nature alert

A little knowledge ▶

The Japanese authorities have done well in releasing copious amounts of crude data on the nuclear crisis. But it is imperative for the data to be provided in more meaningful and user-friendly ways. Read Editorial ▶

This is not a drill ▶

Worst-case scenarios happen. We must prepare for them and be able to respond. Read Editorial ▶

Universal truths ▶

Rejection of broad commonality in structure of languages has implications for all sciences. Read Editorial ▶

Governments must pay for clean-energy innovation ▶

The current obsession with nuclear power is a red herring, says Marty Hoffert. The United States and others should instead invest in a clean-energy revolution. Read Column ▶

Seven days: 14 April 2011 ▶

The week in science Read Seven Days ▶

Japan faces power struggle ▶

Climate goals in doubt as fossil fuels come to the fore in fight to meet electricity demand. Read News ▶

Radiation release will hit marine life ▶

Researchers call for extensive surveys to gauge ecological effects of Fukushima. Read News ▶

Fukushima set for epic clean-up ▶

Latest data suggest a Chernobyl-like effort will be needed. Read News ▶

US legislation aims to simplify rules for inventors ▶

Bill aims to reduce costly lawsuits by changing how rights to innovations are awarded. Read News ▶

Fossil data enter the web period ▶

Palaeontologists call for more sharing of raw information. Read News ▶

Oil spill: Deep wounds ▶

The Gulf of Mexico oil spill set records for its size and depth. A year on, the biggest impacts seem to be where they are hardest to spot. Read Feature ▶

Neuroscience: Brain buzz ▶

Scientists reviving a decades-old technique for brain stimulation have found that it can boost learning. So what else can be done with some wires and a nine-volt battery? Read Feature ▶

Too much of a good thing ▶

Curbing nitrogen emissions is a central environmental challenge for the twenty-first century, argue Mark Sutton and his colleagues. Read Comment ▶

A frozen hell ▶

A year after the oil blowout in the Gulf of Mexico, Jeffrey Short and Susan Murray call for action to prevent an even more nightmarish scenario: a spill in the Arctic. Read Comment ▶

Shake-up time for Japanese seismology ▶

Robert J. Geller calls on Japan to stop using flawed methods for long-term forecasts and to scrap its system for trying to predict the 'Tokai earthquake'. Read Comment ▶

Medicine: Blood feud ▶

A history of early transfusions mixes experiment and ethics with Anglo-French rivalry, finds W. F. Bynum Read Books and Arts ▶

Books in brief ▶

Read Books and Arts ▶

Neuroethics: The origins of morality ▶

Our values may have biological roots, finds Adina Roskies, but we still need philosophy. Read Books and Arts ▶

Biotechnology: DIY biology ▶

Bart Penders relishes an account of 'biohackers' who experiment beyond the confines of the lab. Read Books and Arts ▶

Theatre: Newton's rainbow ▶

A biographical play reveals the odd character of the father of gravity, finds Philip Ball. Read Books and Arts ▶

FDA not NIH can speed new drugs ▶

Henry I. Miller Read Correspondence ▶

Libyan uprising may boost bluefin tuna ▶

David Grémillet & Amélie Lescroël Read Correspondence ▶

Predicting the threat of nuclear disasters ▶

A. M. Celâl Şengör Read Correspondence ▶

Regional drought has a global impact ▶

Troy Sternberg Read Correspondence ▶

Simon van der Meer (1925–2011) ▶

Engineer whose invention enabled the discovery of the W and Z particles. Read Obituary ▶

Correction ▶

Read Correction ▶

Holocene Southern Ocean surface temperature variability west of the Antarctic Peninsula ▶

Read Erratum ▶

H2AX prevents CtIP-mediated DNA end resection and aberrant repair in G1-phase lymphocytes ▶

Read Erratum ▶

Mediator and cohesin connect gene expression and chromatin architecture ▶

Read Corrigendum ▶

Transitional mammalian middle ear from a new Cretaceous Jehol eutriconodont ▶

Jin Meng, Yuanqing Wang & Chuankui Li

The transference of post-dentary jaw elements to the cranium of mammals as audit... Read Research ▶

Loss-of-function mutations in sodium channel Na_v1.7 cause anosmia ▶

Jan Weiss, Martina Pyrski, Eric Jacobi, Bernd Bufe, Vivienne Willnecker et al.

