Reviews & Analysis

Cancer cells ignore oxygen availability, opting for less efficient, anaerobic ways of generating energy. The wisdom behind this choice seems to be in preventing the accumulation of reactive oxygen species, and so oxidative damage.

A combination of ground-based and spacecraft observations has uncovered two black holes of 10 billion solar masses in the nearby Universe. The finding sheds light on how these cosmic monsters co-evolve with galaxies. See Letter p.215

The idea that gene variants alone control an organism's traits is overly simple. A study of the effects of gene interactions on the outcomes of random variation in gene expression reveals the complex reality. See Letter p.250

Will a sense of touch similar to that of humans ever be developed in robots? Results on the physics of friction for fingerprint-like ridges sliding across textured surfaces may lead the way to tactile robotic sensors.

Materials that refract light backwards are thought to be required for making super-resolution lenses. An alternative proposal — that conventional, positively refracting media can do the job — has met with controversy. Two experts from either side of the debate lay out their views on the matter.

The expensive-tissue hypothesis proposes that brain enlargement during human evolution was offset by a reduced gut size. The finding that the typical trade-off in mammals is between brain size and fat reserves suggests otherwise. See Letter p.91

Regulation of body temperature by the nervous system is essential for physiological function in both health and disease. The immune system also seems to have a crucial role in this process. See Letter p.104

It is difficult to recapitulate organ development in vitro, especially when interactions between tissues are essential. Nonetheless, researchers have now achieved this for the pituitary gland. See Article p.57

The population of γ-ray bursts is sometimes enriched by perplexing events that challenge established theoretical models. Two teams get to grips with understanding one such event — the 'Christmas' burst. See Letters p.69 & p.72

A study of cerium in zircon minerals has allowed an assessment of the redox conditions that prevailed when Earth's earliest magmas formed. The results suggest that the mantle became oxidized sooner than had been thought. See Letter p.79

The reanalysis of findings from two archaeological sites calls for a reassessment of when modern humans settled in Europe, and of Neanderthal cultural achievements. See Letters p.521 & p.525

A fine marriage between seismic data and laboratory experiments carried out at the extreme conditions of Earth's deep interior indicates that the planet's liquid outer core is poor in oxygen. See Letter p.513

Damaged cells can initiate cancer. To avert this, faulty cells disable their own propagation by undergoing senescence. But for full protection against liver cancer, the senescent cells must be cleared by the immune system. See Letter p.547

Gold is not as inert as was believed — it can promote molecular synthesis. A study uses scanning tunnelling microscopy to catch gold in the act as it guides the formation of one-dimensional polymers from saturated hydrocarbons.

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 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

Brines percolating in the icy crust of Jupiter's moon Europa may be responsible for the satellite's enigmatic chaotic terrains. A new model predicts that one such terrain is currently forming over shallow subsurface water. See Letter p.502

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