In this issue, M. Reid et al. review applications of deuterium- and tritium-labeled compounds in the life sciences. How can they be used to identify and understand biological and chemical processes? In a Minireview, S. Chen et al. discuss synthetic genomics from DNA synthesis to genome design.

In the Communications section, M. Etienne et al. present triangles and squares for a unique molecular crystal structure: unsupported two-coordinate lithium cations and CC agostic interactions in cyclopropyllithium derivatives (see picture). N. Umekubo et al. succeeded in the direct asymmetric amine-catalyzed Michael reaction of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes and ketones. B. M. Cossairt et al. describe the templated growth of InP nanocrystals with a polytwistane structure.

• Angewandte Chemie 7/2017: Understanding Life,
  Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2018, 57 (7).