solar wind interacting with Earth's magnetic field

Global-scale magnetosphere convection driven by dayside magnetic reconnection

Lei Dai and colleagues study the interaction between solar wind and the planetary magnetosphere. They describe dayside-driven convection patterns, impacting the global magnetic field dynamics.

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Latest Research articles

  • Establishing optimal metal-support interactions is crucial for creating efficient catalysts for water splitting. Here, stable Ti–O–Ru interface formation and minimal work function difference between Ru nanoparticles and non-stoichiometric Ti4O7 lead to exceptional bifunctional activity of Ru/Ti4O7 for both HER and OER across pH-universal environments, maintaining stable operation for 500 h.

    • Sheng Zhao
    • Sung-Fu Hung
    • Shengjie Peng
    ArticleOpen Access
  • Despite being crucial for elucidating the cement hydration mechanism, the initial hydration stage is poorly understood. Here, authors uncover the unbiased Ca dissolution pathway during the initial hydration of calcium silicates via atomistic simulations and reveal a key Ca ligand structure.

    • Xinhang Xu
    • Chongchong Qi
    • Hegoi Manzano
    ArticleOpen Access
  • Three-dimensional carbon microstructures with ultra-high aspect ratios are grown with a facile process using a metal-free catalyst and low-power visible light at room temperature, unlocking applications in flexible sensors and beyond.

    • Fernand E. Torres-Davila
    • Katerina L. Chagoya
    • Laurene Tetard
    ArticleOpen Access
  • It is hard to correlate force, torque and localization information. The authors report Combined Optical and Magnetic BIomolecule TWEEZers, COMBI-Tweez, that integrates optical trapping, time-resolved electromagnetic tweezers, and fluorescence microscopy: they demonstrate visualisation of higher order structural motifs in DNA.

    • Jack W. Shepherd
    • Sebastien Guilbaud
    • Mark C. Leake
    ArticleOpen Access

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  • Sustainability of African weather and climate information can only be ensured by investing in improved scientific understanding, observational data, and model capability. These requirements must be underpinned by capacity development, knowledge management; and partnerships of co-production, communication and coordination.

    • Benjamin Lamptey
    • Salah SAHABI ABED
    • Erik W. Kolstad
    CommentOpen Access
  • Reporting in Nature Communications, Huo and colleagues provide three-dimensional structures of a bacterial immune defense system called Gabija. This work builds on recently published structural and functional studies and contributes strong evidence that protein assembly formation is essential for antiviral function.

    • Eirene Marie Q. Ednacot
    • Benjamin R. Morehouse
    CommentOpen Access
  • Growth chart studies of the human cerebellum, which is increasingly recognized as pivotal for cognitive development, are rare. Gaiser and colleagues utilized population-level neuroimaging to unveil cerebellar growth charts from childhood to adolescence, offering insights into brain development.

    • Zi-Xuan Zhou
    • Xi-Nian Zuo
    CommentOpen Access
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a crucial diagnostic tool within modern healthcare, yet its availability remains largely confined to high-income nations. The imperative to extend MRI accessibility to lower-income countries aligns with the pursuit of universal health coverage, a key target of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 3. In an interview with Nature Communications, three scientists dedicated to advancing MRI accessibility in Africa share their insights. These experts include Dr Udunna Anazodo (Assistant Professor at McGill University, Canada and Scientific Director, Medical Artificial Intelligence (MAI) Lab, Lagos, Nigeria), Dr Johnes Obungoloch (Lecturer at Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Uganda) and Dr Ugumba Kwikima (Neuroradiologist, Lugalo General Military Hospital, Tanzania). Our discussion considers the current MRI landscape across African countries and the associated challenges and opportunities. We also cover technological innovations making a difference, such as low field MRI, alongside the role of advocacy initiatives in bolstering accessibility. We finally look ahead to the future of MRI in Africa.

    Q&AOpen Access
  • I argue that a surface emitting laser that remains single mode irrespective of its size, a scale-invariant laser, should of necessity also waste light at the edge. This is a fundamental departure from the Schawlow-Townes two-mirror strategy that keeps light away from mirrors and edges to preserve gain and minimize loss. The strategy was implemented in the recent discovery of the Berkeley Surface Emitting Laser (BerkSEL).

    • Boubacar Kanté
    CommentOpen Access
  • Climate change and plastic pollution are interconnected global challenges. Rising temperatures and moisture alter plastic characteristics, contributing to waste, microplastic generation, and release of hazardous substances. Urgent attention is essential to comprehend and address these climate-driven effects and their consequences.

    • Xin-Feng Wei
    • Wei Yang
    • Mikael S. Hedenqvist
    CommentOpen Access
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Condensed matter

On this page, we highlight several areas of interest within condensed-matter physics, including superconductivity, spintronics, magnetism, topological matter, atomically thin materials, phase transitions and correlated phenomena.
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