February 24, 2026
The process of peer review is vital to contemporary science, but is also under enormous strain. Carl Bergstrom and Kevin Gross use mathematical models to dissect the threats to the long-term viability of peer review, suggesting paths forward to place peer review on more stable footing.
Image credit: Carl Bergstrom
02/26/2026
Research Article
Microbial derived metabolites are known to influence host physiology. Kenan Zhang, Zihan Luo and co-authors expand the mechanistic understanding of this relationship, by showing that microbial production of indole from bacterial tryptophan catabolism enhances lysosomal acidification and lipase activity in C. elegans and in mammalian hepatocytes.
Image credit: Kenan Zhang
02/25/2026
Research Article
Symbiotic interactions strongly influence host phenotypes, yet their benefits vary with host phylogeny and life history. Robert Ramos, James Bever and colleagues show that plant phylogenetic structure predicts arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal composition but not the mutualistic benefits, while life history influences fungal genetic variation and feedback strength, shaping succession and informing restoration strategies.
Image credit: Joe Morton
02/24/2026
Short Reports
Marsupial pregnancy is short and characterized by a spike in inflammation which has been proposed to represent a maternal immune response to fetal contact that limits gestation. Daniel Stadtmauer and Gunter Wagner show that in short-tail opossums, inflammatory signaling shapes maternal investment vascular development during pregnancy to promote offspring survival.
Image credit: pbio.3003670
02/24/2026
Research Article
Neuromodulatory pathways are involved in threat-processing, but the roles of specific neuropeptides in the human threat response are not clear. Mengfan Han, Benjamin Becker and colleagues characterize in humans the distinct impacts of pharmacological manipulation of two neuropeptide pathways on responses to looming stimuli, with implications for understanding trauma- or anxiety-related disorders.
Image credit: Mengfan Han
02/23/2026
Research Article
Our attentional resources vary rhythmically, which supports shifting of attention between tasks but might also make us more susceptible to distractors. Zach Redding, Ian Fiebelkorn and co-authors show that theta and alpha phases distinctly modulate sensitivity and distractor impact, revealing rhythm-specific mechanisms that shape attention and our susceptibility to distractors.
Image credit: pbio.3003664
02/20/2026
Short Reports
In brood parasitism, prior work predicts a trade-off in the host's error rates between accepting foreign eggs and rejecting their own eggs. Tanmay Dixit, Claire Spottiswoode and co-workers combine comparative field experiments and simulations to reveal advantages when egg trait distributions are categorical, rather than continuous, with implications for other types of co-evolutionary arms races.
Image credit: Tanmay Dixit
02/26/2026
Editorial
PLOS Biology routinely asks authors to openly share their research code before publication. In this Editorial, we explain how we are formalizing this practice with a mandatory code sharing policy and clarify what we talk about when we talk about code.
Image credit: Wikimedia Commons user Slashme
02/23/2026
Perspective
Could sleep engineering be developed to provide a drug-free, non-invasive avenue to treat depression and post-traumatic stress disorder? This Perspective proposes using machine learning with EEG signals to develop and optimize this type of intervention.
Image credit: journal.pbio.3003633
02/13/2026
Perspective
Current therapies for neurodegenerative diseases largely manage symptoms. This Perspective highlights emerging evidence that vaccines and antivirals may lower dementia risk by targeting viral triggers.
Image credit: pbio.3003669
02/11/2026
Perspective
Methodological improvements should, in theory, mean more robust evidence and inference. However, these methods are often subsequently used in the pursuit of publication for its own sake. Can we break this cycle?
Image credit: unknown via Wikimedia Commons
This PLOS Biology collection aims to shine a light on the many facets of immunometabolism, highlighting how molecular and cellular mechanisms impact diverse tissue and organismal functions and the exciting potential for leveraging immunometabolism for therapeutic interventions.
Recent technological advancements in omics have unveiled the mechanisms governing tumor progression across spatial and temporal scales. This collection reveals the complexities of the crosstalk between cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment.
Neurotechnology offers unprecedented opportunities to treat neural disorders, restore brain function and enhance cognitive abilities. This collection explores the present and possible futures of neurotechnology to improve human health and cognition.
Translating conservation and biodiversity research from the field into the real world is a complex problem. This collection discusses issues around economics, policy, and how to do research that answers questions that decision makers have.
Symbiosis research has become a holistic and pervasive field with a mature theoretical basis. This collection showcases symbiotic relationships across the tree of life, exploring their evolutionary basis and underlying mechanisms.
March 10 - 13
Meet Editor in Chief Nonia Pariente (npariente@plos.org)
March 11 - 13
Meet Magazine section Senior Editor Joanna Clarke (jclarke@plos.org).
March 16 - 17
(Attended remotely) Contact Magazine section Senior Editor Joanna Clarke (jclarke@plos.org)
March 22 - 25
Meet Senior Editor Ines Alvarez-Garcia (ialvarez-garcia@plos.org)
May 5 - 7
Meet Editor in Chief Nonia Pariente (npariente@plos.org)