@article{21471,
author = {Backlund, Sofia Maria and Stankowski, Sean and Soler Schaller, Rosina Matilde},
issn = {1537-2197},
journal = {American Journal of Botany},
number = {3},
publisher = {Wiley},
title = {{Seeds as space-time travelers: How does evolution balance the joint benefits and trade-offs of dormancy and dispersal?}},
doi = {10.1002/ajb2.70175},
volume = {113},
year = {2026},
}
@article{21482,
abstract = {Controlling the size and shape of assembled structures is a fundamental challenge in self-assembly and is highly relevant in material design and biology. Here, we show that specific but promiscuous short-range binding interactions make it possible to economically assemble linear filaments of user-defined length. Our approach leads to independent control over the mean and width of the filament size distribution and allows us to smoothly explore design trade-offs between assembly quality (spread in size) and cost (number of particle species). We employ a simple hierarchical assembly protocol to minimize assembly times and show that multiple stages of hierarchy make it possible to extend our approach to the assembly of higher-dimensional structures. Our work provides a conceptually simple solution to size control that is applicable to a broad range of systems, from DNA nanoparticles to supramolecular polymers and beyond.},
author = {Hübl, Maximilian and Goodrich, Carl Peter},
issn = {2643-1564},
journal = {Physical Review Research},
publisher = {American Physical Society},
title = {{Entropic size control of self-assembled filaments}},
doi = {10.1103/68rs-3qgn},
volume = {8},
year = {2026},
}
@article{21486,
abstract = {Sex-chromosome systems are highly variable across animals, but how they transition from one to another is not well understood. Diptera have undergone multiple sex-chromosome turnovers and expansions while maintaining their general chromosomal content, which makes them an ideal clade to study such transitions. We analyzed more than 100 dipteran whole-genome assemblies and identified 4 new lineages that underwent sex-chromosome turnover (in addition to the 5 previously reported). We find that the majority of turnovers happened in the group Schizophora, which tend to have fewer genes on Muller element F (the chromosome homologous to the ancestral insect X chromosome) than lower dipterans, a factor previously hypothesized to facilitate turnover. Most derived X chromosomes have higher GC content than autosomes, consistent with a high prevalence of male achiasmy in Diptera. In addition, an excess of gene movement out of the X is detected for most of these new X chromosomes, and many of these moved genes have high testis expression in Drosophila, suggesting that out-of-X gene movement contributes to the long-term demasculinization of X chromosomes.},
author = {Layana Franco, Lorena Alexandra and Toups, Melissa A and Vicoso, Beatriz},
issn = {2056-3744},
journal = {Evolution Letters},
publisher = {Oxford University Press},
title = {{Causes and consequences of sex-chromosome turnovers in Diptera}},
doi = {10.1093/evlett/qrag003},
year = {2026},
}
@misc{21137,
author = {Naik, Suyash},
publisher = {Institute of Science and Technology Austria},
title = {{Data associated with Keratins coordinate tissue spreading }},
doi = {10.15479/AT-ISTA-21137},
year = {2026},
}
@phdthesis{21393,
abstract = {This thesis documents a voyage towards truth and beauty via formal verification of theorems. To this end, we develop libraries in Lean 4 that present definitions and results from diverse areas of MathematiCS (i.e., Mathematics and Computer Science). The aim is to create code that is understandable, believable, useful, and elegant. The code should stand for itself as much as possible without a need for documentation; however, this text redundantly documents our code artifacts and provides additional context that isn’t present in the code. This thesis is written for readers who know Lean 4 but are not familiar with any of the topics presented. We manifest truth and beauty in three formalized areas of MathematiCS.
We formalize general grammars in Lean 4 and use grammars to show closure of the class of type-0 languages under four operations; union, reversal, concatenation, and the Kleene star.
Our second stop is the theory of optimization. Farkas established that a system of linear inequalities has a solution if and only if we cannot obtain a contradiction by taking a linear combination of the inequalities. We state and formally prove several Farkas-like theorems over linearly ordered fields in Lean 4. Furthermore, we extend duality theory to the case when some coefficients are allowed to take “infinite values”. Additionally, we develop the basics of the theory of optimization in terms of the framework called General-Valued Constraint Satisfaction Problems, and we prove that, if a Rational-Valued Constraint Satisfaction Problem template has symmetric fractional polymorphisms of all arities, then its basic LP relaxation is tight.
