PNAS Nexus
banner
pnasnexus.org
PNAS Nexus
@pnasnexus.org
Discover groundbreaking news and research from PNAS Nexus, the sibling journal to @pnas.org - both official journals of the National Academy of Sciences. Visit www.pnasnexus.org for more information.
Pinned
2025 Issue 10 of PNAS Nexus is now available! Discover insights on topics such as how ribonucleoprotein (RNP) condensates modulate survival under Mars-like stress conditions, the role of frustrations in cell reprogramming, and more. Explore now: https://ow.ly/QHnR50XnNNf
In an editorial, PNAS Nexus Editor-in-Chief Yannis C. Yortsos looks back at the journal’s first few years and considers the aptness of W. Brian Arthur’s 2009 definition of technology: “leveraging phenomena for useful purposes.” In PNAS Nexus: https://ow.ly/tzkR50Xr3n3
November 13, 2025 at 8:01 PM
In this week’s Advanced Articles: We explore a novel method for evaluating and visualizing scratch wound healing assays using level-set and image sector analysis, examine indirect costs and scientific impact at NIMH, and more. Explore now: https://ow.ly/aeST50Xr3jO
November 13, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Previous studies suggested that emotional expressions related to morality (e.g., “hate” or “disgust”) increase the diffusion of political messages. A pre-registered direct replication and meta-analysis confirms this “moral contagion” effect. In PNAS Nexus: https://ow.ly/CPpx50Xq2G7
November 11, 2025 at 8:01 PM
One of the most-viewed PNAS Nexus articles in the last week is “Crowding-out effects of opt-out defaults: Evidence from organ donation policies.” Explore the article here: https://ow.ly/vhww50Xq1pW

To learn more about submitting your own research, visit PNAS Nexus at https://ow.ly/YsS050Xq1pY.
November 11, 2025 at 6:01 PM
The triangle weaver spider has a spring-loaded web, which it holds taut with its body until prey lands. The spider’s genome has an expanded set of MaSp2 genes that encode silk proteins with high concentrations of the amino acid proline. In PNAS Nexus: https://ow.ly/8B7K50Xpuq0
November 10, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Microscopic physics meets macroscopic thermodynamics—no simulations needed. Coiled-coil proteins & DNA reveal the first analytical equations for phase-changing systems.

In Science X / Phys.org: https://ow.ly/EOp450Xpuhk

In PNAS Nexus: https://ow.ly/U1Gy50Xpue6
November 10, 2025 at 6:01 PM
How do #networks connect people, cities & technology? 🌐

Explore the Human, Urban & Technological Networks Collection in PNAS Nexus—research across #biology, #engineering & #socialsciences revealing how #connectivity shapes our world: https://ow.ly/bJHq50XoqKG

#Science #Research
November 8, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Personalized, fact-based dialogues with an AI chatbot can help people set aside conspiratorial beliefs, according to a study of almost 1,000 people who held a variety of false beliefs. In PNAS Nexus: https://ow.ly/jxw250XotEc
November 7, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Never miss a discovery.

Get the latest open access research from PNAS Nexus. Sign up for email alerts and get notified as new articles publish: https://ow.ly/Ft7G50XopF5
November 7, 2025 at 6:01 PM
A mega-analysis of MRI studies looks at the brains of people being persuaded by public health, political, and marketing messages. Effective messages engaged brain regions related to personal rewards and to understanding other people’s minds. In PNAS Nexus: https://ow.ly/CgYv50XnNRK
November 6, 2025 at 8:01 PM
2025 Issue 10 of PNAS Nexus is now available! Discover insights on topics such as how ribonucleoprotein (RNP) condensates modulate survival under Mars-like stress conditions, the role of frustrations in cell reprogramming, and more. Explore now: https://ow.ly/QHnR50XnNNf
November 6, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Asking people to opt-out of postmortem organ donation, rather than opt-in, can increase the supply of organs from deceased donors. But it can also decrease the supply from living donors, as people assume the organ supply is sufficiently met. In PNAS Nexus: https://ow.ly/ASpk50XmJRZ
November 4, 2025 at 9:01 PM
A trending PNAS Nexus articles in the last week is “Acetylation of lysine 49 on Ctnnb1 drives naïve pluripotency in murine stem cells by modulating Nanog function.” Explore the article here: https://ow.ly/KWq750XmJvC

