Briefing

New research is shaking up our understanding of evolution by revealing that some species may not evolve gradually at all. Instead, scientists discovered that certain marine worms experienced an explosive genetic makeover when they transitioned to life on land over 200 million years ago. Their entire genome broke into pieces and was randomly reassembled an event so extreme it stunned researchers. This radical shift supports the theory of “punctuated equilibrium,” where species remain unchanged for ages and then suddenly leap forward.

As electric vehicles grow more popular, their warning sounds may not be doing enough to protect pedestrians. A Swedish study shows that these signals are hard to locate, especially when multiple vehicles are involved, leaving people unable to tell where danger is coming from or how many cars are nearby.

With $860K in Navy funding, MSU psychologists are developing tools to spot people who can handle complex tasks under pressure. The key? Mastering “placekeeping” staying focused and accurate even when sleep-deprived or interrupted.

AI researchers in Switzerland have found a way to dramatically cut cement s carbon footprint by redesigning its recipe. Their system simulates thousands of ingredient combinations, pinpointing those that keep cement strong while emitting far less CO2 all in seconds.

Alix Morris’s new book, A Year with the Seals, explores humans’ complicated relationship with these controversial marine mammals.

Trees would have to be planted on a vast proportion of global land mass to offset the carbon dioxide emissions from burning the world’s fossil fuel reserves

Nature, Published online: 18 June 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-09156-y

Stable coating of filters with a thin liquid layer enhances adhesion of airborne particulates while maintaining high air permeability, resulting in longer lifetimes and higher efficiency of these filters.

Nature, Published online: 18 June 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-09166-w

R9AP is a key receptor for entry of Epstein–Barr virus into human epithelial and B cells, and interacts directly with the viral glycoprotein gH/gL complex to mediate virus–host membrane fusion.

Nature, Published online: 18 June 2025; doi:10.1038/s41586-025-09083-y

A comprehensive analysis of the cell-specific molecular regulatory mechanisms underlying post-traumatic stress disorder in the human prefrontal cortex.

Nature, Published online: 18 June 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-01876-5

Carbon fibre-reinforced polymers are high-performance materials used in various items, including aircraft, wind-turbine blades and mountain bicycles. A process has been developed that uses acetic acid to break down carbon fibre-reinforced polymers into their major components, which can then be recovered and reused, potentially enabling the recycling of these materials at scale.