Nature Physics, Published online: 07 January 2026; doi:10.1038/s41567-025-03105-2
Bacterial flagellar motors switch rotation direction with high sensitivity to environmental inputs. A theoretical model explains how torque-dependent non-equilibrium switching contributes to ultrasensitivity.
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- Mechanical origin for non-equilibrium ultrasensitivity in the bacterial flagellar motor
- A non-equilibrium model for ultrasensitive switching in bacterial flagellar motorsNature Physics, Published online: 07 January 2026; doi:10.1038/s41567-025-03125-y Bacterial motors respond to chemical signals with high sensitivity to control cell swimming behaviour. However, the established model that describes how this sensitivity arises is an equilibrium model, which is inconsistent with experimental findings. A model is now proposed in which high sensitivity results from non-equilibrium mechanical interactions within the motor.
- Optical control of orbital magnetism in magic-angle twisted bilayer grapheneNature Physics, Published online: 06 January 2026; doi:10.1038/s41567-025-03117-y Strong correlations and topology have been seen in moiré graphene, but their optical control has not been shown yet. Now, the optical manipulation of orbital magnetism and anomalous Hall effects is demonstrated in magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene.
- Embryo geometry sets the tempoNature Physics, Published online: 05 January 2026; doi:10.1038/s41567-025-03136-9 The geometry of the zebrafish egg is shown to generate a gradient in cell size upon successive cell divisions. This gradient specifies stereotyped patterns of cell-cycle progression, zygotic genome activation and cell-fate specification.
- Geometry-driven asymmetric cell divisions pattern cell cycles and zygotic genome activation in the zebrafish embryoNature Physics, Published online: 05 January 2026; doi:10.1038/s41567-025-03122-1 Many different biochemical and mechanical signals control morphogenesis. Now it is shown that the geometry of the fertilized egg helps orchestrate spatial and temporal patterning during embryogenesis.
- Self-induced superradiant masingNature Physics, Published online: 02 January 2026; doi:10.1038/s41567-025-03123-0 Superradiance is usually driven by light-mediated couplings, leaving the role of direct emitter interactions unclear. Now, it is shown that dipole–dipole interactions in diamond spins drive self-induced pulsed and continuous superradiant masing.
- Two-dimensional non-equilibrium melting of charged colloidsNature Physics, Published online: 02 January 2026; doi:10.1038/s41567-025-03121-2 Non-equilibrium two-dimensional melting is less understood than its equilibrium counterpart. Now it is shown that topologically driven melting in a two-dimensional crystal of charged colloids is the same irrespective of the mechanisms that generate the defects
- Challenges and opportunities in orbitronicsNature Physics, Published online: 31 December 2025; doi:10.1038/s41567-025-03143-w Orbitronics uses the electron’s orbital angular momentum to enable next-generation memory and computing technologies. This Perspective outlines recent advances, key challenges and future directions in this rapidly evolving field.
