Materials that change shape or flow typically rely on external fields, photochemical cues or compositions fixed at assembly. Here we introduce a self-morphing active material whose mechanical behaviour is genetically programmed and executed autonomously. By embedding cell-free gene expression within a dense microtubule network, DNA instructions synthesize molecular motors, cross-linkers and transcription factors that continuously generate and regulate active stresses. This experimental platform enables gene-circuit architectures to directly program active-matter dynamics, producing steady, pulsed, arrested and oscillatory mechanical states from genetically encoded biochemical regulation alone. A coarse-grained reaction-mechanics model quantitatively captures these behaviours and shows how gene-circuit parameters, including expression rates, degradation kinetics and regulatory topology, govern the emergence and temporal evolution of active-matter states. Together, these results establish gene circuits as programmable control layers for active matter, providing a general strategy for engineering genetically encoded mechanochemical materials and autonomous active systems.

Understanding and controlling valley-specific light-matter interactions and non-equilibrium microscopic coupling mechanisms lie at the heart of valleytronics. Due to their strong in-plane anisotropy, which enables polarization-controlled optical transitions to distinct non-degenerate valleys, group-IV monochalcogenides have been recently proposed as promising candidates for next-generation valleytronic materials. However, ultrafast non-equilibrium dynamics following the optical preparation of valley-polarized states have received limited attention in these systems. Here, combining time- and angle-resolved extreme-ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy with time-dependent Boltzmann equation simulations, we investigate ultrafast valley polarization dynamics following polarization-controlled photoexcitation in SnSe. We show that selective excitation to valleys at global conduction minima yields nearly unity and time-independent valley polarization. By contrast, photoexcitation to the other valley channel leads to ultrafast decay and reversal of valley polarization on subpicosecond timescales due to intervalley scattering mediated by strong electron-phonon coupling with an optical phonon mode. Our findings reveal strongly anisotropic and radically different non-equilibrium valley physics than in most common two-dimensional valleytronics materials.

Quasiparticle condensates are among the most striking solid-state manifestations of quantum physics. Coupling macroscopic real-space wavefunctions to additional degrees of freedom, such as the electron spin, would add valuable control knobs for quantum applications. While creating spin-carrying superconducting condensates has attracted enormous attention, condensates of light-matter hybrids known as exciton-polaritons have lacked an analogous spin-based perspective. Here we demonstrate magnetically tunable exciton-polariton condensation in the van der Waals magnet CrSBr. Under photoexcitation, CrSBr microwires embedded in an optical cavity show the hallmarks of polariton condensation. Owing to the strong coupling between the spin order and excitonic correlation, the energy of the condensate can be tuned by up to 10.5 meV by an external magnetic field of 2 T. Our results establish CrSBr microcavities as a powerful platform for exploring magnetic control of polariton condensates and mark an essential step towards spin-controlled coherent quantum light sources.

High-temperature superconductivity in pressurized and thin-film nickelates has generated intense interest, yet magnetism in their ambient-pressure parent phases remains poorly understood, despite its potentially crucial role in pairing. Progress has been limited by the lack of large single crystals suitable for neutron spectroscopy. Here we overcome this limitation and map the spin order and excitations of single-crystalline La3Ni2O7. We find single-stripe magnetic order with a finite spin gap, anisotropic in-plane excitations and pronounced bilayer modulation revealing antiferromagnetic interlayer coupling. The dispersion is captured by a bilayer Heisenberg-type model with strong interlayer exchange and competing in-plane couplings. Absolute normalization reveals that, although the spin-wave bandwidth is only about 25% of that in cuprates, the local dynamic susceptibility at comparable energies is enhanced, yielding a comparable total fluctuating moment. These results highlight intense mid-energy spin excitations rooted in substantial electronic correlations, establishing a magnetic framework distinct from cuprates and relevant to superconductivity in nickelates.