Our third stop is matroid theory. Seymour’s decomposition theorem is a hallmark result in matroid theory, presenting a structural characterization of the class of regular matroids. We aim to formally verify Seymour’s theorem in Lean 4. First, we build a library for working with totally unimodular matrices. We define binary matroids and their standard representations, and we prove that they form a matroid in the sense how Mathlib defines matroids. We define regular matroids to be matroids for which there exists a full representation rational matrix that is totally unimodular, and we prove that all regular matroids are binary. We define 1-sum, 2-sum, and 3 sum of binary matroids as specific ways to compose their standard representation matrices. We prove that the 1-sum, the 2-sum, and the 3-sum of regular matroids are a regular matroid, which concludes the composition direction of the Seymour’s theorem. The (more difficult) decomposition direction remains unproved.
In the pursuit of truth, we focus on identifying the trusted code in each project and presenting it faithfully. We emphasize the readability and believability of definitions rather than choosing definitions that are easier to work with. In search for beauty, we focus on the philosophical framework of Roger Scruton, who emphasizes that beauty is not a mere decoration but, most importantly, beauty is the means for shaping our place in the world and a source of redemption, where it can be viewed as a substitute for religion.},
author = {Dvorak, Martin},
isbn = {978-3-99078-074-9},
issn = {2663-337X},
pages = {160},
publisher = {Institute of Science and Technology Austria},
title = {{Pursuit of truth and beauty in Lean 4 : Formally verified theory of grammars, optimization, matroids}},
doi = {10.15479/AT-ISTA-21393},
year = {2026},
}
@article{21483,
abstract = {Embryogenesis in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana provides a framework for understanding how cell polarity and patterning coordinate with hormonal signalling to establish the plant body plan. Following fertilisation, the zygote divides asymmetrically to generate apical and basal lineages, establishing the apical–basal axis that defines future shoot and root poles. Genetic and molecular analyses of classical mutants including gnom, monopteros (mp), bodenlos (bdl) and topless revealed that localised auxin biosynthesis, directional transport and downstream transcriptional responses are central to apical–basal axis establishment and organ initiation. The main components of this regulation are polarly localised PIN auxin transporters and downstream modules involving MONOPTEROS and WUSCHEL-RELATED HOMEOBOX transcription factors. Advances in microscopy have transformed the study of Arabidopsis embryogenesis: fluorescence-compatible clearing reagents and three-dimensional reconstructions now permit quantitative analyses of cell geometry, division orientation, and cytoskeletal dynamics. Live ovule imaging setups with confocal laser scanning and multiphoton microscopes enable real-time observation of embryo development, while laser-assisted cell ablation can be used to probe cell-to-cell communication and fate plasticity. Together, these methodological breakthroughs position Arabidopsis embryos as a prime model for dissecting the chemical and biophysical cues that shape plant development.},
author = {Babic, David and Zupunski, Milan and Friml, Jiří},
issn = {1469-8137},
journal = {New Phytologist},
publisher = {Wiley},
title = {{Imaging and genetic toolbox to study Arabidopsis embryogenesis}},
doi = {10.1111/nph.71072},
year = {2026},
}
@article{21658,
