Cover Feature in Science (February 2026)

Our research was published in Science in February 2026 and selected as the cover article, highlighting its significance in advancing our understanding of atmospheric particle formation under heatwave conditions.

COVER: Homogeneous particle formation from gaseous precursors traditionally has been
thought to be less favorable at high temperatures. By probing the compositions of
atmospheric aerosols down to 3 nanometers during a heat wave, researchers discovered
an essential role of carboxylic acids in new particle formation. This illustration depicts their
spontaneous self-assembly into supramolecular nanoparticles—a phenomenon that could
become more prevalent under a warming climate. See page 685.

Illustration: C. Bickel/Science; Data: R. Zhang et al., Science 391, eady5192 (2026).

Full article and list of author affiliations: Detecting supramolecular organic nanoparticles during heat wave | Science