@inproceedings{21722, abstract = {Partially observable Markov decision processes (POMDPs) are a central model for uncertainty in sequential decision making. The most basic objective is the reachability objective, where a target set must be eventually visited, and the more general parity objectives can model all omega-regular specifications. For such objectives, the computational analysis problems are the following: (a) qualitative analysis that asks whether the objective can be satisfied with probability 1 (almost-sure winning) or probability arbitrarily close to 1 (limit-sure winning); and (b) quantitative analysis that asks for the approximation of the optimal probability of satisfying the objective. For general POMDPs, almost-sure analysis for reachability objectives is EXPTIME-complete, but limit-sure and quantitative analyses for reachability objectives are undecidable; almost-sure, limit-sure, and quantitative analyses for parity objectives are all undecidable. A special class of POMDPs, called revealing POMDPs, has been studied recently in several works, and for this subclass the almost-sure analysis for parity objectives was shown to be EXPTIME-complete. In this work, we show that for revealing POMDPs the limit-sure analysis for parity objectives is EXPTIME-complete, and even the quantitative analysis for parity objectives can be achieved in EXPTIME.}, author = {Asadi, Ali and Chatterjee, Krishnendu and Lurie, David and Saona Urmeneta, Raimundo J}, booktitle = {Proceedings of the AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence}, issn = {2374-3468}, location = {Singapore, Singapore}, number = {43}, pages = {36146--36154}, publisher = {Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence}, title = {{Revealing POMDPs: Qualitative and quantitative analysis for parity objectives}}, doi = {10.1609/aaai.v40i43.40932}, volume = {40}, year = {2026}, } @article{21725, abstract = {The initial–final mass relation (IFMR) links a star’s birth mass to the mass of its white dwarf (WD) remnant, providing key constraints on stellar evolution. Open clusters offer the most straightforward way to empirically determine the IFMR, as their well-defined ages allow for direct progenitor lifetime estimates. We construct the most comprehensive open cluster WD IFMR to date by combining new spectroscopy of 22 WDs with an extensive literature review of WDs with strong cluster associations. To minimize systematics, we restrict our analysis to spectroscopically confirmed hydrogen-atmosphere (DA) WDs consistent with single-stellar origins. We separately analyze a subset with reliable Gaia-based astrometric membership assessments, as well as a full sample that adds WDs with strong cluster associations whose membership cannot be reliably assessed with Gaia. The Gaia-based sample includes 69 spectroscopically confirmed DA WDs, more than doubling the sample size of previous Gaia-based open cluster IFMRs. The full sample, which includes 53 additional literature WDs, increases the total number of cluster WDs by over 50% relative to earlier works. We provide functional forms for both the Gaia-based and full-sample IFMRs. The Gaia-based result useful for Mi � 2.67 M⊙ is Mf = [0.179 0.100H (Mi 3.84 M )] × (Mi 3.84 M ) + 0.628 M , where H(x) is the Heaviside step function. Comparing our IFMR to recent literature, we identify significant deviations from best-fit IFMRs derived from both Gaia-based volume-limited samples of field WDs and double WD binaries, with the largest discrepancy occurring for initial masses of about 5 M⊙.}, author = {Miller, David R. and Caiazzo, Ilaria and Heyl, Jeremy and Richer, Harvey B. and Hollands, Mark A. and Tremblay, Pier Emmanuel and El-Badry, Kareem and Rodriguez, Antonio C. and Vanderbosch, Zachary P.