abstract = {Dipolar (ℓ = 1) mixed modes have revealed a surprisingly weak differential rotation between the core and the envelope of evolved solar-like stars. Quadrupolar (ℓ = 2) mixed modes also contain information regarding internal dynamics but are very rarely characterised due to their low amplitude and the challenging identification of adjacent or overlapping rotationally split multiplets affected by near-degeneracy effects. We aim to extend the broadly used asymptotic seismic diagnostics beyond ℓ = 1 mixed modes by developing an analogue asymptotic description of ℓ = 2 mixed modes while explicitly accounting for near-degeneracy effects that distort their rotational multiplets. We have derived a new asymptotic formulation of near-degenerate mixed ℓ = 2 modes that describes off-diagonal terms representing the interaction between modes of adjacent radial orders. This formalism, expressed directly in the mixed-mode basis, provides analytical expressions for the near-degeneracy effects. We implemented the formalism within a global Bayesian mode-fitting framework for a direct fit of all ℓ = 0, 1, 2 modes in the power spectrum density. We were able to asymptotically model the asymmetric rotational splitting present in various radial orders of ℓ = 2 modes observed in young red giant stars without the need for any numerical stellar modelling. We applied our formalism to the Kepler target KIC 7341231, and it yielded core and envelope rotation rates consistent with previous numerical modelling while providing improved constraints from the global and model-independent approach. We also characterised the new target, KIC 8179973, measuring its rotation rate and mixed-mode parameters for the first time. As our framework relies on a direct global fit, it allows for much better precision on the asteroseismic parameters and rotation rate estimates than standard methods, yielding better constraints for rotation inversions. We have placed the first observational constraints on the asymptotic ℓ = 2 mixed-mode parameters (ΔΠ2, q2, and εg, 2), thus paving the way towards the use of asymptotic seismology beyond ℓ = 1 mixed modes.},
author = {Liagre, Bastien Raymond Bernard and Desai, Aayush A and Einramhof, Lukas and Bugnet, Lisa Annabelle},
issn = {1432-0746},
journal = {Astronomy and Astrophysics},
publisher = {EDP Sciences},
title = {{Near-degeneracy effects in quadrupolar mixed modes: From an asymptotic description to data fitting}},
doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/202558023},
volume = {707},
year = {2026},
}
@phdthesis{20964,
author = {Vladimirtsev, Dmitrii},
issn = {2791-4585},
pages = {22},
publisher = {Institute of Science and Technology Austria},
title = {{Armadillo repeat only proteins are master regulators of plant cyclic-nucleotide gated channels}},
doi = {10.15479/AT-ISTA-20964},
year = {2026},
}
@phdthesis{21198,
abstract = {In recent years there has been a massive increase in the amount of data generated in a
decentralized manner. Ever more powerful edge devices, such as smartphones, have become
ubiquitous in most societies on earth. Through text typed, photos taken and apps used,
these devices, which we refer to as clients, generate enormous amounts of high quality and
complex data. Moreover, the nature of these devices means the data they generate is often
sensitive and privacy concerns prevent it being gathered and stored in a central location. This
presents a challenge to the modern machine learning paradigm that requires central access
to large amounts of data. Federated learning (FL) has emerged as one of the answers to
this problem. Rather than bringing the data to the model, FL sends the model to the data.
Model training takes place on device, with periodically synchronized updates, allowing data to
remain locally stored. While this approach offers significant privacy advantages it comes with
its own set of unique challenges. These include: data heterogeneity, the notion that different
devices generate data in distinct ways which can negatively impact training dynamics; systems
heterogeneity, meaning that different devices may have differing hardware specifications; high
communication costs, which are induced by the repeated transferring of models over the
network and low device computational power, which limits the use of larger models on device.
In this thesis we present a range of methods for federated learning. We focus primarily on
the challenge of data heterogeneity, though the methods presented are designed to be well
adapted to the other challenges of a federated setting, such as the constraints of limited
compute and communication overhead. We first present a method for explicitly modeling client
data heterogeneity. The approach formulates clients as samples from a certain probability
distribution and infers the parameters of this distribution from the available training clients.
