Review Articles, News & Views, Perspectives, Hypotheses, Analyses and Review in 2021

The prefrontal cortex of the human brain is larger than that of other species. Comparisons of mouse, macaque and human brains uncover some of the genetic and molecular factors behind these differences.

Rising temperatures are expected to increase the number of people exposed to tropical cyclones, but timing might prove crucial to the success of mitigation strategies.

In diseases called tauopathies, misfolded tau proteins form aggregates called fibrils. Fibrils from nine different tauopathies show that tau misfolds in many ways, enabling the diseases to be classified according to fibril structure.

The misalignment of crystal lattices in stacked monolayers of materials has been shown to prevent heat flow between the layers, while retaining flow within them. This finding opens up an inventive way to control heat at the nanoscale.

A feeding schedule of prolonged overnight fasting periods extends healthy lifespan in fruit flies by promoting night-time autophagy, a process in which material in cells is degraded and recycled.

High-throughput analyses of how sleeping fruit flies respond to a variety of odours show that the brains of these insects continue to process the value of the signals conveyed by sensory information during sleep.

In 2D materials, electrons at low densities can freeze into well-defined positions and form exotic structures called Wigner crystals. A non-invasive technique has been developed to image these crystals directly.

Nature’s pages feature a report from a conference about the search for extraterrestrial life, and a reflection on scientific books.

Organic molecules are increasingly crucial in quantum-optics technologies. An experiment shows how the strong coupling between confined organic molecules and light can improve photon detection at room temperature.

Optimizing the testing of incoming travellers for COVID-19 involves predicting those who are most likely to test positive. A machine-learning algorithm for targeted testing has been implemented at the Greek border.

A genome-wide analysis of modern populations in Polynesia suggests the direction and timing of ancient Polynesian migrations. This model bears consistencies and inconsistencies with models based on archaeology and linguistics.

Many plant seeds have shapes that aid their efficient dispersal by wind. Inspired by these seeds, a range of fliers have been constructed that could have applications from environmental monitoring to wireless communication.

Nature’s pages feature a look at nautical archaeology in a museum setting and musings about the molecule anthracene.

Certain cancers cause people to weaken and waste away. A mouse model of this points to tumour-induced blockade of molecules that normally protect muscle innervation and mass. Will the discovery lead to therapies for this deadly condition?

The initial events that give rise to pancreatic cancer are not fully understood. Evidence from mice now implicates the enzyme Tert in setting the stage for the formation of this type of tumour.

The protein UTX regulates the DNA–protein complex chromatin to suppress tumour growth. Data suggest that the ability of UTX to condense into liquid-like droplets underlies its chromatin-regulating ability.

Layered perovskites are useful materials that contain sheets of a perovskite semiconductor enclosed by organic molecules. Crystals of layered perovskites that include sheets of a second inorganic lattice can now be grown from solution.

What role might seafood have in boosting human health in diets of the future? A modelling study that assesses how a rise in seafood intake by 2030 might affect human populations worldwide offers a way to begin to answer this.

A genomic comparison of Ebola virus from the 2021 outbreak in Guinea with sequences from the West African outbreak that ended in 2016 suggests that the virus can remain latent in human survivors for an extended period of time.

Nature’s pages feature a look at psychology in industrial workplaces, and a mystery surrounding fish in a Swiss lake.