}, issn = {1538-4357}, journal = {The Astrophysical Journal}, keywords = {White dwarf stars, Open star clusters, Compact objects, Stellar evolution}, number = {1}, publisher = {IOP Publishing}, title = {{The White Dwarf initial–final mass relation from open clusters in Gaia DR3}}, doi = {10.3847/1538-4357/ae18c8}, volume = {996}, year = {2026}, } @article{21726, abstract = {Quantum control of the many-body wavefunction is a central challenge in quantum materials research, as it could yield a precise control knob to manipulate emergent phenomena. Floquet engineering, the coherent dressing of quantum states with periodic non-resonant optical fields, has become an important strategy for quantum control. Most applications to solid-state systems have targeted weakly interacting or single-ion states, leaving the manipulation of many-body wavefunctions largely unexplored. Here we use Floquet engineering to achieve quantum control of a strongly correlated Hubbard exciton in the one-dimensional Mott insulator Sr2CuO3. A non-resonant mid-infrared optical field coherently dresses the exciton wavefunction, driving its rotation between bright and dark states. We use resonant third-harmonic generation to quantify ultrafast π/2 rotations on the Bloch sphere spanned by these exciton states. Our work advances the quest towards programmable control of correlated states and exciton-based quantum sensing.}, author = {Baykusheva, Denitsa Rangelova and Carmichael, Deven and Weber, Clara S. and Lu, I. Te and Glerean, Filippo and Meng, Tepie and De Oliveira, Pedro B.M. and Homes, Christopher C. and Zaliznyak, Igor A. and Gu, G. D. and Dean, Mark P.M. and Rubio, Angel and Kennes, Dante M. and Claassen, Martin and Mitrano, Matteo}, issn = {1476-4660}, journal = {Nature Materials}, publisher = {Springer Nature}, title = {{Quantum control of Hubbard excitons}}, doi = {10.1038/s41563-026-02517-6}, year = {2026}, } @article{21730, abstract = {Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a crucial member of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) family, playing roles in cellular signalling and immune responses in human health. Moreover, it is a potential biomarker of diabetes when present in aberrant concentrations. Therefore, monitoring trace levels of H2O2 has become a research hotspot for analytical and sensor chemists. In this context, we report a rhodamine-based fluorescent probe (RN), which shows excellent fluorescent enhancement at 555 nm upon the addition of H2O2 along with a low limit of detection (LOD) of 0.67 ppm and fast response (∼2 min). The probe is highly selective for H2O2, showing no fluorescence enhancement with other ROS. RN is synthesised in a one-pot chemical reaction using rhodamine 6G (R6G) and 4,7,10-trioxa-1,13-tridecanediamine (TTDA). H2O2 detection in pre-treated milk samples proves its real-world viability. We found that RN shows low cytotoxicity, which allowed us to successfully explore its potential to monitor H2O2 generation in a diabetic L929 skin cell line and diabetic mice liver tissue. This result demonstrates promising features for assessing early diabetic progression through fluorescence imaging.}, author = {Mondal, Moumita and Ghorai, Pravat and Samadder, Asmita and Freunberger, Stefan Alexander and Banerjee, Priyabrata}, issn = {2050-7518}, journal = {Journal of Materials Chemistry B}, publisher = {Royal Society of Chemistry}, title = {{H2O2 responsive rhodamine-based probe for monitoring early-stage diabetes diagnosis}}, doi = {10.1039/d5tb02687c}, year = {2026}, } @unpublished{21737, abstract = {In calculus, l'Hopital's rule provides a simple way to evaluate the limits of quotient functions when both the numerator and denominator vanish. But what happens when we move beyond real functions on a real interval? In this article, we study when the quotient of two complex-valued functions in higher dimension can be defined continuously at the points where both functions vanish. Surprisingly, the answer is far subtler than in the real-valued setting. We provide a complete characterization for the continuity of the quotient function. We also point out why extending this result to smoother quotients remains an intriguing challenge.}, author = {Chern, Albert and Ishida, Sadashige}, booktitle = {arXiv}, keywords = {l’Hopital theorem, complex functions}, title = {{L'Hopital rules for complex-valued functions in higher dimensions}}, doi = {10.48550/ARXIV.2602.09958}, year = {2026}, } @article{21743, abstract = {We present symplectic structures on the shape space of unparameterized space curves that generalize the classical Marsden–Weinstein structure. Our method integrates the Liouville 1-form of the Marsden–Weinstein structure with Riemannian structures that have been introduced in mathematical shape analysis. We also derive Hamiltonian vector fields for several classical Hamiltonian functions with respect to these new symplectic structures.