Loss of function of the gene SCN9A, encoding the voltage-gated sodium channel Na... Read Research ▶

Cortical representations of olfactory input by trans-synaptic tracing ▶

Kazunari Miyamichi, Fernando Amat, Farshid Moussavi, Chen Wang, Ian Wickersham et al.

In the mouse, each class of olfactory receptor neurons expressing a given odoran... Read Research ▶

Distinct representations of olfactory information in different cortical centres ▶

Dara L. Sosulski, Maria Lissitsyna Bloom, Tyler Cutforth, Richard Axel & Sandeep Robert Datta

Sensory information is transmitted to the brain where it must be processed to tr... Read Research ▶

Sensory maps in the olfactory cortex defined by long-range viral tracing of single neurons ▶

Sulagna Ghosh, Stephen D. Larson, Hooman Hefzi, Zachary Marnoy, Tyler Cutforth et al.

Sensory information may be represented in the brain by stereotyped mapping of ax... Read Research ▶

Recapitulation of premature ageing with iPSCs from Hutchinson–Gilford progeria syndrome ▶

Guang-Hui Liu, Basam Z. Barkho, Sergio Ruiz, Dinh Diep, Jing Qu et al.

Hutchinson–Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is a rare and fatal human pr... Read Research ▶

Amyloid-binding compounds maintain protein homeostasis during ageing and extend lifespan ▶

Silvestre Alavez, Maithili C. Vantipalli, David J. S. Zucker, Ida M. Klang & Gordon J. Lithgow

Genetic studies indicate that protein homeostasis is a major contributor to meta... Read Research ▶

Structure of mammalian AMPK and its regulation by ADP ▶

Bing Xiao, Matthew J. Sanders, Elizabeth Underwood, Richard Heath, Faith V. Mayer et al.

The heterotrimeric AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has a key role in regulat... Read Research ▶

Structural basis for recognition of centromere histone variant CenH3 by the chaperone Scm3 ▶

Zheng Zhou, Hanqiao Feng, Bing-Rui Zhou, Rodolfo Ghirlando, Kaifeng Hu et al.

The centromere is a unique chromosomal locus that ensures accurate segregation o... Read Research ▶

A conserved mechanism of DEAD-box ATPase activation by nucleoporins and InsP₆ in mRNA export ▶

Ben Montpetit, Nathan D. Thomsen, Kara J. Helmke, Markus A. Seeliger, James M. Berger et al.

Superfamily 1 and superfamily 2 RNA helicases are ubiquitous messenger-RNA|[ndas... Read Research ▶

Structure and mechanism of the uracil transporter UraA ▶

Feiran Lu, Shuo Li, Yang Jiang, Jing Jiang, He Fan et al.

The nucleobase/ascorbate transporter (NAT) proteins, also known as nucleobase/ca... Read Research ▶

TET1 and hydroxymethylcytosine in transcription and DNA methylation fidelity ▶

Kristine Williams, Jesper Christensen, Marianne Terndrup Pedersen, Jens V. Johansen, Paul A. C. Cloos et al.

Enzymes catalysing the methylation of the 5-position of cytosine (mC) have essen... Read Research ▶

Modelling schizophrenia using human induced pluripotent stem cells ▶

Kristen J. Brennand, Anthony Simone, Jessica Jou, Chelsea Gelboin-Burkhart, Ngoc Tran et al.

Schizophrenia (SCZD) is a debilitating neurological disorder with a world-wide p... Read Research ▶

Evolved structure of language shows lineage-specific trends in word-order universals ▶

Michael Dunn, Simon J. Greenhill, Stephen C. Levinson & Russell D. Gray

Languages vary widely but not without limit. The central goal of linguistics is ... Read Research ▶

Earth’s earliest non-marine eukaryotes ▶

Paul K. Strother, Leila Battison, Martin D. Brasier & Charles H. Wellman

The existence of a terrestrial Precambrian (more than 542 Myr ago) biot... Read Research ▶

Functional specificity of local synaptic connections in neocortical networks ▶

Ho Ko, Sonja B. Hofer, Bruno Pichler, Katherine A. Buchanan, P. Jesper Sjöström et al.

