“This may implicate a universal structure of the first genetic codes anywhere.”

Ralph Pudritz, an astrophysicist at McMaster University in Hamilton, comments on new amino acid research that suggests, in Wired’s words, that the “building blocks of life may be more than merely common in the cosmos”.

“It’s a matter of survival for us, also. So we are among the most vulnerable countries, economically.”

Mohammad Al Sabban, Saudi Arabia’s lead climate negotiator, sees threats in tough action on carbon dioxide emissions (Reuters).

‘Nano song’ wins prize.

The excellent nano-song featured recently on this blog won both the ‘People’s Choice’ and ‘Critics’ Choice’ in the American Chemical Society’s What is Nano? video contest (press release).

“I was counting away like a madman, but it just wouldn’t work.”

Emelie Baedecke Yllner, comments on the accident that saw Swedish maths students at the Royal Institute of Technology set three impossible questions in a five question paper (Svd.se via The Local).