}, author = {Bauer, Martin and Ishida, Sadashige and Michor, Peter W.}, issn = {1432-1467}, journal = {Journal of Nonlinear Science}, number = {2}, publisher = {Springer Nature}, title = {{Symplectic structures on the space of space curves}}, doi = {10.1007/s00332-026-10266-8}, volume = {36}, year = {2026}, } @article{21744, abstract = {The paraventricular hypothalamus (PVH) controls behavioral and physiologic processes, including appetite, social behavior, autonomic outflow, and pituitary hormone secretion. However, molecular markers for centrally projecting PVH neuron populations remain largely undefined, and a complete census of PVH cell types has not been established. Therefore, we performed extensive single-cell/nucleus RNA sequencing to catalog PVH neuron subtypes and multiplexed error-robust fluorescence in situ hybridization (MERFISH) to map them spatially. Our spatial transcriptomic atlas resolves 26 Sim1+ and 29 GABAergic neuron populations from the PVH and surrounding areas. Additionally, projection-based profiling identified neurons that project to the parabrachial region (PB) and spinal cord, helping to determine PVH populations that regulate satiety and sympathetic nervous system activity, respectively. Notably, activation of PB-projecting PVH neurons expressing Brs3 reduces food intake, and silencing them causes obesity. Together, this atlas contributes high-resolution PVH spatial and circuit-based gene expression profiles, representing a valuable resource for the field of homeostasis.}, author = {Li, Yuxi and Butler, Trevor C. and Nardone, Stefano and Jacobs, Christopher L. and Douglass, Amelia May Barnett and Madara, Joseph C. and McDonough, Miriam C. and Tao, Jenkang and Lowenstein, Elijah D. and Wang, Luhong and Pant, Deepti and Walker, Samuel J. and Wang, Annette and Srinivasan, Harini and Yang, Zongfang and Campbell, John N. and Tsai, Linus T. and Lowell, Bradford B. and Resch, Jon M.}, issn = {2211-1247}, journal = {Cell Reports}, number = {2}, publisher = {Elsevier}, title = {{A spatial and projection-based transcriptomic atlas of paraventricular hypothalamic cell types}}, doi = {10.1016/j.celrep.2025.116904}, volume = {45}, year = {2026}, } @article{21745, abstract = {The small DAHe and DAe spectral classes comprise isolated, hydrogen-dominated atmosphere white dwarfs that exhibit variable photometric flux and Balmer line emission. These mysterious systems offer unique insight into the complex interplay between magnetic fields, stellar rotation and atmospheric activity in single white dwarfs. DAHe stars have detectable magnetic fields through Zeeman-split spectral lines, whereas DAe stars lack such splitting. We report the first discovery and characterization of magnetism in the DAe white dwarf WD J165335.21−100116.33 with new time-resolved spectropolarimetry from FORS2. We detect a weak but variable longitudinal magnetic field with values Bz > −9.2 ± 2.4 kG and Bz < −2.2 ± 1.0 kG. Independent ZTF and ATLAS photometry reveal a consistent period of P = 80.3070 ± 0.0007 h. Time-resolved optical spectroscopy obtained with six ground-based instruments demonstrates strong modulation in the strength of the Hα and Hβ Balmer line emission with P = 80.2922 ± 0.0108 h. The photometric flux and Balmer emission strength vary in antiphase, with the strongest magnetic detections coinciding with phases of low photometric flux and strong line emission. These characteristicssupport the theory that a magnetically active, temperature-inverted spot/region is producing an optically thin chromospheric emission region. Comparison with other DAe and DAHe white dwarfsreveals all systems have a strikingly similar antiphase phenomenology, reinforcing the theory that they are subject to a unified physical mechanism. With the detection of a weak magnetic field, we reclassify WD J165335.21−100116.33 as a low-field DAHe white dwarf. }, author = {Elms, Abbigail K. and Bagnulo, Stefano and Tremblay, Pier Emmanuel and Cunningham, Tim and Munday, James and Landstreet, John and El-Badry, Kareem and Caiazzo, Ilaria and Melis, Carl and Pinter, Viktoria and Weinberger, Alycia}, issn = {1365-2966}, journal = {Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society}, number = {1}, publisher = {Oxford University Press}, title = {{Detection of a weak magnetic field in the Balmer emission line white dwarf WDJ1653−1001}}, doi = {10.1093/mnras/stag505}, volume = {548}, year = {2026}, } @article{21746, abstract = {As vertebrates transitioned from water to land, locomotion shifted from undulatory swimming to limb-based movement. How spinal circuits and their cell types evolved to support this transition remains unclear. We leverage frog metamorphosis, which recapitulates this transition within a single organism, to define how spinal circuits generate aquatic versus terrestrial motor patterns. At swim stages, spinal architecture is uniform, with a transcriptionally and anatomically homogeneous motor and interneurons. As limbs develop and their movement complexifies, spinal circuits expand in neuron number and subtype diversity. This expansion is most pronounced for V1 inhibitory neurons, which increase ∼70-fold and diversify into transcriptionally distinct subtypes. Disrupting transcription factors defining emerging motor and V1 populations reveals molecular segregation between swim and limb circuits, highlighting the role of subtype diversity in motor coordination. A multifold increase in inhibitory neuron diversity thus underlies the tail-to-limb locomotor transition, providing a framework for spinal circuit adaptation during vertebrate evolution.}, author = {Vijatovic, David and Toma, Florina Alexandra and Ignatyev, Y and Harrington, Zoe P and Sommer, Christoph M and Hauschild, Robert and Smits, Matthijs Geert and Dalla Vecchia, Marco and Trevisan, Alexandra J. and Chapman, Phillip and Julseth, Mara and Brenner-Morton, Susan and Gabitto, Mariano I. and Dasen, Jeremy S. and Bikoff, Jay B. and Sweeney, Lora Beatrice Jaeger}, issn = {2211-1247}, journal = {Cell Reports}, number = {4}, publisher = {Elsevier}, title = {{Multifold increase in spinal inhibitory cell types with emergence of limb movement}}, doi = {10.1016/j.celrep.2026.117227}, volume = {45}, year = {2026}, } @article{21747, abstract = {Entanglement does not always require one particle per party. It was predicted some 30 years ago that a single photon traversing a beam splitter could violate a Bell inequality. Although initially debated, single-photon nonlocality was eventually demonstrated via homodyne measurements. Here, we present an alternate realization that avoids the complexity of homodyne measurements and potential loopholes in their implementation. We violate a Bell inequality by performing joint measurements on two copies of the same single-photon entangled state, where one photon acts as a phase reference for the other, making it self-referential. We observe CHSH parameters of 2.71 = 0.09 and 2.23 = 0.07, depending on the joint measurements implemented. This offers a perspective on single-photon nonlocality and a more accessible experimental route, potentially applicable to general mode-entangled states in diverse platforms.}, author = {Kun, Daniel and Strömberg, Karl T and Dakić, Borivoje and Walther, Philip and Rozema, Lee A.}, issn = {2334-2536}, journal = {Optica}, number = {4}, pages = {745--751}, publisher = {Optica Publishing Group}, title = {{Testing single-photon entanglement using self-referential measurements}}, doi = {10.1364/OPTICA.586172}, volume = {13}, year = {2026}, } @article{21748, abstract = {Cells are defined by lipid membranes that differ in their structure across the tree of life. While the membranes of most bacteria and eukaryotes consist of single-headed bilayer lipids, the membranes of archaea are composed of mixtures of single-headed bilayer lipids and double-headed bolalipids. Archaeal bolalipids can adopt straight or u-shaped conformations, enabling them—together with bilayer lipids—to control whether membranes form bilayer or monolayer structures. Yet, the physical principles governing archaeal membranes remain largely unexplored, especially how membrane structure couples to externally imposed curvature during membrane remodeling. Here, we perform coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations of toroidal vesicles to systematically probe the effects of all relevant combinations of mean and Gaussian curvatures on shape stability and lipid organization. We find that soft bilayer membranes can sustain all curvatures induced, whereas rigid bolalipid monolayer membranes either transition to different vesicle shapes or rupture. Bilayer-mimicking u-shaped bolalipids and bilayer lipids are spatially accumulated in regions of high mean membrane curvature independent of Gaussian curvature. Our work identifies curvature–composition coupling as a physical signature of archaeal membrane remodeling.