Journal Articles
Human evolution: Old finger with modern traits
Human evolution: Old finger with modern traits
Nature 524, 7566 (2015). doi:10.1038/524391a
A 1.84-million-year-old finger bone from Tanzania is the oldest known hominin hand bone with human-like features.Ancient human relatives used stone tools 2 million to 3 million years ago, but had hands that were suited to living in trees. A team led by Manuel Domínguez-Rodrigo
Atmospheric science: Carbon dioxide levels peak up high
Atmospheric science: Carbon dioxide levels peak up high
Nature 524, 7566 (2015). doi:10.1038/524391b
The carbon dioxide concentration in Earth's upper atmosphere is increasing at more than twice the average rate observed at the surface.Jia Yue of Hampton University in Virginia and his colleagues analysed CO2 measurements at different atmospheric heights and latitudes between 2002 and
Medical microbiology: Lung pathogen evolves in isolation
Medical microbiology: Lung pathogen evolves in isolation
Nature 524, 7566 (2015). doi:10.1038/524391c
Bacteria that infect the lungs of people with cystic fibrosis evolve into different forms in various parts of the lungs.Pradeep Singh at the University of Washington in Seattle and his team dissected the infected lungs of ten people with the disease who were having
Information technology: Suspended rods serve as bits
Information technology: Suspended rods serve as bits
Nature 524, 7566 (2015). doi:10.1038/524391d
Rod-shaped nanoparticles suspended in water can store the zeroes and ones of digital computing on the basis of the rods' physical location.Most digital memories are made of solid matter. But Madhavi Krishnan at the University of Zurich in Switzerland and her colleagues stored bits
Astrophysics: Cosmic neutrinos abound
Astrophysics: Cosmic neutrinos abound
Nature 524, 7566 (2015). doi:10.1038/524391e
Super-high-energy neutrinos from outside the Milky Way pepper Earth from all directions.Neutrinos are created in the Universe's most violent environments and travel through it almost unimpeded, providing a way to study distant astronomical objects. A team at the IceCube Neutrino Observatory at the South
The week in science: 21–27 August 2015
The week in science: 21–27 August 2015
Nature 524, 7566 (2015). http://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/524392a
Endangered bird mix-up, methane emission restrictions, and ice lab drifts home
Biohackers gear up for genome editing
Biohackers gear up for genome editing
Nature 524, 7566 (2015). http://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/524398a
Author: Heidi Ledford
Amateurs are ready and able to try the CRISPR technique for rewriting genes.
How cities can beat the heat
How cities can beat the heat
Nature 524, 7566 (2015). http://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/524402a
Author: Hannah Hoag
Rising temperatures are threatening urban areas, but efforts to cool them may not work as planned.
Water and climate: Recognize anthropogenic drought
Water and climate: Recognize anthropogenic drought
Nature 524, 7566 (2015). doi:10.1038/524409a
Authors: Amir AghaKouchak, David Feldman, Martin Hoerling, Travis Huxman & Jay Lund
California's current extreme drought must be a lesson for managing water in a warmer, more densely populated world, say Amir AghaKouchak and colleagues.
History of science: The crucible of change
History of science: The crucible of change
Nature 524, 7566 (2015). doi:10.1038/524412a
Author: Philip Ball
Philip Ball gets to grips with a revolutionary history of the scientific revolution.
Digital privacy: Subverting surveillance
Digital privacy: Subverting surveillance
Nature 524, 7566 (2015). doi:10.1038/524413a
Author: Anthony King
Anthony King tours a playful exhibition that probes covert data collection and tracking.
Science fiction: Cosmology boot camp
Science fiction: Cosmology boot camp
Nature 524, 7566 (2015). doi:10.1038/524414a
Author: John Gilbey
John Gilbey goes on the road in the US far west to refine the science in his fiction.
Food production: Cut food waste to help feed world
Food production: Cut food waste to help feed world
Nature 524, 7566 (2015). doi:10.1038/524415a
Author: Don Gunasekera
Climate-proofing farms to help feed the world's expanding population needs to be complemented by global measures to cut food losses and waste (see Nature523, 396–397;10.1038/523396a2015).Roughly one-third of the food produced annually for human consumption — around
Neuroanatomy: Forgotten findings of brain lymphatics
Neuroanatomy: Forgotten findings of brain lymphatics
Nature 524, 7566 (2015). doi:10.1038/524415b
Authors: Éva Mezey & Miklós Palkovits
Antoine Louveau and colleagues describe lymphatic vessels in the central nervous system (Nature523, 337–341;10.1038/nature144322015), suggesting that “the unique location of these vessels may have impeded their discovery to date”. However, these findings are not without precedent.
Europe: Lifelong learning for all in biomedicine
Europe: Lifelong learning for all in biomedicine
Nature 524, 7566 (2015). doi:10.1038/524415c
Authors: Cath Brooksbank & Claire Johnson
Cross-disciplinary and team-based modern research is overwhelming established mechanisms for maintaining professional competency. This calls for a change to personnel training that is not limited to professors (see C. E.Leiserson and C.McVinneyNature523, 279–281;10.1038/523279a2015).
History: Physicist's death changed war policy
History: Physicist's death changed war policy
Nature 524, 7566 (2015). doi:10.1038/524415d
Author: Min-Liang Wong
Just over 100 years ago, on 10 August, the 27-year-old British physicist Henry Moseley was killed in the First World War at the battle of Gallipoli. His work on the X-ray spectra of atoms had already explained the basis of Dmitri Mendeleev's periodic table of
Offsets: Conservation served by flexibility
Offsets: Conservation served by flexibility
Nature 524, 7566 (2015). doi:10.1038/524415e
Authors: Jared J. Hardner, Raymond E. Gullison & Porter P. Lowry II
The debate over whether national protected areas are eligible for biodiversity-offset funding should factor in the different challenges and contexts for countries seeking to conserve their biodiversity (see M.Maronet al. Nature523, 401–403;10.1038/523401a2015).Offsets that
Yoichiro Nambu (1921–2015)
Yoichiro Nambu (1921–2015)
Nature 524, 7566 (2015). doi:10.1038/524416a
Author: Michael S. Turner
Visionary theorist who shaped modern particle physics.
Know your network
Know your network
Nature 524, 7566 (2015). doi:10.1038/nj7566-507a
Author: Peter Fiske
Seek and cultivate professional relationships to advance your career, says Peter Fiske.
Trade talk: Impact assessor
Trade talk: Impact assessor
Nature 524, 7566 (2015). doi:10.1038/nj7566-508a
Author: Monya Baker
Arie Meir describes his route from a PhD in biophysics to a leadership position assessing projects for the philanthropic arm of Google.