The newest seven members of the Editorial Board of Journal of Synchrotron Radiation are introduced.

We present HoToPy, a toolbox for X-ray holo-tomography in Python. It offers state-of-the-art phase retrieval methods for synchrotron and laboratory sources as well as tomographic reconstruction and alignment methods.

The BL46XU beamline at SPring-8 has been restructured for hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES), featuring two specialized HAXPES instruments and advanced X-ray optics for high-throughput and ambient-pressure measurements. This article outlines the beamline design, performance and recent scientific achievements enabled by these upgrades.

We investigate the effect of anisotropic absorption of scattered X-rays in X-ray diffraction tomography and show that the detrimental effect on reconstruction is small in the range of absorption coefficients and scattering angles commonly used.

The use of ultra-thin (<2 µm) silicon carbide membranes as in-line beam intensity and position monitors for soft and tender X-ray beamlines is investigated. Experimental results and theoretical simulations highlight the limitations of four-quadrant sensor designs, and alternative solutions for high-resolution and minimally interfering beam monitoring are proposed.

A method for in situ imaging of human-sized animal lungs using the Imaging and Medical Beamline (IMBL) at the Australian Synchrotron is presented.

An automated alignment system for nanofocusing Kirkpatrick–Baez mirrors has been developed at SACLA. A wavefront optimization technique routinely provides nanofocused XFEL beams.

The High Energy Photon Source (HEPS) is the first fourth-generation synchrotron radiation source in China. In this paper, the diagnostic process of the Tender X-ray Beamline (TEX), the first bending magnet beamline of HEPS, and its performance are introduced in detail.

A laser reaction chamber has been developed for in situ/operando X-ray diffraction measurements on the NSLS-II 28-ID-2 beamline, allowing for rapid sample heating under various gas and vacuum conditions. This capability has enabled the tracking of chemical reaction kinetics in polycrystalline iron oxide and a reversible phase transformation in WTe2 with 1 s time resolution, expanding the opportunities for dynamic studies in both bulk and single-crystal materials.

The nonuniform internal structure of a printer-toner particle with an approximate size of 5 µm was visualized at a resolution of 141 nm using cryogenic X-ray diffraction imaging tomography.

Multi-modal measurements combining X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence and optical microscopy allow dynamic crystal recovery effects around martensitic steel crack tips to be studied. The measured strain field around the crack tip shows a significant departure from the predictions of linear elastic fracture mechanics.

PC 12 neuron-like cells were exposed to terahertz (THz) radiation of variable beam incident power intensity from 0.25 to 1.0 W m−2. THz irradiation activated the CaN complex, ribosome biogenesis and DNA damage reparation.

The room-temperature structure of Sr2FeIrO6, a double perovskite with notable magnetic and structural properties, has been debated extensively. Our high-resolution and high-pressure synchrotron-based powder X-ray diffraction findings provide compelling evidence to reconcile these divergent positions, laying groundwork for future research.

The influence of the X-ray step size on radiation damage occurring in serial data collection from a metalloprotein using sheet-on-sheet fixed-target chips was investigated at fourth-generation synchrotron and XFEL beamlines.

We present a compact differential pumping unit with apertures ≥500 µm. It allows windowless operation for in-air sample environments as well as to connect low-quality in-vacuum sample environments to the beamline UHV section. The unit also protects the UHV section from accidental venting. The overall footprint is restricted to 368 mm on the beam axis.

A biomedical X-ray imaging quality characteristic, suitable for quantitative assessment of X-ray images of biological samples, is introduced and then applied to analysis of propagation-based X-ray phase-contrast computed tomography images of mastectomy samples.

We developed compact soft X-ray imaging systems optimized for ultra-high-vacuum environments, achieving micrometer-level spatial resolution with high collection efficiency. Characterization confirmed excellent sensitivity and linearity, with applications demonstrated in caustic measurements and grating interferometry for wavefront analysis.