Nature PhysicsPub Date : 2025-08-06DOI: 10.1038/s41567-025-02963-0
Adina Luican-Mayer
{"title":"Twisted topology visualized in real space","authors":"Adina Luican-Mayer","doi":"10.1038/s41567-025-02963-0","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41567-025-02963-0","url":null,"abstract":"Microscopic details of the interplay between correlated electron states and topology are visualized in twisted transition metal dichalcogenide bilayers using scanning tunnelling microscopy and spectroscopy.","PeriodicalId":19100,"journal":{"name":"Nature Physics","volume":"21 8","pages":"1179-1180"},"PeriodicalIF":18.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144786836","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nature PhysicsPub Date : 2025-08-04DOI: 10.1038/s41567-025-02957-y
Marine Le Blay, Joshua H. K. Saldi, Alexandre Morin
{"title":"Control of collective activity to crystallize an oscillator gas","authors":"Marine Le Blay, Joshua H. K. Saldi, Alexandre Morin","doi":"10.1038/s41567-025-02957-y","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41567-025-02957-y","url":null,"abstract":"Motility-induced phase separation occurs in assemblies of self-propelled units when activity is coupled negatively to density. By contrast, the consequences of a positive coupling between density and activity on the collective behaviour of active matter remain unexplored. Here we show that collective activity can emerge from such a positive coupling among non-motile building blocks. We perform experiments with self-sustained oscillators powered by contact-charge electrophoresis. Although the oscillators are non-motile by design, they spontaneously form an active gas when confined together. The super-elastic nature of collisions constitutes a positive density–activity coupling and underlies the active gas properties. Elucidating the origin of binary collisions allows us to precisely control the structure of the active gas and its eventual crystallization. Beyond considering the overlooked positive coupling between density and activity, our work suggests that rich collective properties can emerge not only from the symmetry of interactions between active building blocks but also from their adaptable and responsive behaviour. In active matter systems, increasing density usually reduces activity. Now, in a system where density enhances activity, collective motion is shown to arise from non-motile oscillators when they are confined.","PeriodicalId":19100,"journal":{"name":"Nature Physics","volume":"21 9","pages":"1412-1419"},"PeriodicalIF":18.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144770002","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nature PhysicsPub Date : 2025-08-04DOI: 10.1038/s41567-025-03013-5
Ti Xie, Jierui Liang, Dhritiman Bhattacharya, Hasitha Suriya Arachchige, Victor M. Yakovenko, David G. Mandrus, Zi Qiang Qiu, Kai Liu, Cheng Gong
{"title":"Author Correction: High-efficiency optical training of itinerant two-dimensional magnets","authors":"Ti Xie, Jierui Liang, Dhritiman Bhattacharya, Hasitha Suriya Arachchige, Victor M. Yakovenko, David G. Mandrus, Zi Qiang Qiu, Kai Liu, Cheng Gong","doi":"10.1038/s41567-025-03013-5","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41567-025-03013-5","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":19100,"journal":{"name":"Nature Physics","volume":"21 9","pages":"1497-1497"},"PeriodicalIF":18.4,"publicationDate":"2025-08-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41567-025-03013-5.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144778637","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nature PhysicsPub Date : 2025-07-28DOI: 10.1038/s41567-025-02965-y
Matthew E. Black, Chenyi Fei, Ricard Alert, Ned S. Wingreen, Joshua W. Shaevitz
{"title":"Capillary interactions drive the self-organization of bacterial colonies","authors":"Matthew E. Black, Chenyi Fei, Ricard Alert, Ned S. Wingreen, Joshua W. Shaevitz","doi":"10.1038/s41567-025-02965-y","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41567-025-02965-y","url":null,"abstract":"Many bacteria inhabit thin water layers on solid surfaces. These thin films occur both naturally—in soils, on hosts and on textiles—and in the laboratory on agar hydrogels. In these environments, cells experience capillary forces, but it is unclear how these forces shape bacterial collective behaviour. Here we show that the water menisci formed around bacteria lead to capillary attraction between cells while still allowing them to slide past one another. We develop an experimental apparatus that allows us to control bacterial collective behaviour by varying the strength and range of capillary forces. Combining three-dimensional imaging and cell tracking with agent-based modelling, we demonstrate that capillary attraction organizes rod-shaped bacteria into densely packed nematic groups and influences their collective dynamics and morphologies. Our results suggest that capillary forces may be a ubiquitous physical ingredient in shaping microbial communities in partially hydrated environments. Bacteria tend to live in thin layers of water on surfaces. Now the capillary forces in these layers are shown to help organize the bacteria into dense packs.","PeriodicalId":19100,"journal":{"name":"Nature Physics","volume":"21 9","pages":"1444-1450"},"PeriodicalIF":18.