Nature Materials is a monthly multi-disciplinary journal aimed at bringing together cutting-edge research across the entire spectrum of materials science and engineering. Materials research is a diverse and fast-growing discipline, which has moved from a largely applied, engineering focus to a position where it has an increasing impact on other classical disciplines such as physics, chemistry and biology. Nature Materials covers all applied and fundamental aspects of the synthesis/processing, structure/composition, properties and performance of materials, where "materials" are identified as substances in the condensed states (liquid, solid, colloidal) designed or manipulated for technological ends. Nature Materials provides a forum for the development of a common identity among materials scientists while encouraging researchers to cross established subdisciplinary divides. To achieve this, and strengthen the cohesion of the community, the journal takes an interdisciplinary, integrated and balanced approach to all areas of materials research while fostering the exchange of ideas between scientists involved in the different disciplines. Nature Materials is an invaluable resource for all scientists, in both academia and industry, who are active in the process of discovering and developing materials and materials-related concepts. Nature Materials offers an engaging, informative and accessible product including papers of exceptional significance and quality in a discipline which promises to have great influence on the development of society in years to come.