The interplay of colours, textures, and form in an abstract art piece is an inherently subjective act of interpretation. We decompose the art (above the diagonal) into its underlying shapes using tools from algebraic topology in order to learn what shapes in the image are attracting viewers’ attention and, thus, interpretation. The processed shapes are shown below the diagonal, where colour reflects their `persistence', which is linked to how strongly they stand out. This analysis revealed hidden organizational principles underlying artistic composition - a previously unrecognized “golden rule” of abstract art, linking topological structure to artistic composition and aesthetic perception. Dmitruk et al. 2026
Image Credit: Emil Dmitruk
Education Articles
Ten simple rules for an effective mentor–mentee writing partnership
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 6, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014250
Ten simple rules for establishing a drug discovery lab in resource-limited settings
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 7, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014249
Teaching artificial intelligence through drug–drug interaction clustering analysis: Integrating project-based learning and large language models
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 13, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014236
Research Articles
Co-morbid biomarkers for sarcopenic obesity associated with gut microbiota metabolites: From burden to treatment
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 4, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014225
Predicting protein cascade expression from H&E images
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 4, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014262
Explainable AI-driven diagnosis model for early glaucoma detection using grey-wolf optimized extreme learning machine approach
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 4, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1013139
Application of machine learning with MALDI-TOF MS for rapid differentiation between methicillin-susceptible and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 5, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1013760
Single-cell data integration across weakly linked modalities
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 5, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014231
Synthetic data enables human-grade microtubule analysis with foundation models for segmentation
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 5, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1013901
Partial domain adaptation enables cross domain cell type annotation between scRNA-seq and snRNA-seq
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 6, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014223
Exploring epidemic control policies using nonlinear programming and mathematical models
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 6, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014238
RNAprecis: Prediction of full-detail RNA conformation from the experimentally best-observed sparse parameters
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 8, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014242
Distilling noise characteristics and prior expectations in multisensory causal inference
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 8, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014251
Limited ‘heft’ of weight-based outcomes in predicting influenza A virus disease severity in ferrets
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 8, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014210
Modeling individual self-protective behavior during epidemics
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 8, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014252
The ecology and evolution of sub-exponential replicators
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 8, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014247
A new Fight-or-Flight Pacemaker Mechanism via Ryanodine Receptor abundance and superclustering
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 11, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014267
Human mobility and outbreak origins in epidemic spread: Insights from agent-based modeling
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 12, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014279
FoMo: A unifying theory of visual foraging
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 12, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014266
The differentiation of myeloid progenitors is effected by cascading waves of coordinated gene expression that remodel cellular physiology in a characteristic sequence
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 12, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014276
Fitness advantage of sequential metabolic strategies emerges from community interactions in strongly fluctuating environments
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 12, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014277
Network structure induced bias in estimates of intrinsic generation times
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 12, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014239
Extremal events dictate population growth rate inference
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 13, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014088
Biomedical open source software: Crucial packages and hidden heroes
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 13, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014260
A multi-frequency whole-brain neural mass model with homeostatic feedback inhibition
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 13, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1013463
Multiplex networks-based directed graph neural network for cancer driver gene identification
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 14, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014275
Art’s hidden topology: A window into human perception
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 14, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014156
Decoupling between activation time and steady-state level in input-output responses
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 15, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014288
Exploring the relationship between vascular remodelling and tumour growth using agent-based modelling
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 15, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1012967
The speed limit of visual perception: Bidirectional influence of image memorability and processing speed on perceived duration and recognition
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 18, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1013448
Dynamic metabolic modeling uncovers systems-level strategies to simultaneously maximize levan yield and substrate efficiency in Bacillus subtilis LY7.16
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 18, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014273
Energy transfer leaves fingerprints in cyanine photoswitching behavior
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 18, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014322
Multiscale modeling of blood circulation with cerebral autoregulation and network pathway analysis for hemodynamic redistribution in the vascular network with anatomical variations and stenosis conditions
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 18, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1013853
A three-dimensional shear dependent continuum model of platelet aggregation under flow
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 18, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014241
BudFinder: A Masked Auto-Encoder vision transformer framework for yeast budding detection and lifespan quantification
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 18, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1013700
Efficient sequential Bayesian inference for state-space epidemic models using ensemble data assimilation
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 18, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014301
Multimodal data integration to determine viral and innate immune kinetics in human airway epithelium
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 20, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014248
Coevolutionary dynamics of viruses and their defective interfering particles
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 20, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014300
