2020-03-27

封面图展示的是新型冠状病毒（图中蓝色部分）接近一个人体细胞（淡粉色）的情形。病毒突刺蛋白（灰色）与受体（ACE2，深粉色）在细胞表面结合。这就使得新型冠状病毒能够感染人类细胞，新型冠状病毒是造成COVID-19大流行的罪魁祸首。通过阐明病毒突刺蛋白、全部ACE2，以及ACE2与新型冠状病毒受体结合域复合物的结构，为开发抗病毒药物和疫苗提供了结构基础。

The novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2; blue) approaches a human cell (pale pink). The viral spike protein (gray) binds to a receptor (ACE2; dark pink) on the cell surface. This allows SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, to infect human cells. The structures of the viral spike protein, the full-length ACE2, and the complex of ACE2 with the receptor binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 have been elucidated, providing structural basis for development of antiviral drugs and vaccines.

2020-04-03

封面图描绘的是铂纳米晶体溶液中一些精选的三维原子结构。通过重建单个旋转纳米晶体的透射电子显微镜图像生成三维密度图谱。由此产生的原子结构反映了单批合成受配体保护的纳米晶体其内在结构的异质性。

A selection of three-dimensional (3D) atomic structures of platinum nanocrystals in solution. Transmission electron microscopy images of individual rotating nanocrystals were reconstructed to generate the 3D density maps. The resultant atomic structures represent the intrinsic structural heterogeneity of ligand-protected nanocrystals synthesized in a single batch.

2020-04-10

封面图上展示的是通过艺术手法表现的图像，内容是关于在一个二维导体中运行的任意子对撞机。当在分束器上碰撞时（图正中位置），费密子（灰色）总是在两个不同的输出中离开，玻色子（黄色）总是在同一个输出中聚集在一起。任意子（橙色）表现出一种中间行为，这表明它们的部分统计数据处于玻色子和费密子之间。

Artist's impression of an anyon collider implemented in a two-dimensional conductor. When colliding on the beamsplitter (at center), fermions (gray) always exit in two different outputs whereas bosons (yellow) always bunch together in the same output. Anyons (orange) display an intermediate behavior, revealing that their fractional statistics interpolate between those of bosons and fermions.

2020-04-17

与干旱相关的饥荒可能会造成重大损失。2011年，干旱加剧了因暴力冲突而逃离索马里的约43万难民的困境。封面图上拍摄的是索马里难民在肯尼亚达达布附近的难民营寻求援助。科学家正在使用新的监测工具识别有饥荒风险的地区，并试图在为时已晚之前帮助人们避免陷入饥饿的境地。

Famines related to droughts can take a heavy toll. In 2011, dry conditions exacerbated hardships for some 430,000 refugees fleeing violence in Somalia. Here, Somali refugees seek aid in a camp near Dadaab, Kenya. Scientists are using new monitoring tools to identify regions at risk of famine and help ward off hunger before it is too late.

（陶 陶　编译）■