This learned distribution then represents the heterogeneity present among the clients and can
be sampled from in order to create new simulated clients that are similar to the real clients we
have observed so far. Following this we present two methods for directly dealing with data
heterogeneity through personalization. Highly heterogeneous client data distributions can mean
that learning a single global model becomes suboptimal, and some form of personalization of
models to each individual client is required. Our approaches are based around hypernetworks,
which we use to generate personalized model parameters without the need for additional
training or finetuning. In the first approach we focus on generating full parameterizations of
client models using learned embeddings of client data and labels, with a hypernetwork located
on the central server. In the second approach we address the more challenging scenario where
we want to generate a personalized model for a client without any label information. The
hypernetwork is trained to generate a low dimensional representation of a client’s personalized
model parameters, allowing it to be transferred to and run on the client devices. In our final
presented method, we change our focus and rather than aim to directly address the challenge
of data heterogeneity, we instead ensure we are unaffected by it. This is done in the context
of k-means clustering and we present a method for federated clustering with a focus on added
privacy guarantees.},
author = {Scott, Jonathan A},
issn = {2663-337X},
pages = {158},
publisher = {Institute of Science and Technology Austria},
title = {{Data heterogeneity and personalization in federated learning}},
doi = {10.15479/AT-ISTA-21198},
year = {2026},
}
@phdthesis{21021,
abstract = {This thesis examines how geometry and topology intersect in the representation, transformation, and analysis of complex shapes. It considers how continuous manifolds relate to their discrete analogues, how topological structures evolve in persistence vineyards, and how tools from topological data analysis can illuminate problems in mathematical physics. Central to this exploration is the question of how structure, both geometric and topological, persists or changes under approximation, sampling, or deformation. The work develops new approaches to skeletal and grid-based representations of surfaces, reveals the full expressive capacity of persistence vineyards, and applies topological methods to the longstanding problem of equilibria in electrostatic fields. These threads braid together into a broader understanding of how topology and geometry inform one another across theory, computation, and application.},
author = {Fillmore, Christopher D},
issn = {2663-337X},
pages = {122},
publisher = {Institute of Science and Technology Austria},
title = {{Braiding geometry and topology to study shapes and data}},
doi = {10.15479/AT-ISTA-21021},
year = {2026},
}
@article{21449,
abstract = {Three-dimensional (3D) crystals offer a route to scaling up trapped-ion systems for quantum sensing and quantum simulation applications; however, engineering coherent spin-motion couplings and effective spin-spin interactions in large crystals poses technical challenges associated with decoherence and prolonged timescales to generate appreciable entanglement. Here, we explore the possibility of speeding up these interactions in 3D crystals via parametric amplification. For this purpose, we derive a general Hamiltonian for the parametric amplification of spin-motion coupling that is broadly applicable to normal modes with motion transverse to or along the spatial extent of the crystal. Unlike in lower-dimensional crystals, we find that the ability to faithfully (uniformly) amplify the spin-spin interactions in 3D crystals depends on the physical implementation of the spin-motion coupling. We consider the light-shift gate, and the so-called phase-insensitive and phase-sensitive Mølmer-Sørensen (MS) gates, and we find that only the phase-sensitive MS gate can be faithfully amplified in general 3D crystals. We discuss a situation where nonuniform amplification can be advantageous. We also reconsider the effect of counter-rotating terms on parametric amplification and find that they are not as detrimental as previous studies suggest.},
author = {Hawaldar, Samarth and Nikhil, N. and Rey, Ana Maria and Bollinger, John J. and Shankar, Athreya},
issn = {2331-7019},
journal = {Physical Review Applied},
number = {3},
publisher = {American Physical Society},
title = {{Parametric amplification of spin-motion coupling in three-dimensional trapped-ion crystals}},
doi = {10.1103/h1m9-h3yw},
volume = {25},
year = {2026},
}
@phdthesis{21651,
abstract = {Blockchains enable distributed consensus in permissionless settings, where participants
are unknown, dynamically changing, and do not trust each other. While Bitcoin,
based on Proof-of-Work (PoW), was the first protocol in this model, significant
research has focused on permissionless protocols using alternative physical resources,
specifically Proof-of-Space (PoSpace) and Verifiable Delay Functions (VDFs). This
thesis investigates the theoretical limits and design space of longest-chain protocols in
the fully permissionless and dynamically available settings using these three resources.
First, we address the feasibility of blockchains relying solely on storage as a resource.
We prove a fundamental impossibility result: there exists no secure longest-chain
protocol based exclusively on Proof-of-Space in the fully permissionless or dynamically
available settings. Further, we quantify the adversarial capabilities required to execute
a double-spend attack. Our result formally justifies the necessity of coupling PoSpace
with time-dependent primitives (such as VDFs) or to move to less permissive settings
(quasi-permissionless or permissioned) to ensure security.
