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Three examples of a new family of planets, which orbit a pair of stars rather than a single one, have been discovered. The Milky Way may contain millions of these circumbinary planets. See Letter p.475
Paper wasps of the species Polistes fuscatus live in strict hierarchical societies in which the ability to identify superiors and subordinates is crucial. Like humans, these insects have a cognitive tool kit for recognizing familiar faces.
The orchestration of cell division requires a programme of events choreographed by protein modification. A study shows that the relative activity of a phosphatase enzyme towards its substrates imposes order during the final act of division.
Molecular machines containing related protein subunits are common in cells. Reconstruction of ancient proteins suggests that this type of complexity can evolve in the absence of any initial selective advantage. See Letter p.360
A method developed to allow rapid communication between bacterial cells across long distances enables the cells to detect arsenic collectively, and to report it as an oscillatory output. See Article p.39
Molecular helicity affects many of the bulk properties of materials. A study finds that helicity also controls the self-assembly of colloidal particles, opening the door to a new generation of functional materials. See Letter p.348
As if the idea of a device that makes an object seem invisible was not mind-boggling enough, researchers have now demonstrated a system that can conceal an event in time. See Letter p.62
A gas cloud has been spotted approaching the Milky Way's central black hole. Observations of its closest approach, expected to occur in mid-2013, may offer insight into the black hole's immediate surroundings. See Letter p.51
Cocaine use causes lasting changes in behaviour by altering the strength of connections between neurons. The finding that these changes can be reversed in mice suggests strategies that could be used to treat drug addiction. See Letter p.71
Tightrope walkers use poles to keep their balance. A study reveals that agama lizards use their tails much like balancing poles as they leap through the air — and that some dinosaurs may have done the same. See Letter p.181