}, author = {Frey, Felix F and Santana de Freitas Amaral, Miguel and Šarić, Anđela}, issn = {1089-7690}, journal = {Journal of Chemical Physics}, number = {14}, publisher = {AIP Publishing}, title = {{Cracking donuts and sorting lipids: Geometry controls archaeal membrane stability and lipid organization}}, doi = {10.1063/5.0325170}, volume = {164}, year = {2026}, } @article{21749, abstract = {The collagen triple helix assembles hierarchically into bundled oligomers, solvated networks, and fibers. Synthetic peptide assemblies, driven by supramolecular interactions, can form single triple helices through intrahelical amino acid pairs; however, the principles guiding interhelical associations into higher-order structures remain unclear. Here, we incorporate cation−π and electrostatic charge pairs to probe interhelical interactions and elucidate the mechanisms driving triple helix assembly into fibrils, nanotubes, and nanosheets. Introducing cation−π pairs into a fibrillating collagen mimetic resulted in D-periodic fibrils with pH-sensitive gelation. By alternating the presentation of electrostatic and cation−π pairs, the assembly of another D-periodic fibril featuring inner and outer triple-helical layers was resolved by cryo electron microscopy to a resolution of 8 Å. At physiological pH, antiparallel association of these triple helices leads to the formation of nanotubes. The packing behavior of triple helices correlates with the interhelical interactions, where parallel associations favor fibril formation and antiparallel interactions drive nanotube and nanosheet assembly. These self-assembling triple-helical peptides demonstrate how packing of higher-order structures can be tailored with supramolecular interactions and establish the relationship of different hierarchical collagen-mimetic assemblies as pH-dependent.}, author = {Cole, Carson C. and Kreutzberger, Mark A.B. and Klein, Kevin and Cahue, Kiana A. and Pogostin, Brett H. and Farsheed, Adam C. and Swain, Joseph W.R. and Bui, Thi H. and Dey, Arghadip and Makhoul, Jonathan T. and Dubackic, Marija and Pal, Antara and Olsson, Ulf and Šarić, Anđela and Egelman, Edward H. and Hartgerink, Jeffrey D.}, issn = {1526-4602}, journal = {Biomacromolecules}, number = {4}, pages = {2956--2965}, publisher = {American Chemical Society}, title = {{Supramolecular assembly of collagen-mimetic eptide D-periodic fibrils and nanoassemblies}}, doi = {10.1021/acs.biomac.6c00345}, volume = {27}, year = {2026}, } @article{21750, abstract = {Liquid-like superionic conductors, with highly mobile ions in a rigid framework, offer intrinsically low lattice thermal conductivity without compromising electronic transport. Argyrodite-type Ag8SnSe6 exhibits a melt-like Ag sublattice that drives lattice thermal conductivity (κL) below 0.2 watts per meter per kelvin, yet its low carrier concentration limits the power factor. Here, interstitial Ag atoms raise the Fermi level into the conduction band, substantially increasing the electron concentration. Simultaneously, the formation of a secondary Ag2Se phase generates lattice distortions that enhance phonon scattering. A pronounced mismatch between electronic (~200 nanometers) and phononic (~0.22 nanometers) mean free paths decouples charge and heat transport, enabling concurrent suppression of κL and retention of high electrical conductivity. This coupled electronic-phononic modulation yields a record ZT of 0.72 at ambient temperature and a peak ZT of 1.1 at 735 kelvins, with an average ZTavg of 0.72 over 320 to 735 kelvins. A unicouple device achieves 6.3% efficiency under a 357-kelvin gradient, highlighting a practical strategy for high-performance midtemperature thermoelectrics.