Review, News & Views, Perspectives, Hypotheses and Analyses in 2001

Air-filled tyres keep the economy rolling but their lifespan is reduced by oxygen, which oxidizes the rubber making it more vulnerable to surface wear. A solution could be to fill them with carbon dioxide.

Some muscle fibres in the legs of horses seem to be evolutionary leftovers with no function. But in fact they may act to damp damaging vibrations generated in the leg as the horse runs.

Sugars are common components of organisms on Earth. So their discovery in a meteorite from a lifeless part of the asteroid belt has implications for theories of the origin of life.

The best-preserved large impact crater on Earth is overlain by a kilometre of sediment. It is possible to look not only through that wrapping but also beyond, at the effects of the impact at the crust–mantle boundary.

To switch on the right genes at the right times, our cells rely on many different proteins. Some help to remodel the architecture of the genome, and are remarkably choosy about which other proteins they work with.

If gamma-ray bursts released their energy uniformly in all directions they would be the most powerful events in the Universe. Astronomers are trying to see past the glare to determine the true energy.

Working out the draft sequence of the human genome was a landmark achievement. But there's lots more to be done before the finished product is available. The complete sequence of chromosome 20 sets us on the way.

The human eye slides around a visual scene, making several jumps per second in the process. Daedalus wants to take advantage of these 'saccades' to develop computer-transmitted videos that need fewer frames per second.

To modify a specific site on a molecule that has several similar sites, organic chemists have had to use cumbersome 'protecting groups'. New peptide catalysts with remarkable selectivities offer a protection-free alternative.

An innovative way of analysing statistics on measles incidence in England and Wales since 1944 reveals recurring waves of infection originating in large cities. The information can guide strategies for preventing the disease.

Good conductors of heat are usually good at conducting electricity. So the discovery that electrons in a superconductor can carry an unauthorized amount of heat at low temperatures raises many questions.

There are thousands of inherited human diseases. For the most part, the genes that are mutated in these diseases are unknown. But a new approach could save time and effort in identifying the genes responsible.

Earlier this year, the four satellites of the Cluster mission passed through part of the electric circuit that causes aurorae. Their observations support the view that intense aurorae form in regions largely devoid of electrons.

The toughness of bone is usually attributed to its collagen, but how does it work? New evidence shows that molecular bonds can temporarily sacrifice themselves to absorb impacts.

Insects and mammals are thought to have similar 'innate' immune responses to infectious microorganisms. But there are differences, and even more now emerge from studies of how insects detect bacteria.

The time taken for airline security checks can be reduced, thinks Daedalus, if the amount of luggage everyone takes is reduced. Clothing and laptop computers are on his list.

Kinesin proteins are nanoscale transport vehicles. Analysis of the structure and function of one such protein has revealed the secrets of its rapid movement.