News Feature

A Californian book dealer has created a unique archive of molecular biology's achievements. But some historians are uneasy about such a valuable resource resting in private hands, says Rex Dalton.

The worldwide network of seismometers is detecting some surprising events, from bouncing kangaroos to changes in climate. Larry O'Hanlon talks to the seismologists who have found unusual uses for their data.

The confused nomenclature of genetics is blighting the field — some genes have multiple names whereas unrelated genes often share a common moniker. Helen Pearson examines attempts to bring order to the chaos.

Can a bowlful of cold atoms help physicists simulate some of the most extreme conditions in the Universe? Philip Ball goes on the trail of the laboratory-scale black hole.

A small Canadian institute is producing a disproportionate number of highly cited biology papers. Trisha Gura visited the Amgen Institute, to find out what its members are doing right.

As European environmentalists launch a boycott of US oil firms, other energy companies are winning praise for their efforts to tackle climate change. Mark Schrope examines the oil giants' divergent strategies.

In the melting pot of modern science, chemistry's cutting edge is being rebranded as biology or nanotechnology. David Adam wonders if false modesty is leaving chemists to pick up the crumbs from their own periodic table.

Gene therapists used to talk about permanently fixing 'broken' genes. But the emphasis has now shifted to treating conditions such as coronary disease and cancer using transient gene expression. Alison Abbott reports.

The tortuous tale of a probe into charges of scientific misconduct levelled at a rising neuroscientist raises questions about the adequacy of US procedures to tackle the problem. Rex Dalton reports.

By recording the electrical activity of individual neurons in monkeys, neuroscientists are beginning to understand how the brain makes simple decisions. Bas Kast considers the links between perception and action.

Undergraduates are not only writing scientific papers — they're reviewing them, editing them and posting them online. Josette Chen examines a scientific publishing phenomenon.

Huge arrays of detectors now have these ghostly particles in their sights — but will what they see lead physicists to rethink the standard model? Dan Falk investigates.

Ultra-thin fibres spun from polymers could be used to protect against chemical weapons, dress wounds and make brakes for aircraft. David Adam tells a gripping yarn.

Could our knowledge of microbial genomics and skill in genetic engineering be used to create 'enhanced' bioweapons? Carina Dennis assesses the threat, and the efforts to counter it.

After decades of neglect, research into 'innate' immunity has moved to centre stage. Phyllida Brown explores the excitement that now surrounds an evolutionarily ancient arm of our immune system.

DNA microarrays are transforming studies of gene expression. But some of the biologists flocking to exploit this powerful technology are not aware of its potential pitfalls. Jonathan Knight relates a cautionary tale.

Geochemists are having a hard time working out why the atmosphere of the early Earth appears to have lacked oxygen for so long. Jon Copley considers the competing theories.

Researchers trying to turn nanotubes into storage systems for hydrogen fuel are finding that corporate funding and academic openness can be hard to combine. Catherine Zandonella delves into a carbon controversy.

Plants attacked by hungry herbivores can release chemicals that attract their assailants' predators. Could these responses be exploited to develop environmentally friendly pest-control strategies? John Whitfield investigates.