In a first, a study shows that bioluminescence can be controlled by slow-acting hormones, not rapid-fire nerve cells.

An ancient fly discovered trapped in amber sports a horn atop its head and topped with three eyes.

A protein splits carbon dioxide to give fizz its unique flavor. (p. 12)

Different types of light freeze and then reinvigorate roundworms fed a shape-changing molecule.

Ada Yonath, Thomas Steitz and Venkatraman Ramakrishnan will share the prize for unmasking the structure of the ribosome. (p. 14)

A new analysis suggests that ancient seed plants made a version of the fossilized resin credited to more modern relatives (p. 5)

A new study suggests these organisms could have kept oxygen levels low and waters toxic, stalling the evolution of complex life.

If he were starring in a campy horror flick, Tim Rowbotham might have gasped and whispered, “It’s alive!” As a microbiologist with Britain’s Public Health Laboratory Service, he had isolated an unknown microorganism from an amoeba growing in a water tower in Bradford, England. Rowbotham baptized the entity “Bradford coccus.” He added his new specimen to the collection of bacteria that live within amoebas and continued the search for the cause of a pneumonia outbreak plaguing the citizens of Bradford. But Rowbotham hadn’t discovered a bacterium. He had actually found a gigant... (p. 22)

New bonding suggests scientists may need to rethink heavy metal chemistry. (p. 13)

Study tracks European eels for the first 1,300 kilometers of their migration.

Study finds how proteins self assemble in the cells of Loligo squid to reflect different wavelengths of light (p. 13)

New study may help scientists improve control of invasive fire ants

Dyes on a new sensor react to correctly identify toxic chemicals, scientists find.

A new analysis finds that, as long as it peaks this winter, the H1N1 flu outbreak could be curtailed with a vaccination program that targets children first.