}, author = {Li, Mengyao and Zhao, Xueke and Zhang, Yu and Yu, Jing and Liu, Xuyang and Jia, Mochen and Song, Hongzhang and Wang, Dongyang and Arbiol, Jordi and Ibáñez, Maria and Shan, Chongxin and Cabot, Andreu and Wang, Ziyu}, issn = {2375-2548}, journal = {Science Advances}, number = {15}, publisher = {AAAS}, title = {{Electronic-phononic decoupling and Fermi-level tuning enable high thermoelectric performance in Ag8SnSe6}}, doi = {10.1126/sciadv.aec9073}, volume = {12}, year = {2026}, } @article{21751, abstract = {We define a certain class of simple varieties over a field k by a constructive recipe and show how to control their (equivariant) truncating invariants. Consequently, we prove that on simple varieties: (i) if k = k and char k = p, the p-adic cyclotomic trace is an equivalence; (ii) if k = Q, the Goodwillie–Jones trace is an isomorphism in degree zero; (iii) we can control homotopy invariant K-theory KH, which is equivariantly formal and determined by its topological counterparts. Simple varieties are quite special, but encompass important singular examples appearing in geometric representation theory. We, in particular, show that both finite and affine Schubert varieties for GLn lie in this class, so all the above results hold for them. }, author = {Löwit, Jakub}, issn = {1687-0247}, journal = {International Mathematics Research Notices}, number = {7}, publisher = {Oxford University Press}, title = {{Equivariant localizing invariants of simple varieties}}, doi = {10.1093/imrn/rnag058}, volume = {2026}, year = {2026}, } @article{21752, abstract = {Epithelial tissues function as multicellular communities that preserve tissue integrity while adapting to diverse environmental stresses by altering cell behaviors. A striking manifestation of such adaptability is cell plasticity, the ability of differentiated cells to revert to stem-like states or adopt alternative fates. Once considered rare and confined to highly regenerative species, cell plasticity is now recognized across the metazoan tree. In early-branching animals such as sponges and cnidarians, transdifferentiation and dedifferentiation are integral to life-cycle transitions and regeneration, whereas in more complex organisms, these processes typically emerge under stress, including stem cell loss or environmental perturbations. Here, we examine epithelial cell plasticity through evolutionary, cellular, and molecular perspectives. Focusing on the intestinal epithelium, we explore findings from mammalian and Drosophila models showing that progenitors and even terminally differentiated cells can dedifferentiate in response to external stimuli that disrupt homeostasis, such as pathogen infection and nutrient fluctuations. We further discuss conserved mechanisms involving intercellular signaling (e.g., Notch, EGFR, and JAK-STAT) and chromatin states primed for reprogramming, modulated by metabolic cues. Together, these insights position cell plasticity as an ancient environmental adaptation strategy, shaped by conserved molecular toolkits and refined by species- and cell lineage-specific innovations.}, author = {Nagai, Hiroki and Nakajima, Yu Ichiro}, issn = {1096-3634}, journal = {Seminars in Cell and Developmental Biology}, publisher = {Elsevier}, title = {{Epithelial cell plasticity in metazoans: Evolutionary insights into roles and mechanisms}}, doi = {10.1016/j.semcdb.2026.103670}, volume = {179-180}, year = {2026}, } @article{21753, abstract = {The origin(s) of life (OoL), which has puzzled scientists for centuries, remains a major scientific challenge in the 21st century. Understanding the processes relevant to the OoL demands theoretical frameworks that can connect processes across scales, from microscopic dynamics to emergent levels of organization. While experimental studies generate a wealth of data, theoretical and computational approaches provide the structure necessary to interpret and generalize these findings. In Part 1, we examined the most widely used experimental techniques in the field. Here, we focus on the mathematical, physical, and computational techniques used to model phenomena relevant to life’s origin(s). We discuss methods ranging from quantum chemistry and molecular dynamics to chemical reaction networks, autocatalysis, and evolutionary modeling, as well as information-theoretic and phylogenetic approaches that link chemical and biological organization. We further highlight emerging trends such as synthetic biology, omics-based methods, and laboratory automation as novel points of contact for theory-experiment integration. Ultimately, we aim to provide an educational tool that can facilitate more post-disciplinary collaborations in OoL research by helping scientists understand what they can do about the problem of life’s origins, rather than telling them how to think about it.