Reviews & Analysis

An improved design for a class of magnetometer greatly increases the sensitivity of these devices — and might be the vanguard of a new generation of hybrid sensors that combine different types of signal to increase sensitivity.

Ambitious experimental and morphological studies of a modern fish show how developmental flexibility may have helped early 'fishapods' to make the transition from finned aquatic animals to tetrapods that walk on land. See Article p.54

Sophisticated genetic tools that make brain cells responsive to light have now been used in mice to trigger a memory connected with a particular place, and to switch its association from negative to positive, or vice versa. See Letter p.426

A theoretical model suggests that the cause of female-driven extra-pair mating lies in the spreading of male interests among neighbouring families, creating powerful incentives for male cooperation and concomitant benefits for females.

New genetic methods to analyse mixed human populations have extended existing, multidisciplinary evidence for the historical migrations and mixings of Austronesian peoples.

Genome editing followed by sequencing has now been used to engineer and analyse every variation of several stretches of human DNA in living cells, providing insight into the function of each constituent nucleotide molecule. See Letter p.120

The first description of the microorganisms inhabiting a subglacial lake deep below the Antarctic ice sheet reveals some of the complex interactive metabolic processes that sustain these microbial communities. See Letter p.310

The application of improved radiocarbon-dating techniques to samples from archaeological sites ranging from Russia to Spain has redefined the timing of the final disappearance of Neanderthals from Europe. See Letter p.306

Devices known as magneto-optical traps have long been used to cool and confine atoms, but not molecules — until now. This new ability should enable many studies and applications of the physics of ultracold molecules. See Letter p.286

Analysis of a kilometre-sized, near-Earth asteroid shows that forces weaker than the weight of a penny can keep it from falling apart. This has implications for understanding the evolution of the Solar System. See Letter p.174

An earthquake off Chile in 2014 occurred in a region where a great seismic event was expected. Two studies reveal that months of foreshocks and slow slip on the associated plate-boundary fault preceded the event. See Letters p.295 & p.299

A fully automated optics system that corrects atmospheric blurring of celestial objects has imaged 715 star systems thought to harbour planets, completing each observation in less time than it takes to read this article.

Blood stem cells derive at least in part from an embryonic vessel called the dorsal aorta. It emerges that a flanking tissue called the somite contributes cells and signals to this process. See Letters p.314 & p.319

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor elicits protection against toxic environmental molecules. New data show that the receptor also supports the immune system by recognizing bacterially encoded virulence factors. See Article p.387

The identification of neural subcircuits used by female fruit flies to make a choice about whether to copulate with a potential mate provides a template for understanding how the brain integrates complex information to reach decisions.

To evaluate the promise of potential computing technologies, this review examines a wide range of fundamental limits, such as to performance, power consumption, size and cost, from the device level to the system level.

The experimental realization of amorphous pure metals sets the stage for studies of the fundamental processes of glass formation, and suggests that amorphous structures are the most ubiquitous forms of condensed matter. See Letter P.177

Some stars explode in thermonuclear supernovae, but understanding of why this occurs comes mainly from indirect clues. Now, the progenitor of a member of a strange class of such explosions may have been detected directly. See Letter p.54

'Seed' molecules have been made that enable synthesis of just one kind of single-walled carbon nanotube, rather than a mixture of species. This paves the way for the preparation of pure samples of any nanotube species. See Letter p.61

Two studies of amyloid-β protein aggregates, which cause Alzheimer's disease, find that different conformations of the aggregates can define different strains of the disorder, drawing parallels with prion diseases.