PowerNovo2: A generative flow-based approach to non-autoregressive de novo peptide sequencing
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 20, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014298
Dynamics of trachoma infection in West Africa revealed by a hidden state model
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 20, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014313
Dual-channel graph learning reveals similarity and complementarity in protein-protein interaction networks
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 20, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1013941
DENcode: A model for haplotype-informed transmission probability of dengue virus
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 20, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014316
Testing the validity and adequacy of linguistic phylogenetic analyses
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 20, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014312
Trial-level sequence modeling reveals hidden dynamics of dual-task interference
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 20, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014302
LSTM-attention-guided graph neural networks for integrated genotype–Environment modeling in maize yield prediction
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 20, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1013729
Energetic constraints shape the diversity of feasible ecological networks
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 20, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014330
Fast reconstruction of degenerate populations of conductance-based neuron models from spike times
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 21, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014337
Scaffold-Lab: Critical evaluation and ranking of protein backbone generation methods in a unified framework
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 22, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014290
Integrated computational and experimental analysis explores FOLH1 expression patterns across cancers and nominates melatonin as a potential modulator in prostate cancer models
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 22, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014315
Spatial richness of neural magnetic fields
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 22, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014283
A simple model captures key characteristics of biological non-deterministic genotype-phenotype maps
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 22, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014272
Multilabel prediction of virus target proteins via multimodal graph representation learning
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 26, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014320
Evaluating place cell detection methods in Rats and Humans: Implications for cross-species spatial coding
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 26, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1013488
Agent-based modeling demonstrates how target-independent processes supplement killing by antibody-drug conjugates in cancer therapy
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 26, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1013872
Utilizing virus genomic surveillance to predict vaccine effectiveness
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 26, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014329
The role of pragmatic mechanisms in referential communication and categorization: An emergent communication model
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 26, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014326
When one race is not enough: A relay model explains multisensory response times
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 26, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1013320
The interplay between ecological networks drives host-plasmid community dynamics
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 26, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014339
Cooperative molecular interaction networks govern PARP1 inhibitor selectivity and binding affinity
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 26, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014296
Accurate computation of ionic concentrations in the synaptic cleft requires the full Poisson–Nernst–Planck (PNP) equations
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 28, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014341
UNified FramewOrk for reguLatory Dynamics (UNFOLD): Dissecting robustness, plasticity, evolvability and canalisation of biological function
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 28, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014289
Hierarchical recurrent temporal prediction as a model of the mammalian dorsal visual pathway
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 28, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1013138
TIPP-SD: A new method for species detection in microbiomes
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 28, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014347
Fully synthetic replication of complex real biological cell clusters using a novel cluster-based ‘Rosetta-Routine’ computational modelling process
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 29, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014280
A prototype-augmented graph representation learning framework for identifying brain disorder-associated genes and facilitating drug repurposing
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 29, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014323
Structural and dynamic basis of NOD2 tandem CARD association and NOD1/2–RIP2 signaling complexes
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 29, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014311
Correction
Correction: Bayesian network models to assess antimicrobial resistance patterns of Streptococcus suis isolated from swine production systems in the United States between 2014–2021
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 28, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014345
Related Articles
Methods
scHG: A supercell framework with high-order graph learning enables scalable multi-omics analysis
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 6, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1013851
Fast and interpretable quantification of biological shape heterogeneity via stratified Wasserstein kernel
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 7, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014254
scHilda: Hierarchical Integration of LLM with KG database for single cell type annotation
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 11, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014291
Functional group classification using consensus clustering
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 13, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014278
CASPULE: A computational tool to study sticker spacer polymer condensates
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 14, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014282
MIRAGE: Robust multi-modal architectures translate fMRI-to-image models from vision to mental imagery
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 22, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014263
DREAMER-S: Deep leaRning-Enabled Attention-based Multiple-instance approaches with Explainable Representations for Spatial biology
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 26, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1013581
MIAAIM: Multi-omics image integration with dimensional reduction for tissue state mapping
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 26, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014274
BINSEQ: A family of high-performance binary formats for nucleotide sequences
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 28, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014181
Software
VUStruct: A compute pipeline for high throughput and personalized structural biology
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 4, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014183
AIEdit: Alignment-free genome assembly polisher trained on spaced seed match patterns
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 6, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014245
VesiclePy: A machine learning vesicle analysis toolbox for volume electron microscopy
PLOS Computational Biology: published May 14, 2026 | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1013499