}, author = {Asche, Silke and Bautista, Carla and Blanco, Celia and Boulesteix, David and Champagne-Ruel, Alexandre and Mathis, Cole and Markovitch, Omer and Peng, Zhen and Dass, Avinash Vicholous and Adams, Alyssa and Camprubi, Eloi and Colizzi, Enrico Sandro and Colón-Santos, Stephanie and Dromiack, Hannah and Erastova, Valentina and Garcia, Amanda and Grimaud, Ghjuvan and Halpern, Aaron and Harrison, Stuart A. and Jordan, Seán F. and Jia, Tony Z. and Kahana, Amit and Kolchinsky, Artemy and Moron-Garcia, Odin and Mizuuchi, Ryo and Nan, Jingbo and Orlova, Yuliia and Pearce, Ben K.D. and Paschek, Klaus and Preiner, Martina and Pinna, Silvana and Rodríguez-Román, Eduardo and Schwander, Loraine and Sharma, Siddhant and Smith, Harrison B. and Vieira, Andrey and Xavier, Joana C.}, issn = {2666-3864}, journal = {Cell Reports Physical Science}, number = {4}, publisher = {Elsevier}, title = {{What it takes to solve the origins of life: An integrated review. Part 2: Theoretical methods and emerging trends}}, doi = {10.1016/j.xcrp.2026.103211}, volume = {7}, year = {2026}, } @article{21754, abstract = {The origin(s) of life (OoL), which has puzzled scientists for centuries, remains a major scientific challenge in the 21st century. Research on OoL spans many disciplines, including chemistry, physics, biology, planetary sciences, computer science, and mathematics. The sheer number of different scientific perspectives relevant to the problem has resulted in the coexistence of diverse tools, techniques, data, and software in OoL studies. This has made communication between the disciplines relevant to the OoL extremely difficult because the interpretation of data, analyses, or standards of evidence varies dramatically. Here, we hope to bridge this wide field of study by providing common ground via the consolidation of techniques rather than positing a unifying view on how life emerges. In part 1 of this review, we cover common experimental techniques that have been used significantly in OoL studies in recent years, while in part 2, we review theoretical, computational, and integrative methods. Here, we discuss the use of spectroscopy, spectrometry, chromatography, microscopy, and sequencing methods for characterizing diverse materials. We further discuss the role of data repositories in facilitating the analysis and dissemination of experimental data. This review provides a baseline expectation and understanding of the analytical aspects of origins’ research. Ultimately, we aim to provide an educational tool that can facilitate more post-disciplinary collaborations in OoL research by helping scientists understand what they can do about the problem of life’s origins, rather than telling them how to think about it.}, author = {Asche, Silke and Bautista, Carla and Blanco, Celia and Boulesteix, David and Champagne-Ruel, Alexandre and Mathis, Cole and Markovitch, Omer and Peng, Zhen and Dass, Avinash Vicholous and Adams, Alyssa and Camprubi, Eloi and Colizzi, Enrico Sandro and Colón-Santos, Stephanie and Dromiack, Hannah and Erastova, Valentina and Garcia, Amanda and Grimaud, Ghjuvan and Halpern, Aaron and Harrison, Stuart A. and Jordan, Seán F. and Jia, Tony Z. and Kahana, Amit and Kolchinsky, Artemy and Moron-Garcia, Odin and Mizuuchi, Ryo and Nan, Jingbo and Orlova, Yuliia and Pearce, Ben K.D. and Paschek, Klaus and Preiner, Martina and Pinna, Silvana and Rodríguez-Román, Eduardo and Schwander, Loraine and Sharma, Siddhant and Smith, Harrison B. and Vieira, Andrey and Xavier, Joana C.}, issn = {2666-3864}, journal = {Cell Reports Physical Science}, number = {4}, publisher = {Elsevier}, title = {{What it takes to solve the origin of life: An integrated review. Part 1–Experimental methods and data repositories}}, doi = {10.1016/j.xcrp.2026.103212}, volume = {7}, year = {2026}, } @article{21755, abstract = {Tropical shallow clouds are a major source of uncertainty in Earth's climate sensitivity, especially through their spatial arrangement, which global climate models do not represent. Efforts to understand their organization have partly relied on classifying observed scenes, identifying four patterns as archetypal regimes. Here we analyze geostationary satellite imagery of the western tropical Atlantic using the L‐function, a tool based on point pattern theory that quantifies cloud organization across spatial scales. Classical examples of the four patterns show distinct L‐function fingerprints, revealing their characteristic clustering and regularity scales and aiding physical interpretation. Yet, when evaluating many scenes at fixed spatial scales, the L‐function distribution lacks the distinct modes expected from discrete regimes. This is corroborated by analyses of other organization indices employing diverse approaches, from inter‐cloud nearest‐neighbor distances to fractal analysis. Implications for the parameterization of mesoscale cloud organization in climate models are discussed.