Sometimes we are forced to see things differently. But it is never easy because we are creatures of habit and, like it or not, shackled by what we were first led to believe. This is exactly what happened with the prion. .... More.
A fabric whose weave is slack is less resistant to strain than one whose knit is close. These physical principles of toughness are followed by Nature all the way down the molecular scale.... More.
Museums have their curators. Art galleries too. Their job is to look after collections they are knowledgeable about and present them to an audience in a way that makes sense and is informative. Biocurators do the same... More.
Outside, clouds glide across the horizon. A man on the street below seems in a hurry. Two cars and a lorry drive past him. And a sparrow lands on the windowsill. None of this may seem particularly eventful to you... More.
We take our shape for granted. As we do the contours of our eyes and the curves of our heart. But for everything to be sculpted the way Nature has found it best for us to be, cells need to know when to multiply... More.
The chances a cloud will remind you of the ocean are slim. Yet without oceans, there would be fewer clouds drifting above our heads. This is because these huge stretches of sea are full of tiny creatures ... More
We all know what happiness is. At least we know what it feels like to be happy. But the moment you begin to define it, things become complex... More
Protein Spotlight: Becoming two
2015-07-24
Long before complex life arose, bacteria had mastered the art of living. To survive, these single-celled organisms learned how to divide, with one cell giving rise to two, then two to four, and so on. It was a survival strategy.... More