How science can put the Sustainable Development Goals back on track p.329

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the UN’s flagship plan to end poverty and protect the environment. Researchers need to launch a rapid response.

doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-00104-0

The world needs a single naming system for coronavirus variants p.330

Geographic associations risk stigma. Researchers must quickly agree on a more meaningful and universal nomenclature.

doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-00105-z

Alarming COVID variants show vital role of genomic surveillance p.337

Efforts to track SARS-CoV-2 sequences have helped identify worrying variants — but researchers are blind to emerging mutations in some regions.

doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-00065-4

‘A bloody mess’: Confusion reigns over naming of new COVID variants p.339

As more lineages emerge, researchers are struggling with a patchwork of nomenclature.

doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-00097-w

Search for better COVID vaccines confounded by existing rollouts p.340

As placebo-controlled testing falls out of favour, vaccine developers eye blood markers and challenge trials to assess next-generation candidates.

doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-00015-0

COVID’s toll on smell and taste: what scientists do and don’t know p.342

doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-00055-6

COVID curbed carbon emissions in 2020 — but not by much p.343

Despite sharp drops early in the pandemic, global emissions of carbon dioxide picked up in the second half of the year, new data show.

doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-00090-3

Ten computer codes that transformed science p.344

doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-00075-2

Brain rhythms that help us to detect borders p.353

Oscillations in neuronal activity in the medial temporal lobe of the human brain encode proximity to boundaries such as walls, both when navigating while walking and when watching another person do so.

doi: 10.1038/d41586-020-03576-8

Precise mapping reveals gaps in global measles vaccination coverage p.354

Precise maps of routine first-dose measles vaccinations show slowing progress around the world between 2010 and 2019, and large gaps in coverage in many places. Many countries are unlikely to achieve global 2020 coverage targets.

doi: 10.1038/d41586-020-03391-1

Electrons broken into pieces at crystal defects p.356

Fractional electric charges have been observed at crystal defects in artificial structures resembling materials called topological crystalline insulators. Such fractional charges could have various engineering applications.

doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-00079-y

Anti-ageing effects of protein restriction unpacked p.357

Two animal studies show that restricting the dietary intake of branched-chain amino acids can extend lifespan by modulating the mTOR signalling pathway. But more research is needed before this diet should be recommended in people.

doi: 10.1038/d41586-020-03662-x

Psychedelics re-engineered for potential use in the clinic p.358

An analogue of the psychedelic drug ibogaine has been developed. The analogue mirrors ibogaine’s ability to treat addiction and depression in animal models, has fewer side effects and is much simpler to synthesize.

doi: 10.1038/d41586-020-03404-z

Mechanical memory written and read remotely p.360

A device has been developed that consists of mechanical bits, analogous to the magnetic bits used in computer hard drives. Information encoded in the bits programs the mechanical properties of the device.

doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-00080-5

Lessons from the host defences of bats, a unique viral reservoir p.363

doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-03128-0

Observation of the onset of a blue jet into the stratosphere p.371

doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-03122-6

Trapped fractional charges at bulk defects in topological insulators p.376

doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-03117-3

Bulk–disclination correspondence in topological crystalline insulators p.381

doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-03125-3

A reprogrammable mechanical metamaterial with stable memory p.386

doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-03123-5

Transporting and concentrating vibrational energy to promote isomerization p.391

doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-03081-y

A stable low-temperature H₂-production catalyst by crowding Pt on α-MoC p.396

doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-03130-6

Lake heatwaves under climate change p.402

doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-03119-1

High sensitivity of tropical precipitation to local sea surface temperature p.408

doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-2887-3

Mapping routine measles vaccination in low- and middle-income countries p.415

doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-03043-4

Boundary-anchored neural mechanisms of location-encoding for self and others p.420

doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-03073-y

A brainstem peptide system activated at birth protects postnatal breathing p.426

doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-2991-4

Pairing of segmentation clock genes drives robust pattern formation p.431

doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-03055-0

Arterialization requires the timely suppression of cell growth p.437

doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-3018-x

RANK links thymic regulatory T cells to fetal loss and gestational diabetes in pregnancy p.442

doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-03071-0

Fat1 deletion promotes hybrid EMT state, tumour stemness and metastasis p.448

doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-03046-1

Sorting nexin 5 mediates virus-induced autophagy and immunity p.456

doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-03056-z

Measuring DNA mechanics on the genome scale p.462

doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-03052-3

Design of biologically active binary protein 2D materials p.468

doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-03120-8

A non-hallucinogenic psychedelic analogue with therapeutic potential p.474

doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-3008-z