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Volume 550 Issue 7674, 5 October 2017

The cover is a coloured scanning electron micrograph of various oral bacteria. The oral cavity was among six key body sites that formed a major focus in the work to expand the Human Microbiome Project reported on in this issue. Published in 2012, the Human Microbiome Project sampled 18 different body sites to provide a broad overview of the human microbiome in healthy individuals. Curtis Huttenhower and his colleagues have now extended this work to present 1,631 new metagenomes and multiple time points in 265 individuals, looking in particular at six sites, including the nostrils, mouth and gut. Using a combination of strain profiling, species-level metagenomic functional profiling and longitudinal analyses, the study provides deeper insights into human microbial communities, providing an important resource to further our understanding about what constitutes a ‘healthy’ microbiota. Image courtesy: SPL/Getty

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  • An analysis of researchers' global mobility reveals that limiting the circulation of scholars will damage the scientific system, say Cassidy R. Sugimoto and colleagues.

    • Cassidy R. Sugimoto
    • Nicolas Robinson-Garcia
    • Vincent Larivière
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  • Caroline S. Wagner and Koen Jonkers find a clear correlation between a nation's scientific influence and the links it fosters with foreign researchers.

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  • The discovery that the host defence protein ZAP specifically targets viral RNAs that are rich in a particular pair of adjacent bases — cytosine followed by guanine — sheds light on the evolution of viral RNA genomes. See Letter p.124

    • Stephen P. Goff
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  • The X-ray sensitivity of radiology instruments is limited by the materials used in their detectors. A material from the perovskite family of semiconductors could allow lower doses of X-rays to be used for medical imaging. See Letter p.87

    • John A. Rowlands
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  • An international movement is calling for at least half of the Earth to be allocated for conservation. A global study now reveals that, in many ecoregions, enough habitat exists to reach this goal, and ideas are proposed for the next steps needed.

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    • Oscar Venter
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  • A supercomputer-powered design technique enables the discovery of efficient mechanical structures that have an unprecedented level of detail. The findings provide insights into both physical and biological structures. See Letter p.84

    • Matthijs Langelaar
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  • There is a species-diversity gradient on Earth, with the greatest diversity found near the Equator. Analysis of forest data now reveals a mechanism aiding species coexistence in the tropics that might underlie this phenomenon. See Letter p.105

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  • A review of the recent developments in reprogramming the genetic code of cells and organisms to include non-canonical amino acids in precisely engineered proteins.

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  • Break with the routine and discover how to engineer a scientific meeting that everyone will remember.

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Outlook

  • Research on women's sexual desire and satisfaction lags behind that on men's, but scientists and drug companies are trying to close the gap.

    • Anna Petherick

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  • Understanding the nuances of women's various roles in African societies can make or break health research.

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  • Heart disease is a different for women. Researchers must investigate, educate, advocate and legislate to decrease the risks, says Nanette Wenger.

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  • Girls are entering puberty at ever younger ages. What are the causes, and should we be worried?

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  • Surveys of the microbes that live in the vagina have revealed unexpected variability. More research might reveal links between these microbes, infection and birth complications.

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  • An improved understanding of bone loss can help women reduce their risk of fractures as they age.

    • Carolyn Brown

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  • Regulators have been calling for equal representation of men and women in health research for nearly 25 years. So why are women still underrepresented?

    • Anna Nowogrodzki

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