Review, News & Views, Perspectives, Hypotheses and Analyses in 2013

Data obtained from analysing chromosomal organization and interactions in individual cells unify previous results obtained by single-cell imaging and studies of population-averaged genomic interactions. See Article p.59

The inclusion of abundance data in global surveys of reef fishes reveals new hotspots of functional biodiversity, not all of which show high species richness. The findings may influence conservation priorities. See Letter p.539

Two independent experiments have demonstrated control of one mobile quantum of excitation by another. The results are likely to have ramifications for information processing and transfer. See Letters p.71 & p.76

The most complex electronic device yet built from carbon nanotubes has been demonstrated. The system is a functional universal computer, and represents a significant advance in the field of emerging electronic materials. See Letter p.526

A model of early Earth, in which heat from the interior is carried to the surface through volcanic heat pipes, suggests that our planet 4 billion years ago had more in common with Jupiter's moon Io than with today's Earth. See Article p.501

The ancestors of modern jawed vertebrates are commonly portrayed as fishes with a shark-like appearance. But a stunning fossil discovery from China puts a new face on the original jawed vertebrate. See Article p.188

Conferring stem-cell potential on mature cells is not easy. A decisive impediment to this process has now been identified, and its elimination allows almost all mature cells to efficiently adopt a stem-cell identity. See Article p.65

Internal lee waves are a player in ocean dynamics that may make an important contribution to deep-ocean mixing. They warrant serious consideration for inclusion in the next generation of climate models.

A global climate model that factors in the observed temperature of the surface ocean in the eastern equatorial Pacific offers an explanation for the recent hiatus in global warming. See Letter p.403

The push to engineer and probe quantum many-body systems using ultracold gases has reached a milestone with the observation of controlled dynamics caused by interactions between distant molecules trapped in a lattice. See Letter p.521

Rings in biologically active molecules confer rigidity that helps the molecules to bind strongly and selectively to their targets. A ring-forming mechanism has been identified that involves a biochemically unusual reaction. See Letter p.124

Pathogens and their hosts engage in perpetual molecular arms races. In one such evolutionary stand-off, the protagonists are trypanosome parasites and a human immune complex based on a high-density lipoprotein. See Letter p.430

The ultimate goal of the solar-cell industry is to make inexpensive devices that are highly efficient at converting sunlight into electricity. The advent of perovskite semiconductors could be the key to reaching this goal. See Letter p.395

Cellular reprogramming to a stem-cell state has now been achieved in tissues of genetically engineered mice. This work signals a future for regenerative medicine in which tissue fates might be manipulated in living organisms. See Article p.340

A mathematical model of gun ownership has been developed that clarifies the debate on gun control and tentatively suggests that firearms restrictions may reduce the homicide rate.

Triplication of the enzyme USP16 in models of Down's syndrome creates defects in the stem cells resident in adult tissues. This finding provides insight into stem-cell homeostasis during ageing. See Article p.380