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Treehoppers produce highly diverse structures called helmets. To do so they seem to have exploited the genetic potential, long inhibited in other winged insects, to develop wings on a particular anatomical segment. See Letterp.83
The biosynthetic route to a naturally occurring insecticide, spinosyn A, has been established. One of the enzymes involved might catalyse a reaction that, although widely used by chemists, has proved elusive in nature. See Letterp.109
Heart failure is characterized by weakened contractions of heart muscle. A drug that directly activates the key force-generating molecule in this muscle may be a valuable tool to strengthen the failing heart.
Single chains of a specially designed polymer fold up in water to form an encapsulated catalytic chamber. This supramolecular assembly strategy mimics the one used by enzymes in nature.
In the science of measurement, increasing the sensitivity to the quantity being measured while minimizing the susceptibility to noise is a challenge. A technique demonstrated with a single electron spin may help to tackle it. See Letterp.61
Creating coloured polymer films without the use of pigments might seem impossible. But using miniature polymer spheres, and a novel assembly process, this feat has been accomplished over large film areas.
A deeper understanding of the evolution of cooperation will come from investigations of what animals know about working together. A study with Asian elephants now adds to the literature on the subject.
A new study reports that the shapes and surface patterns of thin films of a stretched material can be modified by shining ultraviolet light at it. The resulting topologies depend on the exposure pattern, the applied stress and the sample thickness.
Understanding the nature of the first stars, whose formation marked a pivotal epoch in the Universe's history, is at the frontier of astronomy. An analysis of stellar data indicates that they were fast-rotating objects. See Letter p.454
A study in rats suggests that individual neurons take a nap when the brain is forced to stay awake, and that the basic unit of sleep is the electrical activity of single cortical neurons. See Article p.443
Seismic images of the Colorado plateau region reveal a mantle 'drip' forming under the Grand Canyon area. This hidden process may be responsible for the puzzling uplift of the plateau. See Letter p.461
The TH17 helper cells of the immune system have a dark side: they mediate autoimmune disorders. Two drugs that prevent the differentiation and activity of these cells might be of therapeutic value. See Letters p.486 & p.491
A major hurdle to successful cancer treatment is tumour resistance to chemotherapy. White blood cells called macrophages often infiltrate tumours in large numbers, and now appear to promote tumour chemoresistance.
Wavy strips of piezoelectric materials on stretchable substrates can both withstand larger applied mechanical strain without cracking and harvest energy more efficiently than their flat counterparts.
TRIM5 proteins limit retroviral infection by targeting the viral coat. It now seems that these proteins can also serve as pattern-recognition receptors, which initiate cellular innate immune responses. See Letter p.361
The placenta does not only act as the essential link between the developing embryo and its mother. Unexpectedly, it is also a source of serotonin — a neurotransmitter that is crucial for embryonic brain development. See Letter p.347
Evidence that a larval brachiopod has ciliary photoreceptors that are directionally selective, and therefore may function as eyes, bears on an enduring puzzle about photoreceptor evolution in animals.
