Reviews & Analysis

Contractile forces at the surface of cells of early human embryos bring the cells together. When these forces are absent, the embryo will not develop further. ‘Weak’ cells do not produce these forces and cannot contribute to the embryo. These observations should influence clinical choices during assisted reproductive-technology procedures.

Analysis of 70 years of snowfall in the Northern Hemisphere reveals that snow buffers the effect of varying precipitation levels on streamflow. The link highlights the need to rethink water-resource management as snow levels decline.

Primates have rich social lives orchestrated by brain circuits that are still poorly understood, partly because they have not been studied under naturalistic conditions. New wireless technology for recording neuronal activity in freely moving monkeys enabled insights into how neurons track natural social interactions, including reciprocity and social support towards a partner.

The genomes of all eight living species of baobab tree (Adansonia sp.) reveal the group’s origin and diversification history. Ecological analyses were incorporated to characterize the baobabs’ past population dynamics and were used to propose protection measures for these iconic species, including the reassessment of their conservation status and the close monitoring of several of Madagascar’s baobab species.

Innovative solutions are needed to decrease greenhouse-gas emissions. Field trials show that supplementing farm soil with a bacterium that consumes the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide can substantially lower harmful emissions.

Uptake of ammonium ions by marine microorganisms called archaea is a key first step in the conversion of ammonium to nitrogen found in ecosystems. Structural evidence reveals how archaea capture ammonium in an efficient way.

A book on everyday biology that appeals to non-specialists and specialists alike, and a trek through hay fields causes one Nature reader to experience relentless ‘sneezings’, in the weekly dip into Nature’s archive.

Certain neurons encode memories of events that occurred in specific physical locations known as place fields. Chickadees show patterns of neuronal activity that are specific to locations of hidden food but independent of place fields.

Sex-specific organ shape is usually thought to depend on sex chromosomes or hormones. Now it emerges that crosstalk between organs sculpts sex-specific 3D gut shape in flies, identifying a new way to consider organ growth.

Cement can be reused by including it as a component of steel recycling. This opens the way to an industrial partnership that improves the use of materials and lowers carbon emissions — but only if waste resources are well managed.

Neuroscientists find that two distinct neural pathways are responsible for the addictive properties of the opioid fentanyl: one mediates reward, the other promotes the seeking of relief from symptoms of withdrawal.

A phenomenon that affects the magnetic fields of rotating bodies could be involved in recurring changes in the Sun’s behaviour, which are related to a periodic flipping of its field. The proposal is a fresh take on this strange effect.

A simple design approach and predictive computational methods have spawned a pathway for making materials that could trap specific molecules — an ability needed for applications such as carbon capture.

Artificial neural networks that model the visual system of a male fruit fly can accurately predict the insect’s behaviour in response to seeing a potential mate — paving the way for the building of more complex models of brain circuits.

The chemistry of promethium, a rare radioactive element, has been clouded in mystery, owing to its scarcity and the difficulties involved in working with it. The synthesis of a complex of promethium plugs this knowledge gap.

When chromosomes are lost or gained, massive changes in gene expression disrupt the delicate balance of proteins in a cell. Yeasts with incorrect chromosome numbers counteract this by degrading excess proteins.

Long-term memories are thought to be represented by the same brain areas as those that encode sensory stimuli, but the mechanisms remain unclear. A study that recorded neural activity from face-selective regions of the macaque brain found that these regions represent familiar faces using a neural code that is distinct from the one for sensory representation.

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, emphasizes the importance of conserving wild plant species, plus a wonderstruck sky-watcher spots a brilliant meteor, in the weekly dip into Nature’s archive.

Propionic acidaemia is an inheirited metabolic condition caused by a lack of a liver enzyme, which leads to accumulation of toxic compounds. In a first-in-human trial, a therapeutic messenger RNA drug (mRNA-3927) led to restored enzyme activity, was well tolerated and showed a promising dose-dependent reduction of potentially life-threatening clinical events.

A two-in-one drug that modulates neural pathways involved in appetite and reward might prove to be more effective and longer lasting than current weight-loss drugs on the market.