Daily briefing: How humans arrived and survived on the roof of the world

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How humans settled the roof of the world

Modern inhabitants of the Tibetan Plateau are descendants of people who have lived there for 5,000 years. In the biggest study of its kind, researchers sequenced ancient genomes from the remains of 89 individuals unearthed from 29 archaeological sites. The genomes suggest that Tibet’s first settlers arrived from the east — in contrast to the rest of South and Central Asia. And researchers saw the increasing prevalence of a variant of the EPAS1 gene that allows people to thrive at high altitudes.

Nature | 4 min read

Reference: Science Advances paper

US will tackle ‘forever chemicals’ in water

The US Environmental Protection Agency has proposed the first limitations on a set of pervasive and dangerous ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water. Perfluorinated and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (better known as PFAS) have strong carbon–fluorine bonds, so they are difficult to destroy, and have become widely dispersed in the environment. “This is a huge deal, in terms of protecting public health, but also in terms of what it’s going to take to accomplish,” says environmental engineer Michelle Crimi.

Nature | 5 min read

US report calls for anti-bias measures

The US science sector must adopt practices that foster a safe and inclusive community, finds a report from the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The report outlines how institutions can make widespread changes to reap the benefits of diverse workforces. “The converging data from surveys and experiments and observations tells us that you can’t fix it by fixing individuals,” says psychologist Susan Fiske, co-chair of the committee behind the report.

Nature | 7 min read

Reference: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report

Features & opinion

Inside a journal’s quest to upend publishing

Last October, the non-profit open-access journal eLife announced that it would publish all papers that it sends for peer review, along with the reviewers’ reports. It was “relinquishing the traditional journal role of gatekeeper”, wrote editor-in-chief Michael Eisen. Some scientists saw it as a long-overdue move to empower authors. Others, including some of eLife’s academic editors, worried it would harm the journal’s reputation. Some are pushing for Eisen to be ousted. The row highlights disagreements among researchers about the function of journals and peer review — and, potentially, about the future of science publishing.

Nature | 9 min read

Paul Berg, a recombinant DNA pioneer

Biochemist Paul Berg was the first researcher to incorporate DNA from one species into the genetic material of another — ultimately inventing one of the most powerful tools in modern biology. He received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1980 for recombinant DNA technology. He is also remembered for addressing anxieties about the possible risks of the technology and leading the development of a consensus on responsible use of it. Berg has died aged 96.

Nature | 5 min read

What is Tesla’s mystery magnet?

Electric-car maker Tesla says that its next motor will not use any rare-earth metals, which are expensive, difficult to extract and fraught with environmental and ethical concerns. Scientists are not convinced. “I’m not sure it’s possible to use only rare-earth-free materials to make a powerful and efficient motor,” says physicist Alena Vishina. Dig into the physics of superstrong magnets to find out why it’s so hard to quit rare earths.

IEEE Spectrum | 5 min read

Where I work

Luis Fonseca works in an ultra-clean room on ultra-small chips. “We use yellow light in here because the fabrication process is sensitive to the ultraviolet light in standard lighting,” he says. “We have developed a way to make chips tiny enough to enter living cells.” (Nature | 3 min read)