News & Comment

As the electronic performance of organic semiconductors and other emergent materials improves, researchers call for attention in extracting charge mobility values from field-effect transistors.

Mobility is an important charge-transport parameter in organic, inorganic and hybrid semiconductors. We outline some of the common pitfalls of mobility extraction from field-effect transistor (FET) measurements and propose practical recommendations to avoid reporting erroneous mobilities in publications.

As the role of biophysical cues in regulating cell behaviour is increasingly understood, more evidence in the field of bioengineering indicates how such signals can affect cells and tissues.

Biomaterials engineered with specific bioactive ligands, tunable mechanical properties and complex architecture have emerged as powerful tools to probe cell sensing and response to physical properties of their material surroundings, and ultimately provide designer approaches to control cell function.

From a combined effort by theorists, materials scientists and spectroscopists, topology has moved from a purely mathematical idea to the realization of unique properties in several condensed matter systems.

Specialized imaging methods are now available to measure the quantum properties of materials with high sensitivity and resolution. These techniques are key to the design, synthesis and understanding of materials with exotic functionalities.

The idea that science proceeds from 'pure' curiosity to applications is too simplistic — and always has been.

The properties of semiconducting solids are determined by the imperfections they contain. Established physical phenomena can be converted into practical design principles for optimizing defects and doping in a broad range of technology-enabling materials.

Nature Materials is extending editorial policies regarding transparency of reported data in manuscripts from the physical and life sciences.

Researchers and their institutions must play their full part in ensuring that the exciting changes now sweeping France succeed.

Paulo J. M. Monteiro, Sabbie A. Miller and Arpad Horvath provide an overview of the challenges and accomplishments in reducing the environmental burden of concrete production.

By considering the environmental impact of materials through their whole life cycle, materials scientists can help develop more sustainable alternatives.

Xiuyan Li and K. Lu discuss a strategy, alternative to alloying, to tailor the mechanical properties of metals. By engineering defects, metals with bespoke performance might be obtained while reducing the materials' compositional complexity.

Concerns about the planet's health call for a careful evaluation of the environmental impact of materials choices. Life-cycle assessment is a tool that can help identify sustainable materials pathways by considering the burdens of materials both during production and as a product.

Opinion was divided about what the global Marches for Science were about. But it's time to abandon the notion that science should be apolitical.

Convergent efforts of researchers from different fields aim to control spin transport in molecules and develop nanoscale spintronic devices with improved performance or new functionalities.

With the launch of the Quantum Technologies Flagship, the European Union is looking to become a major player in the upcoming quantum revolution, reaping benefits both for technology development and wealth creation for the European society.

Andrew Livingston (Imperial College London) and Richard Baker (Membrane Technology and Research) talk to Nature Materials about the perks and pitfalls of membrane research and development, and how activities at the new Barrer Centre might lead to next-generation separation technologies.

The development of new membrane materials for chemical separations is progressing rapidly, and their commercial success will require a more concerted effort from academia and industry.