Advances in moiré engineering have revealed new pathways for manipulating lattice distortions and electronic properties in low-dimensional materials via stacking two crystalline layers with a twist angle between them. Here we demonstrate that twisted bilayer stacking can induce dipolar vortices in metallic SrRuO3 membranes, despite the presence of free charge. These vortices are correlated with moiré-periodic flexoelectricity induced by shear strain gradients, and their magnitude depends on both the twist angle and proximity to the interface. In addition, below the ferromagnetic Curie temperature of the films, ferromagnetic order coexists-and appears to compete-with the dipolar order, showing opposite twist-angle dependencies of the respective magnitudes of the two multiferroic order parameters. Density functional theory calculations provide insight into the microscopic origin of these observations. These findings extend the scope of topological polarization design beyond dielectric materials and into metals.

Next-generation artificial vision systems must integrate rapid temporal-contrast detection with dynamic sensory-gain modulation to prioritize task-relevant stimuli. Conventional semiconductor photosensors lack intrinsic mechanisms for spike generation with tunable amplitude, requiring complex multitransistor architectures and limiting efficiency. Here we report an event-driven organic photosensor that integrates temporal-contrast detection and amplitude modulation within a single active layer by coupling ionic and electronic transport in an organic mixed ionic-electronic conductor. In a bulk heterojunction with a non-fullerene acceptor, fast electron extraction generates excitatory photocurrent spikes, whereas ion-compensated hole accumulation in the organic mixed ionic-electronic conductor donor provides voltage-tunable inhibitory control over spike amplitude-functionally analogous to attentional gain modulation in biological vision. This enables in-sensor amplitude-temporal coding, preserving motion-relevant contrast in bias-weighted optical events and reducing redundant read-out. These results establish ionic-electronic coupling in organic mixed ionic-electronic conductors as a materials strategy for adaptive, low-power neuromorphic vision hardware.

Controllable gene delivery to specific tissue by adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) is a challenge in gene therapy. Here we develop masked AAVs, whose transduction is blocked and restored only on pathological activation or by activation triggered by exogenous signals. The masking effect is accomplished by genetic encoding of non-canonical amino acid with tetrazine groups into AAV capsid proteins, allowing efficient reaction with trans-cyclooctene-modified truncated AAV receptor or polyethylene glycol to completely block viral infectivity in mice. With three different cleavable linkers, masking groups are selectively removable through liver-specific protease matriptase-2, near-infrared light or inflammation-associated reactive oxygen species, thus restoring the infectivity of AAVs and allowing localized transduction in mice. Systemic administration of protease-activated masked AAVs enables tissue-specific gene delivery to the liver, while administration of near-infrared-activated masked AAVs provides localized transduction in irradiated regions such as muscles and brain. Intravenous administration of reactive-oxygen-species-activated AAVs achieves targeted gene delivery to the myocardium in a cardiac ischaemia-reperfusion injury model, resulting in the localized expression of VEGF-A165 and myocardial repair.

Directly coupling ionic fluxes to volumetric electronic transduction, organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) emulate ion-based natural signalling mechanisms and blur the boundary between abiotic electronics and living systems. However, uncontrolled water infiltration into mixed ionic-electronic (semi)conductors slows their response and compromises operational stability in physiological environments. Here, inspired by cell membranes, which precisely regulate ion and water transport through a spatially segregated dual architecture, we develop a supramolecular artificial ion-channel material. Comprising hydrogen-bonded crown ether stacks assembled within a fluorinated polymer matrix, the resulting material combines high ionic conductivity with low water permeability. OECTs operating with the ion-channel layer exhibit simultaneously enhanced temporal response and aqueous stability. Our strategy is applicable to p-type and n-type semiconductors and maintains uniform performance in high-density transistor arrays. When implanted in the rat brain, the OECT devices achieve real-time, high-fidelity monitoring of dopamine dynamics in chronic settings. By resolving the long-standing water-instability bottleneck, our approach advances OECTs towards closed-loop adaptive modulation and biohybrid computing.