Nature, Published online: 14 May 2021; doi:10.1038/d41586-021-01308-0

Scientists race to understand the threat posed by SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.617.

Nature, Published online: 14 May 2021; doi:10.1038/d41586-021-01319-x

Visionary explorer of glasses and the limits of the liquid state.

Nature, Published online: 14 May 2021; doi:10.1038/d41586-021-01300-8

Stem cells carrying corrective genes offer hope for a devastating immune disorder.

Nature, Published online: 14 May 2021; doi:10.1038/d41586-021-01112-w

The first viruses to colonize the infant gut are shown to arise from bacteria, with human-cell viruses colonizing the gut later, at around four months of age. Exclusive and partial breastfeeding were associated with fewer human viruses in the gut of infants compared with formula-feeding alone.

Nature, Published online: 14 May 2021; doi:10.1038/d41586-021-01115-7

In cells that divide symmetrically, a meshwork of actin cables is shown to maintain the uniform distribution of mitochondria around the mitotic spindle. Actin clouds and comet tails are assembled dynamically to shuffle mitochondria locally and ensure the equal and random inheritance of these organelles by the two daughter cells.

Nature, Published online: 14 May 2021; doi:10.1038/d41586-021-01095-8

The first gapless, telomere-to-telomere sequence of a human autosome, chromosome 8, is complete. Sequencing and assembly of the corresponding centromere in the chimpanzee, orangutan and macaque reveals details of its rapid evolution over the past 25 million years.

Nature, Published online: 14 May 2021; doi:10.1038/d41586-021-01260-z

Gunk on ancient teeth yields bacterial DNA, allowing scientists to trace the oral microbiome’s evolution.

Nature, Published online: 14 May 2021; doi:10.1038/d41586-021-01287-2

From Sri Lanka to Nepal, scientists with limited resources are working feverishly to discover which variants are driving outbreaks.

Nature, Published online: 14 May 2021; doi:10.1038/d41586-021-01301-7

The attempted landing of Zhurong could happen imminently, and is the biggest test yet of China’s nascent deep-space exploration capabilities.