Neuronal connectivity is fundamental to information processing in the brain. The... Read Research ▶

A diverse range of gene products are effectors of the type I interferon antiviral response ▶

John W. Schoggins, Sam J. Wilson, Maryline Panis, Mary Y. Murphy, Christopher T. Jones et al.

The type I interferon response protects cells against invading viral pathogens. ... Read Research ▶

CPEB and two poly(A) polymerases control miR-122 stability and p53 mRNA translation ▶

David M. Burns, Andrea D’Ambrogio, Stephanie Nottrott & Joel D. Richter

Cytoplasmic polyadenylation-induced translation controls germ cell development, ... Read Research ▶

Ancestral polyploidy in seed plants and angiosperms ▶

Yuannian Jiao, Norman J. Wickett, Saravanaraj Ayyampalayam, André S. Chanderbali, Lena Landherr et al.

Whole-genome duplication (WGD), or polyploidy, followed by gene loss and diploid... Read Research ▶

A system for the continuous directed evolution of biomolecules ▶

Kevin M. Esvelt, Jacob C. Carlson & David R. Liu

Laboratory evolution has generated many biomolecules with desired properties, bu... Read Research ▶

Does blending of chlorophyll data bias temporal trend? ▶

David L. Mackas

Arising from D. G. Boyce, M. R. Lewis & B. Worm Nature 466, 591–596 (201...Phytoplankton account for about half of global and nearly all of marine primary ... Read Research ▶

A measured look at ocean chlorophyll trends ▶

Ryan R. Rykaczewski & John P. Dunne

Arising from D. G. Boyce, M. R. Lewis & B. Worm Nature 466, 591–596 (201...Identifying major changes in global ecosystem properties is essential to improve... Read Research ▶

Is there a decline in marine phytoplankton? ▶

Abigail McQuatters-Gollop, Philip C. Reid, Martin Edwards, Peter H. Burkill, Claudia Castellani et al.

Arising from D. G. Boyce, M. R. Lewis & B. Worm Nature 466, 591–596 (201...Phytoplankton account for approximately 50% of global primary production, form t... Read Research ▶

Boyce et al. reply ▶

Daniel G. Boyce, Marlon R. Lewis & Boris Worm

Replying to A. McQuatters-Gollop et al. ... Read Research ▶

H2AX prevents CtIP-mediated DNA end resection and aberrant repair in G1-phase lymphocytes ▶

Beth A. Helmink, Anthony T. Tubbs, Yair Dorsett, Jeffrey J. Bednarski, Laura M.Walker et al.

Read Research ▶

Mediator and cohesin connect gene expression and chromatin architecture ▶

Michael H. Kagey, Jamie J. Newman, Steve Bilodeau, Ye Zhan, David A. Orlando et al.

Read Research ▶

Neuroscience: Channelopathies have many faces ▶

Stephen G. Waxman

A sodium channel known for its role in the perception of pain also seems to be n... Read Research ▶

Mammalian evolution: A jaw-dropping ear ▶

Anne Weil

A fossil from the Early Cretaceous provides insight into the evolution of the he... Read Research ▶

Signal transduction: How cells sense energy ▶

D. Grahame Hardie

Maintaining an optimal cellular energy status requires sensing the levels of the... Read Research ▶

Biomechanics: Swimming in the Sahara ▶

Stephanie B. Crofts & Adam P. Summers

The sandfish, a type of desert lizard, can vanish into a sandy substrate in a bl... Read Research ▶

Host–microbe interaction: Innate immunity cues virulence ▶

Michelle M. C. Buckner & B. Brett Finlay

Salmonella intestinal pathogens employ a clever trick. They use the immune respo... Read Research ▶

