Revamp of UK CRISPR regulation will require public trust p.345

The United Kingdom is considering innovative ways of regulating gene editing in food and farming. Robust processes and public confidence will be vital for success.

doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-00672-1

Ocean protection needs a spirit of compromise p.346

A proposal that weighs up options for meeting climate, conservation and food-provision goals deserves serious consideration.

doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-00673-0

China’s five-year plan focuses on scientific self-reliance p.353

Global tensions, limits on international collaboration and an emphasis on real-world applications drive the nation’s vision for research.

doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-00638-3

Evidence of elusive Majorana particle dies — but computing hope lives on p.354

Nature retraction is a setback for Microsoft’s approach to quantum computing, as researchers continue to search for the exotic quantum states.

doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-00612-z

US health agency will invest $1 billion to investigate ‘long COVID’ p.356

The National Institutes of Health will fund researchers to track people’s recovery, and will host a biospecimen bank.

doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-00586-y

Achilles heel spotted for promising HIV-prevention drug p.357

Bimonthly injections of cabotegravir kept most people free of HIV, but in rare cases the drug hid infections and fuelled resistance, study finds.

doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-00618-7

Record number of asteroids seen whizzing past Earth in 2020 p.358

Despite pandemic disruption, astronomers detected thousands of previously unknown near-Earth asteroids last year.

doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-00641-8

CRISPR-based gene therapy dampens pain in mice p.359

Targeted approach could lead to an opioid-free way of treating chronic pain.

doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-00644-5

How microbes in permafrost could trigger a massive carbon bomb p.360

doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-00659-y

Exercise generates immune cells in bone p.371

A specialized type of bone-cell progenitor has been identified in the bone marrow, and shown to support the generation of immune cells called lymphocytes in response to movement.

doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-00419-y

Breaks in mitochondrial DNA rig the immune response p.372

Damage to DNA in a cellular organelle called the mitochondrion triggers an immune response in the nucleus. Mechanistic insights into this process shed light on how organelles communicate.

doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-00429-w

Argument technology for debating with humans p.373

A fully autonomous computer system has been developed that can take part in live debates with people. The findings hint at a future in which artificial intelligence can help humans to formulate and make sense of complex arguments.

doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-00539-5

A microbial marriage reminiscent of mitochondrial evolution p.375

Symbiotic interactions between organisms have aided major evolutionary transitions. The interaction between two microorganisms has parallels with the evolution of mitochondria — key organelles in eukaryotic cells.

doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-00500-6

Oceanic fault zones reconstructed p.376

Tectonic-plate material is generally thought to be neither created nor destroyed at plate boundaries called oceanic transform faults. An analysis of sea-floor topography suggests that this assumption is incorrect.

doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-00639-2

An autonomous debating system p.379

doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03215-w

High-order superlattices by rolling up van der Waals heterostructures p.385

doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03338-0

Widespread potential loss of streamflow into underlying aquifers across the USA p.391

doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03311-x

Enabling conditions for an equitable and sustainable blue economy p.396

doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03327-3

Extensional tectonics and two-stage crustal accretion at oceanic transform faults p.402

doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03278-9

Non-ammocoete larvae of Palaeozoic stem lampreys p.408

doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03305-9

Genomic insights into the formation of human populations in East Asia p.413

doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03336-2

Striatal activity topographically reflects cortical activity p.420

doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-03166-8

Dopamine-based mechanism for transient forgetting p.426

doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-03154-y

A growth-factor-activated lysosomal K⁺ channel regulates Parkinson’s pathology p.431

doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03185-z

A mechanosensitive peri-arteriolar niche for osteogenesis and lymphopoiesis p.438

doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03298-5

Anaerobic endosymbiont generates energy for ciliate host by denitrification p.445

doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03297-6

SARS-CoV-2 infection is effectively treated and prevented by EIDD-2801 p.451

doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03312-w

Dynamic regulation of TFH selection during the germinal centre reaction p.458

T follicular helper cells undergo antigen-dependent selection in germinal centres, with higher-affinity T cell receptors supporting stronger proliferation leading to their clonal dominance.

doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03187-x

IgA transcytosis and antigen recognition govern ovarian cancer immunity p.464

doi: 10.1038/s41586-020-03144-0

Sulfur sequestration promotes multicellularity during nutrient limitation p.471

doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03270-3

Nuclear sensing of breaks in mitochondrial DNA enhances immune surveillance p.477

doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03269-w

De novo design of modular and tunable protein biosensors p.482

A modular de novo designed biosensor platform consisting of a cage and key molecule is developed, and used to create sensors for seven distinct proteins including the spike protein from SARS-CoV-2 and anti-SARS antibodies.

doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03258-z