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The draft genome sequences of Oryza sativa, published last week, are impressive achievements, but not the finished article. The public rice genome project more than ever deserves support.
Feeding the world in the twenty-first century could require a second green revolution. But that may involve the most audacious feat of genetic engineering yet attempted, says Christopher Surridge.
Japan's Earth Simulator supercomputer could provide the most accurate models yet of the planet's climate and geophysics — but there are obstacles to realizing that potential. Robert Triendl reports.
After spinal-cord injury, severed nerve fibres face a thicket of obstacles as they try to regenerate. Researchers have used a bacterial enzyme to help prune these obstacles in rats.
Draft sequences of the rice genome have been produced by two groups. The drafts will be an invaluable resource for research on the genomes of other plants, the cereals in particular.
Satellite measurements of the Earth's magnetic field reveal a detailed picture of the circulation in the liquid iron core. The data suggest that the planet could be in the early stages of reversing its magnetic polarity.
Measurements of the rate at which carbon dioxide is released from rivers running through tropical forests provide a surprise. They will help in developing an improved picture of the carbon cycle.
In autoimmune diseases, a person's tissues are destroyed by their own immune system. IgG, a normal component of blood, provokes autoimmune responses when immune cells recognize it as a complex with DNA.