}, author = {Biagioli, Giovanni and Mandorli, Giulio and Freischem, Lilli Johanna and Casallas Garcia, Alejandro and Tompkins, Adrian Mark}, issn = {1944-8007}, journal = {Geophysical Research Letters}, number = {8}, publisher = {Wiley}, title = {{Spatial patterns of shallow clouds: Challenging the concept of defined regimes}}, doi = {10.1029/2025gl119921}, volume = {53}, year = {2026}, } @article{21759, abstract = {Promoters and enhancers are cis-regulatory elements (CREs), DNA sequences that bind transcription factor (TF) proteins to up- or down-regulate target genes. Decades-long efforts yielded TF-DNA interaction models that predict how strongly an individual TF binds arbitrary DNA sequences and how individual binding events on the CRE combine to affect gene expression. These insights can be synthesized into a global, biophysically realistic, and quantitative genotype-phenotype (GP) map for gene regulation, a ‘holy grail’ for the application of evolutionary theory. A global map provides a rare opportunity to simulate the long-term evolution of regulatory sequences and pose several fundamental questions: How long does it take to evolve CREs de novo? How many non-trivial regulatory functions exist in sequence space? How connected are they? For which regulatory architecture is CRE evolution most rapid and evolvable? In this article, the second of a two-part series, we review the application of evolutionary concepts — epistasis, robustness, evolvability, tunability, plasticity, and bet-hedging — to the evolution of gene regulatory sequences. We then evaluate the potential for a unifying theory for the evolution of regulatory sequences and identify key open challenges.}, author = {Mascolo, Elia and Körei, Reka E and Borst, Noa O. and Barton, Nicholas H and Crocker, Justin and Tkačik, Gašper}, issn = {1879-0380}, journal = {Current Opinion in Genetics and Development}, publisher = {Elsevier}, title = {{Long-term evolution of regulatory DNA sequences. Part 2: Theory and future challenges}}, doi = {10.1016/j.gde.2026.102472}, volume = {98}, year = {2026}, } @article{21760, abstract = {3I/ATLAS is the third interstellar object discovered to date, following 1I/‘Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov. Its unusually high excess velocity and active cometary nature make it a key probe of the Galactic population of icy planetesimals. Understanding its origin requires its past trajectory through the Galaxy to be traced and the possible role of stellar encounters to be assessed, both as a potential origin and a perturber to its orbit. We integrated the orbit of 3I/ATLAS backward in time for 10 Myr, together with a sample of Gaia DR3 stars with high-quality astrometry and radial velocities, to identify close passages within 2 pc. We identify 93 nominal encounters, 62 of which are significant at the 2σ level. However, none of these encounters produced any meaningful perturbation. The strongest perturber Gaia DR3 6863591389529611264 at 0.30 pc and with a relative velocity of 35 km s−1, imparted only a velocity change of ∣Δv∣ ≃ 5 × 10−4 km s−1 to the orbit of 3I/ATLAS. Our results indicate that no stellar flybys within the past 10 Myr and 500 pc contained in Gaia DR3 can account for the present trajectory of 3I/ATLAS or be associated with its origin. We further show that 3I/ATLAS is kinematically consistent with a thin-disk population, despite its large peculiar velocity.}, author = {Pérez-Couto, X. and Torres Rodriguez, Santiago and Villaver, E. and Mustill, A. J. and Manteiga, M.}, issn = {1538-4357}, journal = {The Astrophysical Journal}, number = {2}, publisher = {IOP Publishing}, title = {{3I/ATLAS: In search of the witnesses to its voyage}}, doi = {10.3847/1538-4357/ae56ff}, volume = {1001}, year = {2026}, }