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Interactions between the B and T cells of the human immune system are implicated in the brain disease multiple sclerosis. It emerges that B cells make a protein that is also made in the brain, and that T cells recognize this protein.
Can the predicted rise in global food demand by 2050 be met sustainably? A modelling study suggests that a combination of interventions will be needed to tackle the associated environmental challenges.
A remarkable metal–ceramic composite material has been produced that could aid the development of the next generation of power plants — and might even have a role in curing the world of its addiction to fossil fuels.
Pigmented cells in the skin of cuttlefish can contract or relax to produce different skin-colour patterns. Tracking the dynamics of these cells reveals how this display system develops, and how it is controlled.
The parasite Trypanosoma brucei causes sleeping sickness. It evades human defences by changing the version of a protein that coats its surface. Analysis of its genome and nuclear structure clarifies this variation process.
Efforts to find early traces of life on Earth often focus on structures in ancient rocks, called stromatolites, that formed by microbial activity. One of the oldest proposed stromatolite discoveries has now been questioned.
An exotic ultracold gas known as a Bose–Einstein condensate has been produced and studied in space. Such gases could be used to build quantum sensors that probe the properties of the Universe with extreme precision.
In 1993, two papers reported observations of an astronomical phenomenon called gravitational microlensing. The results showed that microlensing could be used to probe the elusive dark matter that is thought to pervade the Universe.
Experiments reveal a previously unreported type of electronic noise that is caused by temperature gradients. The finding has practical implications, and could help in detecting unwanted hotspots in electrical circuits.
Light-emitting diodes made from perovskite semiconductors have reached a milestone in the efficiency with which they emit light — potentially ushering in a new platform for lighting and display technology.
A new technique, in which forebrain-precursor cells are ablated from early-stage mouse embryos and replaced with embryonic stem cells, promises to facilitate our ability to study the central nervous system.
UK Biobank contains a wealth of data on genetics, health and more from 500,000 participants. A detailed overview of the biobank and an analysis of its brain-imaging data show the value of this resource.
The material graphene has a vast number of potential applications — but a survey of commercially available graphene samples reveals that research could be undermined by the poor quality of the available material.
The bacterial-defence system CRISPR–Cas can store DNA snippets that correspond to encountered viral RNA sequences. One such system has now been harnessed to record gene expression over time in bacteria.
An organic polymer exhibits a phase transition that is associated with improved electromechanical properties. This feature links organic polymers with widely used perovskite materials, and could have many applications.
Antiviral drugs prevent HIV from replicating, but the virus can hide in the cells of infected individuals in a non-replicating, latent form. A two-pronged approach to target this latent virus shows promise in monkeys.
In developing embryos, molecular and physical differences divide the cells that will form eggs or sperm and those that will form the body. The mouse protein OTX2 directs this decision by blocking reproductive-cell fate.