To submit your own research, visit PNAS Nexus at https://ow.ly/zJke50XmJsc.
November 4, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Glial cells vary across brain regions and grow disproportionately with brain size, following a ¼ power law—highlighting their key role alongside neurons. 🧠

In Medical Xpress - medical research advances and health news: https://ow.ly/Wbsf50XlLBu

In PNAS Nexus: https://ow.ly/gJ8f50XlKZ5
November 3, 2025 at 10:00 PM
A study shows that AI Chatbot summaries produce shallower knowledge than traditional web search. LLMs are thus potentially less useful than web search if the goal is to develop procedural knowledge—an understanding of how to do things. In PNAS Nexus: https://ow.ly/PrZL50XlMav
November 3, 2025 at 8:00 PM
In this week’s Advanced Articles: We explore how Post-January 6 deplatforming shows long-term effects on ideological polarization among Twitter users, investigate reservoir computing with wine beads, and more. In PNAS Nexus: https://ow.ly/zrua50XlJfO
November 3, 2025 at 6:01 PM
Shape the future of scientific understanding—publish a Review in PNAS Nexus, the National Academy of Sciences’ open access journal. Bridge disciplines and help guide the next wave of research and innovation. Submit your Review today: https://ow.ly/k11q50XkYIj
November 1, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Algorithms that target influencers can help spread messages efficiently, but the distribution of information can be unfair, leaving vulnerable people uninformed. Researchers propose an algorithm that maximizes reach and information equity. In PNAS Nexus: https://ow.ly/a8mP50XkX2n
October 31, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Nominations for the 2025 Cozzarelli Prize are now open! Each year, six outstanding PNAS articles are honored for their notable advances in their fields. Submit a nomination today: https://ow.ly/a7cJ50XkWR4
October 31, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Baker’s yeast endured Mars-like shock waves and perchlorates by forming RNA–protein “P-bodies.” Mutants lacking them grew poorly, linking this stress response to survival.

In Astrobiology: https://ow.ly/OcoF50XiqY0

In PNAS Nexus: https://ow.ly/Sb0b50XiqMv
October 27, 2025 at 9:00 PM
A study of 295 adults given a cardiovascular diagnosis finds that those with social support, access to green space, and high functional connectivity in their brains' frontoparietal networks were more likely to increase their level of exercise. In PNAS Nexus: https://ow.ly/3YIR50XipyG
October 27, 2025 at 7:01 PM
In this week’s Advanced Articles: We explore the conservation of glial density and cell-type ratios within brain regions across mammals, examine the human and social impacts of climate overshoot, and more. Explore now: https://ow.ly/VPya50XioYV
October 27, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Who people spend time with in physical space is more predictive of voting behavior than who they connect with online, according to a study. The study uses real-world colocation data derived from the Facebook app’s location services feature. In PNAS Nexus: https://ow.ly/PBTe50XhFcC
October 24, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Submit your Registered Report to PNAS Nexus. Registered Reports are a form of empirical article where methods and analyses are peer-reviewed before research begins. This preregistration reduces bias and strengthens transparency in study design.

Begin your submission: https://ow.ly/Wip950XhCHp
October 24, 2025 at 5:01 PM
For several months in 1949, candy was banned in the UK due to wartime sugar shortages. A study finds that people who were in utero during that window were, on average, 0.25 kg heavier as adults than people with more prenatal sugar exposure. In PNAS Nexus: https://ow.ly/4Jo850Xgiwy
October 22, 2025 at 7:00 PM