Science News

Rise of the coyote: The new top dog

Nature 485, 7398 (2012). http://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/485296a

Author: Sharon Levy

Shape-shifting coyotes have evolved to take advantage of a landscape transformed by people. Scientists are now discovering just how wily the creatures are.

Replication studies: Bad copy

Nature 485, 7398 (2012). http://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/485298a

Author: Ed Yong

In the wake of high-profile controversies, psychologists are facing up to problems with replication.

Correction

Nature 485, 7398 (2012). http://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/485295b

In the Editorial 'Price of freedom' (Nature485, 148; 2012), we stated that 'plenty of European scientists will be lost'. 'European scientists' should have been 'Europan science', as we meant to refer to science on the Jovian moon Europa.

Misplaced childhood

Nature 485, 7398 (2012). doi:10.1038/485279a

The US National Institutes of Health should rethink plans to limit a nationwide study of children. It must not miss a rare opportunity to probe the causes of childhood diseases.

Needless conflict

Nature 485, 7398 (2012). doi:10.1038/485279b

Independent experts should be kept from undue suspicion as well as undue influence.

Honest opinions

Nature 485, 7398 (2012). doi:10.1038/485280a

Proposals for a UK law on defamation highlight the power of scientific protest.

Reach out to defend evolution

Nature 485, 7398 (2012). http://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/485281a

Author: Russell Garwood

Creationists seize on any perceived gaps in our knowledge of evolutionary processes. But scientists can and should fight back, says Russell Garwood.

Planetary science: Planet-like asteroid

Nature 485, 7398 (2012). doi:10.1038/485282a

The giant asteroid Vesta resembles a planet more than it does other asteroids, according to Christopher Russell at the University of California, Los Angeles, and his colleagues. In six separate studies, the researchers report their analysis of data from NASA's Dawn spacecraft, which has been

Cancer: Environment of chemo success

Nature 485, 7398 (2012). doi:10.1038/485282b

A tumour's response to chemotherapy is shaped by interactions between the tumour and its microenvironment.Mikala Egeblad at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York and her colleagues used in vivo microscopy to monitor tumours' responses to the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin in mice. They

Environmental health: Less biodiversity, more allergies

Nature 485, 7398 (2012). doi:10.1038/485282c

A decrease in the amount of time spent in contact with the natural environment and changes in the population of microbes resident on the skin could be contributing to the increase in inflammatory disorders such as allergies.To test these ideas, Ilkka Hanski at the

Neuroscience: Anti-seizure drug boosts memory

Nature 485, 7398 (2012). doi:10.1038/485282d

One way to improve memory in people with a disorder that can precede Alzheimer's disease is to dampen activity in a part of the brain known as the hippocampus, rather than to boost it as previously thought.Michela Gallagher at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore,

Biomaterials: High-voltage plant proteins

Nature 485, 7398 (2012). doi:10.1038/485282e

Crystals of photosynthetic protein complexes extracted from plant cells can generate extraordinarily high voltages when placed on a conducting surface and stimulated by light.Each of the light-transducing complexes known as photosystem I can generate about 1 volt during photosynthesis in the plant. Nathan Nelson

Photonics: Solar panel in the eye

Nature 485, 7398 (2012). doi:10.1038/485283a

Special glasses that fire near-infrared signals onto a device implanted into the retina could one day help to restore vision in blind people. This system would require fewer implanted components such as wires and coils to power the device than other proposed retinal prostheses.James

Astronomy: Exoplanet signals ring true

Nature 485, 7398 (2012). doi:10.1038/485283b

Most candidate multi-planet systems spotted by the Kepler space telescope probably contain true exoplanets, according to a statistical analysis.Kepler spots potential planets beyond our Solar System by looking for tiny dips in brightness as the planets pass in front of their host stars. The

Anthropology: Ancient Mayan wall calendar

Nature 485, 7398 (2012). doi:10.1038/485283c

In an underground chamber in Guatemala, archaeologists have discovered the earliest evidence so far of Mayan astronomical tables: dates, numbers and depictions of lunar deities painted or carved on the walls some 1,200 years ago.William Saturno at Boston University in Massachusetts and his colleagues

Neuroscience: The neural core of consciousness

Nature 485, 7398 (2012). doi:10.1038/485283d

Highly read on www.jneurosci.org in April'Waking up' from an unconscious state requires the activation of only primitive areas deep in the brain — not the higher cortical areas indicated in previous studies on anaesthetized people.Harry Scheinin at the University of Turku in

Seven days: 11–17 May 2012

Nature 485, 7398 (2012). http://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/485284a

The week in science: Scientific journals to be protected in UK libel reform; Mars rover awakens; and the Global Fund emerges from a fund-raising crisis.

Child-study turmoil leaves bitter taste

Nature 485, 7398 (2012). http://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/485287a

Author: Meredith Wadman

Frustration mounts as ambitious US project is scaled back.

Messages from the early Universe

Nature 485, 7398 (2012). http://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/485290a

Author: Eric Hand

Bright and brief, γ-ray bursts hold clues to cosmic history.

Science policy: Beyond the great and good

Nature 485, 7398 (2012). doi:10.1038/485301a

Authors: Robert Doubleday & James Wilsdon

Chief scientific advisers need better support and networks to ensure that science advice to governments is robust, say Robert Doubleday and James Wilsdon.