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An analysis has revealed that global temperatures were warmer in the early twentieth century than was inferred from existing data sets. Revising these estimates could improve our understanding of global temperature change.
In rare diseases, rare mutations have long been thought of as the only contributor. Genetic analyses of people with such conditions now suggest that the effects of common genetic variants can stack up and contribute to disease risk.
As soil dries, plants limit water loss by closing tiny apertures called stomata in their leaves. A global analysis reveals that the soil water-content values at which this stomatal control starts depend on the hydraulic properties of the soil, and that plants’ ability to adapt to drought are specific to soil texture.
A neural network has learnt to correct the errors that arise during quantum computation, outperforming algorithms that were designed by humans. The strategy sets out a promising path towards practical quantum computers.
How animals adjust their visual attention as goals or environmental conditions change is unknown. In the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, wiring diagrams of the brain, behavioural experiments and recordings of neuronal activity reveal pathways through which social states such as aggression modulate vision.
The Human Cell Atlas is yielding detailed maps of human tissues and systems throughout life, along with methods to handle single-cell data. Four scientists reflect on how the project is transforming our understanding of human biology.
Antibodies from malaria-exposed individuals have been found to target a diverse family of proteins from the malaria-causing parasite. These proteins cause severe disease by enabling infected blood cells to bind to blood vessels.
Microjet delivery systems that are inspired by cephalopods’ propulsion methods enable the needle-free administration of large biomolecules through the lining of the gastrointestinal tract. These devices not only achieve drug-absorption rates comparable to or exceeding those of conventional injections, but could also transform the management of chronic diseases and treatment experience.
The disk of dust and gas that forms a planet can also block our view of the host star, which makes it challenging to find the youngest, close-in planets. Astronomers have discovered a system in which the disk is warped, providing a clear view of a three-million-year-old planet with a one-week orbit.
Compounds that contain carbon–fluorine bonds have various uses, but many are chemically inert, persisting in the environment as ‘forever chemicals’. Light-activated catalysts have been discovered that take them apart with ease.
By comparing related plants, researchers have identified a cause of a switch in gene expression that enabled a more efficient form of photosynthesis to evolve — paving the way for engineering crops that are more productive.
Gliocidin can target brain tumours by disrupting the production of nucleotides needed for cell growth. The molecule’s unusual ability to cross the blood–brain barrier suggests a promising way to develop therapies.
This article reviews evidence that has emerged over the past two decades indicating that herpes simplex encephalitis in children can result from monogenic defects of brain immunity to herpes simplex virus 1.
Human children pair fast growth of a large brain with slow body growth. Ancient Homo fossil teeth reveal that hominin dental growth rates began to slow before there was a major increase in brain size compared with apes.
Bacteria living inside other cells can form stable, mutually beneficial partnerships with their hosts, but it is rare that two organisms are sufficiently compatible on their first encounter. Injecting bacteria into potential fungal hosts provides insights into the early evolutionary dynamics of the formation of such partnerships, and the associated costs and opportunities.
Phone users around the world are enabling the creation of a space-weather monitor that will deepen our understanding of the physics governing Earth’s ionized upper atmosphere and improve the accuracy of satellite positioning.
Whether rising carbon dioxide concentrations affect terrestrial species diversity around the globe is, surprisingly, almost unstudied. A 24-year field experiment shows that adding nitrogen to grassland plots reduces species richness, and that increasing the level of carbon dioxide amplifies this effect, tripling the reductions caused by nitrogen addition.
