Most antibiotics come from bacteria, but since most bacteria cannot be grown in the lab, many potential drugs remain undiscovered—even as antibiotic resistance continues to grow. A new technique extracts large DNA fragments from soil, sequences them, and uses computational chemistry to turn genetic blueprints from uncultured bacteria into actual molecules. This approach has already uncovered hundreds of new bacterial genomes and two promising antibiotic candidates. Additionally, these results open a new pipeline for urgently needed antibiotics, and provide a scalable way to explore microbial diversity, with applications ranging from medicine to environmental science.

Researchers have created a novel, bio-based foam that integrates three advanced functions: shielding electromagnetic interference, regulating temperature, and reducing infrared visibility. This lightweight, durable material could protect sensitive electronics in electromagnetic and thermal shock and offer new solutions for camouflage technology.

Huang Feihe at Zhejiang University, Jonathan Sessler of the University of Texas at Austin, and colleagues reported a novel cation recognition mode which mimics the biological allosteric effect and achieves efficient recognition of cations by cationic compounds. This work, published in CCS Chemistry, achieves continuous recognition of anions and cations by synergizing various recognition modes while also utilizing the allosteric effect during the recognition process to explore a new cation recognition mode.

Scientists from Auburn University have proposed a new mechanism to control some of the thinnest electronic memory devices ever made. Their study uncovers how tiny crystals only a few atoms thick may switch between insulating and metallic states, paving the way for low-power memory, flexible electronics, and brain-inspired computers.

Scientists from Auburn University and Colorado State University have shown how artificial intelligence can reveal the hidden rules of one of biology’s strangest phenomena: catch-bonds – molecular interactions that get stronger when pulled. Their findings shed light on how bacteria cling to surfaces, how tissues resist tearing, and how new biomaterials might be designed to harness force instead of breaking under it.