Ecology: Hidden in plain sight ▶

 Read News and Comment ▶

Genetics: Map of missing and extra DNA ▶

 Read News and Comment ▶

Ecology: Animals go 'blue' with temperature ▶

 Read News and Comment ▶

Animal behaviour: Birds with beauty — and brains ▶

 Read News and Comment ▶

Immunology: Saturated fats up inflammation ▶

 Read News and Comment ▶

Cancer: Stem-cell genes linked to relapse ▶

 Read News and Comment ▶

Molecular biology: No DNA needed, RNA goes solo ▶

 Read News and Comment ▶

A frozen hell ▶

A year after the oil blowout in the Gulf of Mexico, Jeffrey Short and Susan Murray call for action to prevent an even more nightmarish scenario: a spill in the Arctic. Read News and Comment ▶

Medicine: Blood feud ▶

A history of early transfusions mixes experiment and ethics with Anglo-French rivalry, finds W. F. Bynum Read News and Comment ▶

Books in brief ▶

 Read News and Comment ▶

Neuroethics: The origins of morality ▶

Our values may have biological roots, finds Adina Roskies, but we still need philosophy. Read News and Comment ▶

Biotechnology: DIY biology ▶

Bart Penders relishes an account of 'biohackers' who experiment beyond the confines of the lab. Read News and Comment ▶

FDA not NIH can speed new drugs ▶

 Henry I. Miller Read News and Comment ▶

Predicting the threat of nuclear disasters ▶

 A. M. Celâl Şengör Read News and Comment ▶

More News & Comment on Biological Sciences ▶

Amyloid-binding compounds maintain protein homeostasis during ageing and extend lifespan ▶

Silvestre Alavez, Maithili C. Vantipalli, David J. S. Zucker, Ida M. Klang & Gordon J. Lithgow

Genetic studies indicate that protein homeostasis is a major contributor to meta... Read Research ▶

Structure of mammalian AMPK and its regulation by ADP ▶

Bing Xiao, Matthew J. Sanders, Elizabeth Underwood, Richard Heath, Faith V. Mayer et al.

The heterotrimeric AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) has a key role in regulat... Read Research ▶

Structural basis for recognition of centromere histone variant CenH3 by the chaperone Scm3 ▶

Zheng Zhou, Hanqiao Feng, Bing-Rui Zhou, Rodolfo Ghirlando, Kaifeng Hu et al.

The centromere is a unique chromosomal locus that ensures accurate segregation o... Read Research ▶

A conserved mechanism of DEAD-box ATPase activation by nucleoporins and InsP₆ in mRNA export ▶

Ben Montpetit, Nathan D. Thomsen, Kara J. Helmke, Markus A. Seeliger, James M. Berger et al.

Superfamily 1 and superfamily 2 RNA helicases are ubiquitous messenger-RNA|[ndas... Read Research ▶

A system for the continuous directed evolution of biomolecules ▶

Kevin M. Esvelt, Jacob C. Carlson & David R. Liu

Laboratory evolution has generated many biomolecules with desired properties, bu... Read Research ▶

Signal transduction: How cells sense energy ▶

D. Grahame Hardie

Maintaining an optimal cellular energy status requires sensing the levels of the... Read Research ▶

Spectroscopy: A closer look at polymer annealing ▶

Yi Fu & Joseph R. Lakowicz

Solvent vapour annealing processes are used to optimize the material properties ... Read Research ▶

More News & Comment on Chemical Sciences ▶

Magneto-thermal convection in solar prominences ▶

Thomas Berger, Paola Testa, Andrew Hillier, Paul Boerner, Boon Chye Low et al.

