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The genetics of development can often explain the genesis of cancer. This now seems to be true for cancers of the gut, but the patterns of gene expression in these tumours tell a tale with a twist.
Astronomers crave a detector sensitive enough to detect a single photon and determine its energy. A new single-pixel device can do this, and could also be built up into a large array suitable for a telescope.
The outermost layers of the Sun are hotter than expected. Observation and analysis now confirm that magnetic fields are involved in the heating process, and also signal the existence of a long-sought 'current sheet'.
A frog that lives in the mountains of southern India is a rare breed indeed: it is a new species that merits the establishment of a new family. Moreover, this is a discovery with considerable biogeographical significance.
Why have some evolutionary lineages produced many more species than others? As far as one large group of birds is concerned, being in the right place at the right time is a plausible answer.
Prion proteins that trigger a cascade of protein misfolding in the brain are suspected of being the sole transmissible cause of some brain-destroying diseases. But nucleic acids could be their partner in crime.
Some materials don't expand or contract as they are heated. A new example is a metallic compound, for which the movement of electrons between atoms is the likely explanation for its 'zero thermal expansion'.
Tidal stresses in the Earth's crust don't seem to influence earthquakes. Water wells, on the other hand, seem strangely sensitive to seismic activity. Explanations are now proposed.
Research in yeast provides the tools and benchmarks for a wide sweep of biology. The latest results reveal the most complete picture yet of the levels and locations of protein production in the organism.
Mutations in the presenilin protein are associated with Alzheimer's disease. It now seems that mutant presenilin could wreak havoc on neuronal functions by triggering the activation of certain genes.
An analysis of astronomical data suggests not only that the Universe is finite, but also that it has a specific, rather rigid topology. If confirmed, this is a major discovery about the nature of the Universe.
In collisions between nuclei, a proton or neutron might be knocked out of one nucleus. Now, two-proton knockout has been demonstrated, opening a new route to the creation of neutron-rich systems for study.
Two studies help reveal the dynamics of memory. New memories that weaken during the day can be strengthened by a period of sleep. And when memories are reactivated, they must be re-stored in order to persist.
Different types of neurons are born in a conserved, sequential order during development. The molecular cogs in the clock-like mechanism driving this process are now being revealed.
The association between legumes and nitrogen-fixing bacteria requires molecular recognition to allow bacterial entry into root hairs. The discovery of a novel type of plant receptor clarifies how this happens.