Second, we generalize Nakamoto-like heaviest chain consensus to protocols utilizing
combinations of multiple physical resources. We analyze chain selection rules governed
by a weight function Γ(S, V,W), which assigns weight to blocks based on recorded
Space (S), VDF speed (V ), and Work (W). We provide a complete classification
of secure weight functions, proving that a weight function is secure against private
double-spend attacks if and only if it is homogeneous in the timed resources (V,W)
and sub-homogeneous in S. This framework unifies existing protocols like Bitcoin and
Chia under a single theoretical model and provides a powerful tool for designing new
longest-chain blockchains from a mix of physical resources.},
author = {Baig, Mirza Ahad},
isbn = {978-3-99078-078-7},
issn = {2663-337X},
publisher = {Institute of Science and Technology Austria},
title = {{On secure chain selection rules from physical resources in a permissionless setting}},
doi = {10.15479/AT-ISTA-21651},
year = {2026},
}
@phdthesis{20991,
abstract = {Rapid local adaptation to new environments is critical for species persistence, especially in introduced populations. The evolutionary success of these populations is fundamentally dictated by the organization of genetic variation—the genomic architecture—in the face of severe demographic constraints, such as the founder effects and genetic bottlenecks that frequently accompany colonization. A central question in evolutionary biology is whether rapid adaptation relies on major-effect loci, such as chromosomal inversions, or on many small-effect loci dispersed across the genome. Furthermore, the genomic architecture strongly influences the extent to which evolutionary outcomes are predictable. Using introduced populations of the marine snail, Littorina saxatilis, as a model, this thesis investigates how genetic variation and genomic structure drive adaptation following introduction. We employed a population genomics approach on experimentally and accidentally introduced populations to dissect the specific genomic features that underpin divergence in newly colonized environments.
In Chapter 2, we tested the predictability of local adaptation through an uncommon 30-year transplant experiment in nature. By distinguishing allele and chromosomal inversion frequency changes from neutral expectations, we found that evolutionary change was highly predictable at the macro-scale (phenotypes and chromosomal inversions), but less robust at the level of individual collinear loci. This result demonstrates that evolution can be predictable when a population possesses sufficient standing genetic variation (SGV), with chromosomal inversions acting as key integrated units that facilitate a rapid response to selection. Building on this, Chapter 3 applied whole-genome sequencing to three accidentally introduced populations (Venice, San Francisco, and Redwood City) to investigate their likely source and genomic patterns of divergence. We identified genomic regions of remarkable divergence potentially associated with local adaptation, and likely fuelled by SGV, while explicitly acknowledging the difficulty in disentangling selection signals from the genome-wide effects of demographic processes. Furthermore, we found that the divergence patterns relied extensively on the collinear genome in these introduced populations, and less clearly on the chromosomal inversions. This observation contrasts with local adaptation observed in the experimental system that relied on both collinear loci and highly selected chromosomal inversions, highlighting how demographic history and genomic architecture influence the detectable signature of local adaptation.
A major limitation to conducting large-scale comparative evolutionary studies is the lack of data standardization, which prevents the integration of community knowledge and high-resolution environmental and genetic data. Chapter 4 addresses this by developing a community database for the Littorina system. This platform implements standardized protocols for the integration of diverse phenotypic and environmental data from multiple Littorina species. Likewise, the platform also centralizes the availability of associated genomic data through links to external repositories. This database represents a crucial tool to test complex, large-scale evolutionary hypotheses.
