Atoms and molecules are the fundamental building blocks of matter. Spectroscopy identifies and quantifies chemical species through the unique spectral fingerprints they imprint on light. Spectroscopy has many applications, ranging from fundamental tests of quantum electrodynamics and investigations of molecular structure to environmental sensing, biomedical diagnostics and industrial monitoring. A highly promising spectroscopic instrument that has the potential to transform the field has emerged over the years: the dual-comb spectrometer. This relies on the interference of two mode-locked ultrafast lasers that produce broad frequency combs composed of evenly spaced narrow spectral lines. In a tutorial article published in Nature Reviews Methods Primers, Nathalie Picqué and Theodor W. Hänsch review the principles, advances and future opportunities of the rapidly developing field of broadband atomic and molecular science using dual-comb spectroscopy.

An electron-donor/electron-acceptor (EDG/EWG) ratio-guided molecular engineering strategy is established to optimize the buried interface of n-i-p perovskite solar cells (PSCs). The EDG-rich dipolar molecule L-2,4-diaminobutyric acid (DBA) delivers superior passivation effects, enabling high power conversion efficiency together with good stability. This work identifies that passivating the perovskite side is more critical than the electron selective layer (ESL) side for achieving high-performance PSCs.

UC San Diego engineers created a soft, wearable ultrasound patch that can continuously monitor a fetus for hours at a time, even during constant movement. The technology could help doctors detect complications earlier in high-risk pregnancies and expand access to prenatal care in low-resource areas.

Researchers at Nanjing University developed platinum(IV)-antibody conjugates that enhance tumor immunogenicity without relying on strong cancer cell killing. The targeted system delivers low-dose platinum selectively to tumors, increasing MHC-I expression and improving immune recognition while reducing systemic toxicity. In mouse models, the strategy significantly enhanced the efficacy of anti-PD-1 immunotherapy.

People often say that seeking psychiatric care can feel intimidating. Patients may feel burdened when they first open up about their emotional distress, while medical staff must accurately understand a patient’s extensive history and symptoms within limited consultation time. Korean researchers have developed artificial intelligence (AI) technology that supports the initial psychiatric interview process, the first step in psychiatric care.

Lakes play a vital filtering role in the ecosystem: they remove excess nitrogen from the water. An international research team led by the University of Basel and Eawag has now shown that climate change could weaken this natural purification process. This would have consequences extending all the way to coastal marine ecosystems.

Researchers at the University of New South Wales and Monash University in Australia have developed a new method for covert communications. By taking advantage of the phenomena of “negative luminescence”, the opposite of the electroluminescence of conventional visible light emitting diodes (LEDs), they demonstrate that a data signal can be perfectly hidden in the thermal background, with only an outside observer with the same technology able to observe that a message was sent at all.