Damaged bridges flex and twist to prevent collapse
Damaged bridges flex and twist to prevent collapse Summary Steel truss bridges — made from connected frameworks of members — can sometimes survive the sudden failure of a load-bearing element…
The diversity of microbial enzymes that turn a pollutant into an inert gas
The diversity of microbial enzymes that turn a pollutant into an inert gas Summary Reductase enzymes catalyse the conversion of nitrous oxide (N2O) — a potent greenhouse gas — into…
Depriving brain tumours of an amino acid could enhance chemotherapy
Depriving brain tumours of an amino acid could enhance chemotherapy Summary New analysis of glioblastoma metabolism shows these tumours scavenge the amino acid serine and divert glucose-derived carbon into pathways…
‘Almost unimaginable’: these ants are different species but share a mother
‘Almost unimaginable’: these ants are different species but share a mother Summary Queen Iberian harvester ants (Messor ibericus) can produce males that are genetically a different species (Messor structor). The…
Cocaine-activated ion channels engineered to break the loop of addiction in rats
Cocaine-activated ion channels engineered to break the loop of addiction in rats Summary Researchers have created ion channels that are selectively activated by cocaine and used them to control neuronal…
Rewiring of cortical glucose metabolism fuels human brain cancer growth
Rewiring of cortical glucose metabolism fuels human brain cancer growth Summary This Nature paper uses clinical stable‑isotope infusions in patients and parallel mouse models plus metabolic flux analysis to map…
Seismic detection of a 600-km solid inner core in Mars
Seismic detection of a 600-km solid inner core in Mars Key Points • InSight seismic data reveal core-reflected and core-transiting phases (PKiKP, PKKP/PKIKP and related phases) consistent with a solid…
Ancient DNA connects large-scale migration with the spread of Slavs
Ancient DNA connects large-scale migration with the spread of Slavs Summary This Nature paper uses new and published ancient DNA from a dense transect of sites across the Elbe–Saale region…
Genetic suppression features ABHD18 as a Barth syndrome therapeutic target
Genetic suppression features ABHD18 as a Barth syndrome therapeutic target Summary This Nature paper reports a genetic-suppression strategy that identifies ABHD18 as a druggable therapeutic target for Barth syndrome (BTHS),…
One mother for two species via obligate cross-species cloning in ants
One mother for two species via obligate cross-species cloning in ants Summary This Nature paper reports a remarkable reproductive system in the harvester ant Messor ibericus. Using field sampling, genome-wide…