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Artificial activation of neurons identified in a brain region called the cerebellum reduces food intake in mice. The findings could have implications for people with appetite disorders.
The molecular mechanisms involved in human gastrulation, a crucial stage in early embryonic development, have been largely elusive. Gene-expression data from a gastrulating human embryo shed light on this process.
Solid iodine transforms directly into gas when heated — a property that has been used to create cheap, compact engines that could make large networks of small satellites commercially viable.
The initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic saw an increase in calls to mental-health helplines in 19 countries. Helpline-call data can be used to monitor distress at a population level in near-real time.
This Review discusses the exciton physics of transition metal dichalcogenides, focusing on moiré patterns and exciton many-body physics, and outlines future research directions in the field.
A triangulation of linguistic, archaeological and genetic data suggests that the Transeurasian language family originated in a population of grain farmers in China around 9,000 years ago, and that agriculture underpinned its spread.
Palaeoclimate data and models have been used to produce a comprehensive report of Earth’s temperature changes over the past 24 millennia. The results suggest that modern warming differs from the gradual rise of the past 10,000 years.
Neurons in a brain region called the hippocampus were found to be selectively active when rats are in a specific spatial location during natural navigation. The discovery launched research efforts into how the brain supports spatial memory.
Mice in which organelles called mitochondria are disrupted in vulnerable neuronal cells provide a new model of Parkinson’s disease. The pattern of neurodegeneration challenges long-held ideas about the disease’s motor symptoms.
Analysis of immune cells shows that, unexpectedly, B cells secrete GABA, a molecule best known as a neurotransmitter. B-cell-derived GABA can modulate immune responses against tumours, raising the prospect of new therapies.
Reaching a deeper understanding of the ocean ecosystems that maintain whales might aid conservation efforts. Measurements of the animals’ krill intake indicate that previous figures were substantial underestimates.
How underwater seagrasses obtain the nitrogen they need has been unclear. Evidence has now emerged of a partnership with a bacterium that might be analogous to the system used by many land plants to gain nitrogen.
Variants of the melanocortin 3 receptor are associated with delayed puberty and reduced growth, suggesting that this receptor might integrate signals of metabolic status that affect body growth and sexual maturation.
Entering your personal identification number using the keypad of a cash machine is notoriously insecure. A clever application of the special theory of relativity could make identification safer.
To respond better to future pandemics, we must understand how the SARS-CoV-2 virus dispersed so rapidly. A model of COVID-19 spread sheds light on cryptic transmission, undetected by surveillance efforts, in early 2020.
An inventory of the world’s solar-panel installations has been produced with the help of machine learning, revealing many more than had previously been recorded. The results will inform efforts to meet global targets for solar-energy use.