Collectively, this thesis strongly reinforces the fundamental importance of SGV as the raw material for successful local adaptation, a conclusion supported by evidence in both experimental and accidental introductions. Furthermore, this work highlights the critical role of the genomic architecture—specifically chromosomal inversions—in driving the predictability and effectiveness of adaptive responses. Our findings underscore how the interplay between SGV and genomic architecture dictates the trajectory and detectability of evolution in colonizing populations, while simultaneously providing a necessary tool to advance comparative evolutionary genomics in emerging model organisms.},
author = {Garcia Castillo, Diego Fernando},
isbn = {978-3-99078-077-0},
issn = {2663-337X},
pages = {199},
publisher = {Institute of Science and Technology Austria},
title = {{The genomic architecture of local adaptation in introduced populations}},
doi = {10.15479/AT-ISTA-20991},
year = {2026},
}
@article{21764,
abstract = {Colloidal fluids can exhibit complex phase behavior and determining phase diagrams via experiments or computer simulations can be laborious. We demonstrate that the dispersion relation ω(k), obtained from dynamical density functional theory for the uniform density system, is a highly versatile tool for predicting where in the phase diagram complex crystals form. The sign of ω(k) determines whether density modes with wave number k grow or decay over time. We demonstrate the predictive power by investigating the complex phase behavior of particles interacting via core-shoulder pair potentials. With complementary Monte Carlo simulations, we show that regions of the phase diagram where ωðkÞ has one or several unstable (growing) wave numbers are also where crystalline phases occur. Going further, by tuning these
unstable wave numbers via the interaction-potential and state-point parameters, we design systems with quasicrystals in the phase diagram. We identify a system with a certain shoulder range exhibiting at least ten different phases. Our general approach accelerates considerably the mapping of complex phase diagrams, crucial for the design of new materials.},
author = {Wassermair, Michael and Kahl, Gerhard and Roth, Roland and Archer, Andrew J.},
issn = {1079-7114},
journal = {Physical Review Letters},
number = {14},
publisher = {American Physical Society},
title = {{Navigating complex phase diagrams in soft matter systems}},
doi = {10.1103/nbvt-fgjy},
volume = {136},
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},
}
@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{21274,
abstract = {Many white dwarfs are observed in compact double white dwarf binaries, and through the emission of gravitational waves, a large fraction are destined to merge. The merger remnants that do not explode in a Type Ia supernova are expected to initially be rapidly rotating and highly magnetized. In this work, we present our discovery of the variable white dwarf ZTF J200832.79+444939.67, hereafter ZTF J2008+4449, as a likely merger remnant showing signs of circumstellar material without a stellar or substellar companion. The nature of ZTF J2008+4449 as a merger remnant is supported by its physical properties: it is hot (35 500 ± 300 K) and massive (1.12 ± 0.03 M
⊙
), rapidly rotating with a period of ≈6.6 minutes, and likely possesses exceptionally strong magnetic fields (∼400−600 MG) at its surface. Remarkably, we detect a significant period derivative of (1.80 ± 0.09)×10
−12
s/s, indicating that the white dwarf is spinning down, and a soft X-ray emission that is inconsistent with photospheric emission. As the presence of a mass-transferring stellar or brown dwarf companion is excluded by infrared photometry, the detected spin-down and X-ray emission could be tell-tale signs of a magnetically driven wind or of interaction with circumstellar material, possibly originating from the fallback of gravitationally bound merger ejecta or from the tidal disruption of a planetary object. We also detect Balmer emission, which requires the presence of ionized hydrogen in the vicinity of the white dwarf, showing Doppler shifts as high as ≈2000 km s
−1
. The unusual variability of the Balmer emission on the spin period of the white dwarf is consistent with the trapping of a half ring of ionized gas in the magnetosphere of the white dwarf.
},
author = {Cristea, Andrei-Alexandru and Caiazzo, Ilaria and Cunningham, Tim and Raymond, John C. and Vennes, Stephane and Kawka, Adela and Desai, Aayush A and Miller, David R. and Hermes, J. J. and Fuller, Jim and Heyl, Jeremy and van Roestel, Jan and Burdge, Kevin B. and Rodriguez, Antonio C. and Pelisoli, Ingrid and Gänsicke, Boris T. and Szkody, Paula and Kenyon, Scott J. and Vanderbosch, Zach and Drake, Andrew and Ferrario, Lilia and Wickramasinghe, Dayal and Karambelkar, Viraj R. and Justham, Stephen and Pakmor, Ruediger and El-Badry, Kareem and Prince, Thomas and Kulkarni, S. R. and Graham, Matthew J. and Masci, Frank J. and Groom, Steven L. and Purdum, Josiah and Dekany, Richard and Bellm, Eric C.},
issn = {1432-0746},
journal = {Astronomy & Astrophysics},