Coronal cavities are large low-density regions formed by hemispheric-scale magne... Read Research ▶

Universal spin transport in a strongly interacting Fermi gas ▶

Ariel Sommer, Mark Ku, Giacomo Roati & Martin W. Zwierlein

Transport of fermions, particles with half-integer spin, is central to many fiel... Read Research ▶

Transient ferromagnetic-like state mediating ultrafast reversal of antiferromagnetically coupled spins ▶

I. Radu, K. Vahaplar, C. Stamm, T. Kachel, N. Pontius et al.

Ferromagnetic or antiferromagnetic spin ordering is governed by the exchange int... Read Research ▶

Atomic physics: A route to quantum magnetism ▶

Ian B. Spielman

The trend towards using ultracold atoms as simulators of condensed-matter and ma... Read Research ▶

Quantum simulation of antiferromagnetic spin chains in an optical lattice ▶

Jonathan Simon, Waseem S. Bakr, Ruichao Ma, M. Eric Tai, Philipp M. Preiss et al.

Understanding exotic forms of magnetism in quantum mechanical systems is a centr... Read Research ▶

A measured look at ocean chlorophyll trends ▶

Ryan R. Rykaczewski & John P. Dunne

Arising from D. G. Boyce, M. R. Lewis & B. Worm Nature 466, 591–596 (201...Identifying major changes in global ecosystem properties is essential to improve... Read Research ▶

Is there a decline in marine phytoplankton? ▶

Abigail McQuatters-Gollop, Philip C. Reid, Martin Edwards, Peter H. Burkill, Claudia Castellani et al.

Arising from D. G. Boyce, M. R. Lewis & B. Worm Nature 466, 591–596 (201...Phytoplankton account for approximately 50% of global primary production, form t... Read Research ▶

Boyce et al. reply ▶

Daniel G. Boyce, Marlon R. Lewis & Boris Worm

Replying to A. McQuatters-Gollop et al. ... Read Research ▶

Holocene Southern Ocean surface temperature variability west of the Antarctic Peninsula ▶

A. E. Shevenell, A. E. Ingalls, E. W. Domack & C. Kelly

Read Research ▶

Atomic physics: Spin drag in a perfect fluid ▶

John E. Thomas

Beautiful experiments in an ultracold, strongly interacting atomic Fermi gas rev... Read Research ▶

Biomechanics: Swimming in the Sahara ▶

Stephanie B. Crofts & Adam P. Summers

The sandfish, a type of desert lizard, can vanish into a sandy substrate in a bl... Read Research ▶

Spectroscopy: A closer look at polymer annealing ▶

Yi Fu & Joseph R. Lakowicz

Solvent vapour annealing processes are used to optimize the material properties ... Read Research ▶

Atomic physics: A route to quantum magnetism ▶

Ian B. Spielman

The trend towards using ultracold atoms as simulators of condensed-matter and ma... Read Research ▶

Materials science: Fabricating a graphene foam ▶

 Read News and Comment ▶

Climate change: Cold spells in a warm world ▶

 Read News and Comment ▶

Nanotechnology: Laser from a tiny wire ▶

 Read News and Comment ▶

Too much of a good thing ▶

Curbing nitrogen emissions is a central environmental challenge for the twenty-first century, argue Mark Sutton and his colleagues. Read News and Comment ▶

Books in brief ▶

 Read News and Comment ▶

Theatre: Newton's rainbow ▶

A biographical play reveals the odd character of the father of gravity, finds Philip Ball. Read News and Comment ▶

Simon van der Meer (1925–2011) ▶

Engineer whose invention enabled the discovery of the W and Z particles. Read News and Comment ▶

Turning point: Giovanna Tinetti ▶

Planetary scientist's mission to search for life on other planets gets the green light. Read Careers ▶

More News & Comment on Physical Sciences ▶

Transitional mammalian middle ear from a new Cretaceous Jehol eutriconodont ▶

Jin Meng, Yuanqing Wang & Chuankui Li

The transference of post-dentary jaw elements to the cranium of mammals as audit... Read Research ▶

Redox freezing and melting in the Earth’s deep mantle resulting from carbon–iron redox coupling ▶

Arno Rohrbach & Max W. Schmidt

Very low seismic velocity anomalies in the Earth’s mantle may reflect sm... Read Research ▶

Shake-up time for Japanese seismology ▶

Robert J. Geller

Robert J. Geller calls on Japan to stop using flawed methods for long-term forec... Read News and Comment ▶

