- A new pre-print describes a high-throughput method to rank CRISPR guide-RNAs for activity in Ciona and provides a cloning-free, electroporation-ready protocol that delivers unpurified PCR products directly into embryos for rapid somatic mutagenesis.  
- Two Nature Communications papers were highlighted that map human facial variation to specific loci—DCHS2, RUNX2, GLI3, PAX1, EDAR—and identify additional loci influencing hair traits in admixed Latin American populations, underscoring the polygenic architecture of appearance.  
- A Nature Neuroscience article reports that inner-ear hair cells deploy two molecularly distinct mechanotransduction channels, one of which is the PIEZO2 ion channel, clarifying how mechanical stimuli are converted to neural signals.  
- A bioRxiv pre-print demonstrates a highly parallel strategy for encoding digital information in living cells, with the authors proposing that encrypted pathogen genomes could be safely distributed and carried without expression—prompting channel discussion about potential dual-use risks.  
- A Nature Communications paper couples optogenetic stimulation with NanoLuc-based bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) to monitor calcium dynamics, offering a fluorescence-free alternative for real-time optogenetic readout.  
- Two Nature Nanotechnology articles were shared: one presents direct observation of DNA knots using solid-state nanopores, and the other explores one-dimensional DNA condensation, both advancing single-molecule biophysics techniques.