Advances in structural biology have allowed scientists to determine molecular structures with atomic‑level detail, sometimes yielding static snapshots that do not reflect the dynamism of proteins. However, these motions are often crucial for biological function. Researchers from the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) together with international collaborators have now combined several methods to shed light on how proteins ‘breathe’ and how some experimental techniques freeze their motion. The findings—which could boost protein design approaches and improve AI-based structural prediction tools—were published in Nature Chemistry.

Most Americans, even those who most appreciate AI, strongly support more regulation of it, a new survey by Johns Hopkins University researchers finds.

More than 70% of Americans want the right to interact with a human rather than an AI in medical, legal, educational and government settings. This proposed regulation and others were endorsed across party lines and by both regular users of AI and novices.

Diagnostic laboratories are central to disease surveillance and epidemic preparedness, yet poor adherence to biosafety and biosecurity protocols can put laboratory staff, communities and the environment at risk. This study assessed biosecurity and biosafety practices in 96 public and private biomedical and veterinary laboratories in Benin. Using a cross-sectional design, biomedical laboratories were evaluated with the Biosafety and Biosecurity in Laboratory Tool, while veterinary laboratories were assessed using the Laboratory Mapping Tool. Data were collected through KoBoCollect and analysed using R. Most laboratories showed poor compliance with established guidelines: 42% were classified as very high risk, 38% as high risk, 15% as moderate risk and only 5% as low risk. Strengthened policies and targeted capacity-building for laboratory staff and managers are urgently needed.

In the integration of heterogeneous catalysis with two-dimensional (2D) materials, Li–O₂ batteries serve as valuable research prototypes, particularly for investigating the efficient oxygen reduction/evolution reaction in multiphase environments. However, the advantages and limitations associated with the unique anisotropy and electronic properties of 2D materials in Li–O₂ batteries (LOBs) remain unclear. This Review provides a comprehensive overview of 2D cathode catalysts for LOBs, including graphene, transition metal oxides/hydroxides, dichalcogenides, and metal carbides, together with their corresponding activation engineering strategies. More specifically, we thoroughly examine the pivotal role of anisotropic catalytic properties on the large surface areas and terminal edge active sites of 2D cathode catalysts. The correlations are analyzed between 2D material design and catalytic mechanisms in LOBs, particularly in adsorption strength of intermediates, electronic structure and discharge product. Additionally, the expanded applications of 2D materials in components such as lithium anode protection and rapid lithium-ion transport are also briefly discussed by leveraging their favorable physicochemical properties. Finally, the challenges and future directions for the development and application of 2D materials are summarized and discussed, which is expected to unlock the full potential of LOBs batteries as next-generation energy storage technologies.