By mining large-population genetic data sets, researchers identify the key factors controlling menopause timing, and reveal a close connection between reproductive longevity, cancer risk and new mutations in children.

Parasitoid wasps, which have larvae that grow in or on other organisms and eventually kill their hosts, are widely recognized for their vast biodiversity and fascinating ecology. Syntretus perlmani, an unusual parasitoid wasp capable of attacking adult flies, has been found to infect the fruit fly Drosophila.

By analysing the ancient genomes of individuals from Rapa Nui, researchers have overturned a contentious theory that the remote Pacific island experienced a self-inflicted population collapse before European colonization.

Boosting the heart’s natural countermeasures against poor function is one way to treat heart failure, but existing therapies need to be given frequently. An antibody with enduring effects could offer a solution.