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The properties of articular cartilage, which lines bones in joints, depend partly on repulsion between components of the material. A new synthetic gel that mimics this feature has rare, direction-dependent properties. See Letter p.68
The identification of the gene regulatory network that controls the formation of xylem — the major component of wood — opens up new avenues for manipulating plant biomass. See Article p.571
The discovery and functional analysis of the protein MEIKIN in mice leads to an evolutionarily conserved model of how chromosome segregation is regulated during a specialized type of cell division called meiosis I. See Article p.466
Explore the gory glories of forensic science, grapple with Tom Stoppard's take on consciousness, learn what it takes to live on Mars, re-enter Jurassic Park, dive into a coral reef and dally with Robert Oppenheimer. Daniel Cressey reports.
To kick off 2015, Nature's Careers section asked several young scientists — all 40 or under — about their plans for the year ahead and their wishes for the future of science.
Usually materials design focuses on attractive interactions, but here a hydrogel is described whose properties are dominated by electrostatic repulsion between negatively charged titanate nanosheets embedded within it; the material, inspired by articular cartilage, deforms easily when sheared parallel to the sheets but resists compressive forces applied orthogonally.
Quantized conductance in the transport of neutral atoms is observed in an optically produced channel — either a quantum point contact or a quantum wire — between two atom reservoirs; the lowest non-zero conductance value is the universal conductance quantum, the reciprocal of Planck’s constant.
Laboratory measurements of iron opacity made under conditions similar to those inside the Sun reveal much higher opacity than predicted, helping to resolve inconsistencies within stellar models of the internal temperatures of stars.