng ChenaBeckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801bDepartment of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801cDepartment of Chemistry, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801dDepartment of Plant Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL 61801eCarl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801fDepartment of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801gNick Holonyak Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801hDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801iDepartment of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL 61801jInstitute for Sustainability, Energy and Environment, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801kDepartment of Biomedical and Translational Sciences, Carle Illinois College of Medicine, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801lCancer Center at Illinois, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801 Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 123 10 2026-03-10T07:00:00Z 2026-03-10T07:00:00Z 10.1073/pnas.2533066123 https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2533066123?af=R https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2502553123?af=R Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Volume 123, Issue 9, March 2026. <br/>SignificanceGiven the complexity of precipitation in warm clouds, simple conceptual models are crucial for identifying key aspects of accelerated droplet growth. Statistical outliers with anomalously frequent collisions, so-called lucky droplets, are ... Effects of correlated collisions and intermittency on the growth of lucky droplets doi:10.1073/pnas.2502553123 2026-02-23T08:00:00Z Tobias BätgeJohannes ZierenbergMichael WilczekaMax Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Göttingen 37077, GermanybFaculty of Physics, University of Göttingen, Göttingen 37077, GermanycTheoretical Physics I, University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth 95440, Germany Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 123 9 2026-03-03T08:00:00Z 2026-03-03T08:00:00Z 10.1073/pnas.2502553123 https://www.pnas.org/doi/abs/10.1073/pnas.2502553123?af=R