Reviews in this Insight, which highlights important advances in biology, include self-organization of tissues, Fanconi anaemia and its links to genomic stability, the possibility of slowing ageing with drugs that target mTOR, metabolism of inflammation and how this is limited by AMPK activation, and the role of neuron signalling in autism.

Metabolic diseases, such as diabetes and obesity, are a threat to global health. This Insight focuses on some of the underlying biology that can contribute to these disorders, including the central nervous system's control of metabolism, circadian rhythms, cancer metabolism and mitochondrial disorders, as well as metabolic phenotyping.

The interplay between the microbes that colonize the gut and the human host are the subject of research initiatives. This Insight focuses on the ecological principles that govern microbiota composition; interactions of the microbiota with the immune system and metabolic processes; and genomic tools that can aid in the analysis of microbial communities.

The world cannot continue to rely on fossil fuels for its energy needs. Alternative cost-effective and sustainable sources must be identified. Of the various methods being explored, this Insight focuses on the developments in solar energy, water-based methods of electricity generation and the production of biofuels.

In-depth sequencing studies have revealed an unexpected complexity to the nature and function of RNAs encoded by DNA. This Insight includes an explanation of how dynamic reorganization of RNA structure directs many cellular processes, discusses systems controlled by specific RNAs and offers a modular model for the function of long non-coding RNAs.

The regular Insight 'Frontiers in Biology' covers important developments in biology. Reviews include innate immune signalling in tissue homeostasis, the DNA damage response in cancer treatment, therapeutic promise of patient-derived pluripotent stem cells, clonal evolution in cancer and the impact of mouse genetics on the study of bone physiology.

The trend of scaling down the silicon transistor, which has driven the revolution in computer technology over several decades, is coming to an end. The semiconductor industry is now considering new transistor concepts to secure the next generation of computers. This Insight reviews six promising approaches — some are near commercialization and others could be ready in the next 10—20 years.

Advances in optical imaging have given researchers an unprecedented view of the inner workings of a cell. Cellular processes are now known to be much more dynamic than previously imagined. This Insight explores some of the most exciting developments in cell biology, including how cells might perceive and interpret mechanical forces from the external environment, how RNA and protein can be transported between the nucleus and cytoplasm, how one molecule can influence a cell's phenotype and how molecular 'chaperones' assist in the crucial process of protein folding to maintain cellular homeostasis.

The intestinal tract has two main functions: the digestion and absorption of nutrients, and an essential barrier to the external environment, protecting against infection and disease. Tens of trillions of resident microbes, known as the gut microbiota, help to keep this system in balance. This Insight explores the complex networks involved in maintaining a healthy gut, and may point to future strategies for more effective preventative and therapeutic measures.

A healthy vasculature is vital for our survival. Vascular dysfunction is linked to diverse diseases and can lead to heart failure and death. Uncovering how blood vessels grow and function during normal and disease conditions has enormous potential for improving human health, and this exciting research area is developing at a rapid pace.

The reviews in this Insight discuss in turn the cellular origins of cancer, new developments at the interface between autophagy and immunity, the role of microRNAs in cardiovascular development and disease, and the mechanisms of chromatin and gene regulation that have a role in development and cancer.

Since their discovery more than 150 years ago, glial cells have been defined by what they couldn't do. Above all, they were considered to lack certain properties of neurons, such as the ability to communicate with other cells through fast electrical and chemical signals. However, recent research suggests that glial cells have a crucial role in brain development and function, and in many diseases of the nervous system.