publisher = {EDP Sciences},
title = {{A half ring of ionized circumstellar material trapped in the magnetosphere of a white dwarf merger remnant}},
doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/202556432},
volume = {706},
year = {2026},
}
@article{21485,
abstract = {Insulating oxides are among the most abundant solid materials in the universe1,2,3. Of the many ways in which they influence natural phenomena, perhaps the most consequential is their capacity to transfer electrical charge during contact4,5,6,7,8,9,10—which occurs even between samples of the same oxide—yet the symmetry-breaking parameter that causes this remains unidentified11,12. Here we show that adventitious carbonaceous molecules adsorbed from the environment are the symmetry-breaking factor in same-material oxide contact electrification (CE). We use acoustic levitation to measure charge exchange between a sphere and a plate composed of identical amorphous silicon dioxide (SiO2). Although charging polarity is random for co-prepared samples, we control it with baking or plasma treatment. Observing the charge-exchange relaxation afterwards, we see dynamics over a timescale of hours and connect this directly to the presence of adventitious carbon with time-of-flight mass spectrometry, low-energy ion scattering and infrared spectroscopy. Going further, we confirm that adventitious carbon can even determine charge exchange among different oxides. Our results identify the symmetry-breaking parameter that causes insulating oxides to exchange charge in settings ranging from desert sands4 to volcanic plumes5,6, while simultaneously highlighting an overlooked factor in CE more broadly.},
author = {Grosjean, Galien M and Ostermann, Markus and Sauer, Markus and Hahn, Michael and Pichler, Christian M. and Fahrnberger, Florian and Pertl, Felix and Balazs, Daniel and Link, Mason M. and Kim, Seong H. and Schrader, Devin L. and Blanco, Adriana and Gracia, Francisco and Mujica, Nicolás and Waitukaitis, Scott R},
issn = {1476-4687},
journal = {Nature},
number = {8106},
pages = {626--631},
publisher = {Springer Nature},
title = {{Adventitious carbon breaks symmetry in oxide contact electrification}},
doi = {10.1038/s41586-025-10088-w},
volume = {651},
year = {2026},
}
@article{21006,
abstract = {Modern experimental methods in programmable self-assembly make it possible to precisely design particle concentrations, shapes and interactions. However, more physical insight is needed before we can take full advantage of this vast design space to assemble nanostructures with complex form and function. Here we show how a substantial part of this design space can be quickly and comprehensively understood by identifying a class of thermodynamic constraints that act on it. These thermodynamic constraints form a high-dimensional convex polyhedron that determines which nanostructures can be assembled at high equilibrium yield and reveals limitations that govern the coexistence of structures. We validate our predictions through detailed, quantitative assembly experiments of nanoscale particles synthesized using DNA origami. Our results uncover physical relationships underpinning many-component programmable self-assembly in equilibrium and form the basis for robust inverse design, applicable to various systems from biological protein complexes to synthetic nanomachines.},
author = {Hübl, Maximilian and Videbæk, Thomas E. and Hayakawa, Daichi and Rogers, W. Benjamin and Goodrich, Carl Peter},
issn = {1745-2481},
journal = {Nature Physics},
publisher = {Springer Nature},
title = {{A polyhedral structure controls programmable self-assembly}},
doi = {10.1038/s41567-025-03120-3},
year = {2026},
}
@article{21762,
abstract = {Bacteria, like eukaryotes, use conserved cytoskeletal systems for intracellular organization. The plasmid-encoded ParMRC system forms actin-like filaments that segregate low–copy number plasmids. In multicellular cyanobacteria such as Anabaena sp., we found that a chromosomally encoded ParMR system has evolved into a cytoskeletal system named CorMR with a function in cell shape control rather than DNA segregation. Live-cell imaging, in vitro reconstitution, and cryo–electron microscopy revealed that CorM formed dynamically unstable, antiparallel double-stranded filaments that were recruited to the membrane by CorR through an amphipathic helix conserved in multicellular cyanobacteria. CorMR filaments were regulated by MinC, which excluded them from the poles and division plane. Comparative genomics indicated that the repurposing of ParMR and Min systems coevolved with cyanobacterial multicellularity, highlighting the evolutionary plasticity of cytoskeletal systems in bacteria.},
author = {Springstein, Benjamin L and Javoor, Manjunath and Megrian, Daniela and Hajdu, Roman and Hanke, Dustin M. and Zens, Bettina and Weiss, Gregor L. and Schur, Florian Km and Loose, Martin},
issn = {1095-9203},
journal = {Science},
number = {6795},
publisher = {AAAS},
title = {{Repurposing of a DNA segregation machinery into a cytoskeletal system controlling cell shape}},
doi = {10.1126/science.aea6343},
volume = {392},
year = {2026},
}