A large genomic study reveals ancient demographic events that accompanied the transition to agriculture and changes in metallurgic practices in France by analyzing 243 individuals from archaeological sites representing a 7,000-year time span, from the Mesolithic period (before the onset of agriculture) to the Iron Age.

One of the most significant synthetic biology goals is the development of artificial lifelike structures that can reproduce themselves. One aspect of this is the self-replication of genomes that encode the blueprint of the whole system. We have now succeeded in reconstructing critical parts of this process in test tubes.

By leveraging spatial coherence in storm surge extremes, we have been able to quantify the likelihood of extreme events occurring along European coastlines with high precision, even at locations without historical sea-level data.

The recent discovery of a complete 375 million-year-old fossil from eastern Canada, Elpistostege watsoni, clarifies our understanding of the origin of digits and hands in tetrapods. This subject has puzzled evolutionary biologists for more than 150 years. The Devonian Elpistostege had digits embedded in its pectoral fin - a condition preceding the origin of hands in tetrapods.

Historically, violent conflicts tend to predominantly erupt in bad years, when droughts, floods, or heatwaves put the functioning of societies to the test. Does this mean that violent conflicts will become more frequent as extreme weather becomes increasingly common, globally, because of climate change?

Half the world's population is at risk of illness or death from malaria, dengue, and other mosquito-borne diseases. This study shows that mosquitos are able to travel hundreds of kilometers- far longer than previously expected- forcing us to rethink how mosquitoes and pathogens travel.