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The indirect flight muscles of flying insects have evolved to power insects' wings through as many as 1,000 oscillations per second and to produce extreme mechanical forces. These exquisitely specialized muscles contain fibrillar, stretch-activated myofibres that are very different from the tubular muscles found elsewhere in the insects body. A genome-wide RNA interference screen for muscle morphogenesis in Drosophila has identified the transcription factor Spalt major (Salm) as a master regulator of fibrillar flight-muscle fate. Salm switches the structure of muscles from tubular to fibrillar during development by regulating gene transcription and splicing. The spalt gene is conserved in insects that are separated by 280 million years of evolution, and the fact that mutations in the human spalt-like gene SALL1 cause heart abnormalities in TownesBrocks syndrome suggests that spalt function might also determine fibrillar stretch-activated muscle in vertebrates. On the cover, a blow fly (Calliphora sp.) shows how its done. Image: Frank Schnorrer/Monika Krause/Väinö Haikala (MPI).
The week in science: Geron stops clinical trials with human embryonic stem cells; NSF starts high-risk grants programme; and disgraced psychologist Stapel returns his PhD.
The lifespan of some organisms can be extended by mutations that alter how DNA is packaged in their cells. A study reveals that this effect can last for generations, even in descendants that are genetically normal. See Article p.365
The dynamical Casimir effect — the generation of photons out of the quantum vacuum induced by an accelerated body — has been experimentally demonstrated using a superconducting circuit that simulates a moving mirror. See Letter p.376
The origins of the Gamburtsev mountain range, which is hidden beneath Antarctic ice, are a long-standing mystery. Detailed geophysical data from the area form the basis of a comprehensive model that solves the mystery. See Letter p.388
The venom of the Texas coral snake causes excruciating pain. The discovery of the venom's pain-inducing component opens up opportunities for studying predator–prey interactions and for pain research. See Letter p.410
Quantum information has been suggested as a means to prove beyond doubt a person's exact spatial position. But it turns out that all attempts to solve this problem using such an approach are doomed to failure.
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.