Scientific community articles from across Nature Portfolio

We reveal considerable heterogeneity in risk factors for healthy aging in Latin America, which underscores the limitations of existing, unharmonized research models for diverse populations. Our results emphasize the urgent need for region-specific studies that describe particular risks for Latin American aging to develop tailored preventive models and interventions.

Maternal exposure to ambient heat during pregnancy has been shown to increase the risk for several adverse birth outcomes. Now research reveals that variations of ambient temperature during pregnancy and childhood could have a long-term impact on a child’s brain development.

PhD programmes in an industrial setting were on the rise in the 1970s, and a reflection on Darwin’s rich accomplishments, in the weekly dip into Nature’s archive.

This PrimeView highlights ways to incorporate cargoes into metal-organic frameworks.

This PrimeView highlights the various real-world applications of origami engineering, ranging from robotics to medical devices, architecture and space technology.

Developing biotechnologies to address society’s challenges requires integrating concepts across disciplines, posing challenges to educating students with diverse expertise. In this Perspective the authors create a framework for synthetic biology training that deconstructs biotechnologies across spatial scales.

The EMDataResource Ligand Model Challenge aimed at assessing the reliability and reproducibility of modeling ligands bound to protein and protein–nucleic acid complexes in cryo-EM maps determined at near-atomic resolution. This analysis presents the results and recommends best practices for assessing cryo-EM structures of liganded macromolecules.

Should one principal investigator have the power to determine postdocs’ careers? Share your thoughts on academia’s dominant funding model in our survey and reader poll.

Past attendees of the Lindau Nobel Laureate meeting describe how the event can benefit early career researchers.

Prioritizing family life has earned me respect in my field — and my research has improved, too, says Dritjon Gruda.

One UK institute has produced a dozen Nobel laureates and biomedical breakthroughs across the board. How does Cambridge’s Laboratory of Molecular Biology do it? Our study found out.

Vishwanath Srikantaiah works to restore India’s historic wells to provide better protection for water resources.

Artificial-intelligence algorithms could identify scientists who need support with translating their work into real-world applications and more. Leaders must step up.