Earth’s earliest non-marine eukaryotes ▶

Paul K. Strother, Leila Battison, Martin D. Brasier & Charles H. Wellman

The existence of a terrestrial Precambrian (more than 542 Myr ago) biot... Read Research ▶

Does blending of chlorophyll data bias temporal trend? ▶

David L. Mackas

Arising from D. G. Boyce, M. R. Lewis & B. Worm Nature 466, 591–596 (201...Phytoplankton account for about half of global and nearly all of marine primary ... Read Research ▶

A measured look at ocean chlorophyll trends ▶

Ryan R. Rykaczewski & John P. Dunne

Arising from D. G. Boyce, M. R. Lewis & B. Worm Nature 466, 591–596 (201...Identifying major changes in global ecosystem properties is essential to improve... Read Research ▶

Is there a decline in marine phytoplankton? ▶

Abigail McQuatters-Gollop, Philip C. Reid, Martin Edwards, Peter H. Burkill, Claudia Castellani et al.

Arising from D. G. Boyce, M. R. Lewis & B. Worm Nature 466, 591–596 (201...Phytoplankton account for approximately 50% of global primary production, form t... Read Research ▶

Boyce et al. reply ▶

Daniel G. Boyce, Marlon R. Lewis & Boris Worm

Replying to A. McQuatters-Gollop et al. ... Read Research ▶

Holocene Southern Ocean surface temperature variability west of the Antarctic Peninsula ▶

A. E. Shevenell, A. E. Ingalls, E. W. Domack & C. Kelly

Read Research ▶

Climate change: Cold spells in a warm world ▶

 Read News and Comment ▶

Too much of a good thing ▶

Curbing nitrogen emissions is a central environmental challenge for the twenty-first century, argue Mark Sutton and his colleagues. Read News and Comment ▶

A frozen hell ▶

A year after the oil blowout in the Gulf of Mexico, Jeffrey Short and Susan Murray call for action to prevent an even more nightmarish scenario: a spill in the Arctic. Read News and Comment ▶

Books in brief ▶

 Read News and Comment ▶

Libyan uprising may boost bluefin tuna ▶

 David Grémillet & Amélie Lescroël Read News and Comment ▶

Turning point: Giovanna Tinetti ▶

Planetary scientist's mission to search for life on other planets gets the green light. Read Careers ▶

More News & Comment on Earth & Environmental Sciences ▶

Consulting: Juggling act ▶

US scientists who take on consultancy can gain experience, supplement their income — and face logistical challenges. Read Careers ▶

Turning point: Giovanna Tinetti ▶

Planetary scientist's mission to search for life on other planets gets the green light. Read Careers ▶

A little knowledge ▶

The Japanese authorities have done well in releasing copious amounts of crude data on the nuclear crisis. But it is imperative for the data to be provided in more meaningful and user-friendly ways. Read News and Comment ▶

This is not a drill ▶

Worst-case scenarios happen. We must prepare for them and be able to respond. Read News and Comment ▶

Governments must pay for clean-energy innovation ▶

The current obsession with nuclear power is a red herring, says Marty Hoffert. The United States and others should instead invest in a clean-energy revolution. Read News and Comment ▶

Japan faces power struggle ▶

Climate goals in doubt as fossil fuels come to the fore in fight to meet electricity demand. Read News and Comment ▶

FDA not NIH can speed new drugs ▶

Read News and Comment ▶

Predicting the threat of nuclear disasters ▶

Read News and Comment ▶

Regional drought has a global impact ▶

Read News and Comment ▶

International PhD Studies in Fundamental Problems of Quantum Gravity and Quantum Field Theory

Foundation for Polish Science FinlandFranceUnited States

European Field Service Engineer - radiotherapy (X-Rays, MRI, NMR, CT Scan)

TOMOTHERAPY Belgium

ESR Marie Curie Fellowship

University of Oxford Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford OX3 9DS

Postgraduate or Postdoctoral position on the topic: "synthesis of stimuli responsive nanogel combined with inorganic nanoparticles"

Italian Institute of Technology (IIT) Genova (Italy)

Functional Genomics and Systems Biology

13.-22.06.11 Hinxton, UK