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144715337","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nature PhysicsPub Date : 2025-07-28DOI: 10.1038/s41567-025-02944-3
Linda Mauron, Zakari Denis, Jannes Nys, Giuseppe Carleo
{"title":"Predicting topological entanglement entropy in a Rydberg analogue simulator","authors":"Linda Mauron, Zakari Denis, Jannes Nys, Giuseppe Carleo","doi":"10.1038/s41567-025-02944-3","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41567-025-02944-3","url":null,"abstract":"Predicting the dynamical properties of topological matter is a challenging task, not only in theoretical and experimental settings, but also computationally. Numerical studies are often constrained to studying simplified models and lattices. Here we propose a time-dependent correlated ansatz for the dynamical preparation of a quantum-spin-liquid state on a Rydberg atom simulator. Together with a time-dependent variational Monte Carlo technique, we can faithfully represent the state of the system throughout the entire dynamical preparation protocol. We are able to match not only the physically correct form of the Rydberg atom Hamiltonian but also the relevant lattice topology at system sizes that exceed current experimental capabilities. This approach gives access to global quantities such as the topological entanglement entropy, providing insight into the topological properties of the system. Our results confirm the topological properties of the state during the dynamical preparation protocol, and deepen our understanding of topological entanglement dynamics. We show that, while the simulated state exhibits local properties resembling those of a resonating-valence-bond state, in agreement with experimental observations, it lacks the latter’s characteristic topological entanglement entropy signature irrespective of the degree of adiabaticity of the protocol. A numerical approach capable of simulating large-scale Rydberg atom quantum systems suggests that protocols for preparing topological states can produce experimental signatures of these states without reaching a topological phase.","PeriodicalId":19100,"journal":{"name":"Nature Physics","volume":"21 8","pages":"1332-1337"},"PeriodicalIF":18.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41567-025-02944-3.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144715338","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nature PhysicsPub Date : 2025-07-18DOI: 10.1038/s41567-025-02985-8
Didier Poilblanc
{"title":"A model spin liquid","authors":"Didier Poilblanc","doi":"10.1038/s41567-025-02985-8","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41567-025-02985-8","url":null,"abstract":"It is thought that a resonating valence bond state can form in certain correlated systems. However, this behaviour is predicted by only a few realistic models. Now it has been shown that this phase emerges in an experimentally relevant model.","PeriodicalId":19100,"journal":{"name":"Nature Physics","volume":"21 8","pages":"1177-1178"},"PeriodicalIF":18.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144652516","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nature PhysicsPub Date : 2025-07-18DOI: 10.1038/s41567-025-02964-z
Ping Liu, Qiuyu Wang, Xin Dai, Lingxuan Pei, Junfan Wang, Weiyi Zhao, Heath E. Johnson, Mingxi Yao, Artem K. Efremov
