COVID is disrupting scientific careers around the world p.179

Earlier generations faced fallout from the global financial crisis and a boost from emerging economies. Today, COVID-19 and concerns about diversity dominate.

doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-03049-6

Why hundreds of scientists are weighing in on a high-stakes US abortion case p.187

Studies suggest that a reversal of the landmark Roe v. Wade decision would be detrimental for many.

doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-02834-7

Why scientists worldwide are watching UK COVID infections p.189

doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-03003-6

The search for people who never get COVID p.191

An international team of researchers wants to find people who are genetically resistant to SARS-CoV-2, in the hope of developing new drugs and treatments.

doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-02978-6

US astronomy's 10-year plan is super-ambitious p.192

Its ‘decadal survey’ pitches big new space observatories, funding for large telescopes and a reckoning over social issues plaguing the field.

doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-03027-y

Sponge cells hint at origins of nervous system p.193

Synapse genes help cells to communicate in sponge’s digestive chambers.

doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-03015-2

Caltech confronted its racist past. Here’s what happened p.194

doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-03052-x

Bryozoan fossils found at last in deposits from the Cambrian period p.203

Molecular evidence has long indicated that aquatic animals called bryozoans should be found among the fossils of the Cambrian period, around 541 million years ago. Yet they have been conspicuously absent, until now.

doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-02874-z

The unexpected ancestry of Inner Asian mummies p.204

The genomes of Bronze Age mummies from the Tarim Basin in northwest China suggest that these individuals were descended from an ancient Asian population that was genetically isolated, despite extensive cultural interactions in the region.

doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-02872-1

Diet comparison suggests a lipid imbalance can slow tumour growth p.206

Understanding how diet affects tumour growth could lead to better treatments. Analysis in mice reveals that a low-calorie diet, but not a ketogenic diet, slows the growth of pancreatic cancer. This effect is mediated by lipid changes.

doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-02775-1

Global temperature changes mapped across the past 24,000 years p.208

Palaeoclimate data and models have been used to produce a comprehensive report of Earth’s temperature changes over the past 24 millennia. The results suggest that modern warming differs from the gradual rise of the past 10,000 years.

doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-03011-6

Rhinoceros genomes uncover family secrets p.209

Genomes from living and extinct rhinos reveal that different species evolved as a result of geographic isolation. A comparison of DNA from different species also shows that rhinos have long displayed low genetic variability.

doi: 10.1038/d41586-021-02777-z

An optical lattice with sound p.211

doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03945-x

Cascade of correlated electron states in the kagome superconductor CsV3Sb5 p.216

doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03946-w

Roton pair density wave in a strong-coupling kagome superconductor p.222

doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03983-5

Bubble casting soft robotics p.229

doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-04029-6

In situ formation of ZnOx species for efficient propane dehydrogenation p.234

doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03923-3

Globally resolved surface temperatures since the Last Glacial Maximum p.239

doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03984-4

Dynamic slab segmentation due to brittle–ductile damage in the outer rise p.245

doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03937-x

Fossil evidence unveils an early Cambrian origin for Bryozoa p.251

doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-04033-w

The genomic origins of the Bronze Age Tarim Basin mummies p.256

doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-04052-7

Neural control of affiliative touch in prosocial interaction p.262

doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03962-w

Human neural tube morphogenesis in vitro by geometric constraints p.268

doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-04026-9

Cell surface and intracellular auxin signalling for H+ fluxes in root growth p.273

doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-04037-6

TMK-based cell-surface auxin signalling activates cell-wall acidification p.278

doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03976-4

Virus-induced senescence is a driver and therapeutic target in COVID-19 p.283

doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03995-1

Shigella evades pyroptosis by arginine ADP-riboxanation of caspase-11 p.290

doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-04020-1

Glycogen metabolism links glucose homeostasis to thermogenesis in adipocytes p.296

doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-04019-8

Low glycaemic diets alter lipid metabolism to influence tumour growth p.302

doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-04049-2

eccDNAs are apoptotic products with high innate immunostimulatory activity p.308

doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-04009-w

The structure of neurofibromin isoform 2 reveals different functional states p.315

doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-04024-x

Dispatched uses Na+ flux to power release of lipid-modified Hedgehog p.320

doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03996-0

Kainate receptor modulation by NETO2 p.325

doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-03936-y