●The double helix: a tail of two puckers. Rich, A. Nature Structural Biology April (2003) A History article in which Alexander Rich — who has spent many years studying Z-DNA — discusses the molecular peculiarities of nucleic acid helices.

●Viral vectors for gene delivery to the nervous system. Davidson, B. L. & Breakefield, X. O. Nature Reviews Neuroscience May (2003) A Review article that forms part of the special issue on neurological disease.

●DNA and the meaning of life. Mower, S.

●Was there life before 1953? Crow, J. F.

●Just before Watson and Crick. Slobodkin, L. B. Nature Genetics April (2003) Three Commentary articles that commemorate the 50th anniversary of the double helix paper.

●Is there a future for 'speculative' gene patents in Europe? Crease, D. J. & Schlich, G. W. Nature Reviews Drug Discovery May (2003) A Perspective article in which the authors review the recent state of the law that governs gene patents in Europe, to determine how it affects the patenting of scientific innovations in general.

●Chromosomal translocation products engender new intracellular therapeutic technologies. Rabbits, T. H. & Stocks, M. R. Nature Medicine April (2003) Chromosomal translocations are common in many types of tumour. The authors of this Commentary article suggest that the protein fusions that these translocations give rise to might be a target for tumour therapies.

●Of mice and mental illness.Nature Neuroscience April (2003) This Editorial discusses the ways in which the problem of interpreting mouse phenotypes that are used as models of mental illness can be circumvented.

●Time will tell. Kemp, M. Nature 27 March (2003) A Science in Culture piece, in which the author discusses how DNA has become the symbol of hopes and fears as a result of 'the genetic revolution'.

●A clinician's plea. Hall, J. G. Nature Genetics April (2003) A call for the better clinical description of patients with genetic disorders, to enable the detection of human mutations to be of true value in the clinic. The author of this News and Views article suggests the minimum information that should be provided in each study.