Virus deploys a ‘loose cannon’ enzyme to overpower bacterial defences

Nature, Published online: 19 August 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02537-xViruses that infect bacteria must either evade or counter the defence systems of their host. The viral kinase enzyme T7K has been found to phosphorylate nearly all…

Nature, Published online: 19 August 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02537-x

Viruses that infect bacteria must either evade or counter the defence systems of their host. The viral kinase enzyme T7K has been found to phosphorylate nearly all bacterial proteins, but its specificity for DNA-binding proteins enables it to disable defence systems that target nucleic acids.

The Antarctic ice sheet has gained mass — but probably not for long

Nature, Published online: 19 August 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02376-wSince 2020, snowfall has largely counterbalanced the melting of the Antarctic ice sheet. The atmospheric effect that causes this has been identified — and it’s tem…

Nature, Published online: 19 August 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02376-w

Since 2020, snowfall has largely counterbalanced the melting of the Antarctic ice sheet. The atmospheric effect that causes this has been identified — and it’s temporary.

Activity of solar-driven polymer catalysts unleashed to produce a potential green fuel

Nature, Published online: 19 August 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02373-zEngineering of polymer crystals has vastly increased the activity of these materials as catalysts for producing hydrogen fuel from water, using only sunlight.

Nature, Published online: 19 August 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02373-z

Engineering of polymer crystals has vastly increased the activity of these materials as catalysts for producing hydrogen fuel from water, using only sunlight.

Human organoids that mimic brain development grown for years in lab

Nature, Published online: 19 August 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02585-3Models of how the brain changes over time could help researchers to understand how diseases affect the organ later in life.

Nature, Published online: 19 August 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02585-3

Models of how the brain changes over time could help researchers to understand how diseases affect the organ later in life.

Psychedelics tune the brain to the environment

Nature, Published online: 19 August 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02377-9Rather than just scrambling neural activity, the psychedelic substance psilocybin also reorganizes brain dynamics so as to align with a person’s context and experi…

Nature, Published online: 19 August 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02377-9

Rather than just scrambling neural activity, the psychedelic substance psilocybin also reorganizes brain dynamics so as to align with a person’s context and experiences.

Computational ‘gym’ trains AI models to control turbulence

Nature, Published online: 19 August 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02375-xThe HydroGym computational environment teaches agents strategies for fluid-flow control that can be applied to scenarios they have not encountered before.

Nature, Published online: 19 August 2026; doi:10.1038/d41586-026-02375-x

The HydroGym computational environment teaches agents strategies for fluid-flow control that can be applied to scenarios they have not encountered before.

Pervasive phosphorylation by phage T7 kinase disarms bacterial defences

Nature, Published online: 19 August 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10934-5The T7 bacteriophage deactivates bacterial defence systems through T7K phosphorylation of nearly all host and phage proteins during infection.

Nature, Published online: 19 August 2026; doi:10.1038/s41586-026-10934-5

The T7 bacteriophage deactivates bacterial defence systems through T7K phosphorylation of nearly all host and phage proteins during infection.