Hubble 3D: The interview
Astronaut Scott Altman and director Toni Myers discuss their latest 3-D IMAX film documenting the 2009 repair of the Hubble Space Telescope.
Astronaut Scott Altman and director Toni Myers discuss their latest 3-D IMAX film documenting the 2009 repair of the Hubble Space Telescope.
Maths behind Internet encryption wins top award
Abel prize awarded to number theorist John Tate.
How 1918 flu antibodies fend off swine flu
Structural similarities reveal why some elderly people were spared in the recent pandemic.
Fossil finger points to new human species
DNA analysis reveals lost relative from 40,000 years ago.
Methane-eating microbes make their own oxygen
Bacteria may have survived on Earth without plants, thanks to unique metabolism.
Soils emitting more carbon dioxide
Trend could exacerbate global warming.
This week, we discover how fossil DNA from Siberia reveals a new human ancestor, learn about the first clinical trial to use RNA interference on tumours, and hear about the wait to see if an anti-ageing molecule holds the key to longevity. Plus, what’s hot elsewhere in Nature. Read more
Nanoparticle kit could diagnose disease early
Colour change shows the presence of minuscule amounts of key enzymes.
China boosts African research links
Expanded programme of academic collaboration promised.
Teams set for first taste of Antarctic lakes
Samples could reveal unique life forms from beneath the ice.
US health bill promises changes for biomedical researchers
Translational work set to receive a boost.
Nature, the international weekly journal of science, is looking for a biomedical reporter to work in our London office.
Purifying the sea one drop at a time
Microfluidic channels offer promise of cheap, portable desalination.
Cancer genes silenced in humans
Tiny particles carrying short strands of RNA can interfere with protein production in tumours.
This week, we discover how scientists have detected quantum behaviour in a visible object, hear about the sinister side of male pregnancy in pipefish, learn how modern forensic techniques have been helping criminal law suits, and we ponder the question: are we alone in the universe? Read more
Elite English universities gain in 2010 funding round
But other institutions left with a smaller slice of the pie.
Male pipefish abort embryos of ugly mothers
Males show sexual selection before and after copulation.
Scientists supersize quantum mechanics
Largest ever object put into quantum state.
Stone tools reveal that hominins lived on the Indonesian island of Flores a million years ago.
Male pregnancy is very rare, occurring only in seahorses, pipefish and seadragons. The female deposits her eggs in the male’s brood pouch, and the male protects and feeds the developing offspring. Are these the best dads in the animal kingdom? It seems not – new research shows that male pipefish selectively abort embryos from less attractive females, saving their resources for future, more attractive, mates. The finding reveals a dark side to male pregnancy, but it also adds to Darwin’s theory of sexual selection. Read the original research here.
Nano-antennas could help keep quantum secrets
Nanorod arrays can guide light along the path toward quantum communication.
Snake infrared detection unravelled
Scientists have discovered the receptors that allow snakes to find prey in the dark.
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Experiments reveal that crabs and lobsters feel pain
US research ethics agency upholds decision on informed consent
Chemistry credit disputes under the spotlight
Chemistry credit disputes under the spotlight
Contamination created controversial ‘acid-induced’ stem cells