{"title":"Elastic properties of force-transmitting linkages determine multistable mechanosensitive behaviour of cell adhesion","authors":"Ping Liu, Qiuyu Wang, Xin Dai, Lingxuan Pei, Junfan Wang, Weiyi Zhao, Heath E. Johnson, Mingxi Yao, Artem K. Efremov","doi":"10.1038/s41567-025-02964-z","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41567-025-02964-z","url":null,"abstract":"Cells can sense and respond to their environment. Central to this process is the formation of molecular clutches, which are dynamic linkages between the extracellular matrix and the actin cytoskeleton mediated by integrins and adaptor proteins. Although it is well known that force-dependent interactions between molecular-clutch components are essential for sensing substrate rigidity, the influence of nonlinear adaptor-protein elasticity is poorly understood. Here we show that adaptor-protein elasticity and local interactions between molecular clutches and the extracellular matrix are key to cellular perception of substrate stiffness. We present a semi-analytical theory that integrates experimentally measured force responses of adaptor proteins to describe cell-adhesion sensing. We propose that molecular clutches probe local mechanical substrate properties and collectively function as a differential that allows a retrograde actin flow and substrate movement to occur at different rates while maintaining a stable mechanical coupling between them. Our model reproduces experimentally measured force-loading rates of individual molecular clutches and correctly predicts cell-adhesion behaviour for a range of substrate stiffnesses. The framework presented can be extended to study complex phenomena such as focal-adhesion maturation and cell-type-specific mechanosensing. The cytoskeleton and extracellular matrix are linked by molecular clutches that enable cells to sense their environment. Now it is shown that the elastic properties of the clutches underpin stiffness sensing.","PeriodicalId":19100,"journal":{"name":"Nature Physics","volume":"21 9","pages":"1431-1443"},"PeriodicalIF":18.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41567-025-02964-z.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144652565","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nature PhysicsPub Date : 2025-07-14DOI: 10.1038/s41567-025-02945-2
Qi Zhao, You Zhou, Andrew M. Childs
{"title":"Entanglement accelerates quantum simulation","authors":"Qi Zhao, You Zhou, Andrew M. Childs","doi":"10.1038/s41567-025-02945-2","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41567-025-02945-2","url":null,"abstract":"Quantum entanglement is an essential feature of many-body systems that impacts both quantum information processing and fundamental physics. Classical simulation methods can efficiently simulate many-body states with low entanglement, but struggle as the degree of entanglement grows. Here we investigate the relationship between quantum entanglement and quantum simulation, and show that product formula approximations for simulating many-body systems can perform better for entangled systems. We establish an upper bound for algorithmic error in terms of entanglement entropy that is tighter than previous results, and develop an adaptive simulation algorithm that incorporates measurement gadgets to estimate the algorithmic error. This shows that entanglement is not only an obstacle to classical simulation, but also a feature that can accelerate quantum algorithms. Large quantum systems with high entanglement are difficult to simulate with classical methods, but now it is shown that entanglement may be beneficial for quantum simulations.","PeriodicalId":19100,"journal":{"name":"Nature Physics","volume":"21 8","pages":"1338-1345"},"PeriodicalIF":18.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144622469","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nature PhysicsPub Date : 2025-07-14DOI: 10.1038/s41567-025-02955-0
Juris Meija
{"title":"Elusive isotope ratios","authors":"Juris Meija","doi":"10.1038/s41567-025-02955-0","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41567-025-02955-0","url":null,"abstract":"Unresolved discrepancies between isotope ratio measurements are not uncommon and have even slowed down the revision of the International System of Units, explains Juris Meija.","PeriodicalId":19100,"journal":{"name":"Nature Physics","volume":"21 7","pages":"1170-1170"},"PeriodicalIF":18.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144629529","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Nature PhysicsPub Date : 2025-07-14DOI: 10.1038/s41567-025-02981-y
{"title":"Take a tour of telescopes or tokamaks","authors":"","doi":"10.1038/s41567-025-02981-y","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41567-025-02981-y","url":null,"abstract":"It’s never too early to plan for a regular dose of physics during your vacation. If you are looking for inspiration, we have some hidden physics gems for you.","PeriodicalId":19100,"journal":{"name":"Nature Physics","volume":"21 7","pages":"1029-1029"},"PeriodicalIF":18.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.comhttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41567-025-02981-y.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144629530","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"物理与天体物理","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}