Archivo: Nature News

The secret forces that squeeze and pull life into shape
Scientists are getting to grips with the role of mechanical forces in the body, from embryo to adult.

Search for better COVID vaccines confounded by existing rollouts
As placebo-controlled testing falls out of favour, vaccine developers eye blood markers and challenge trials to assess next-generation candidates.

Will increasing traffic to the Moon contaminate its precious ice?
Scientists seek guidance on exploring frozen caches at the lunar poles responsibly.

Prestigious AI meeting takes steps to improve ethics of research
For the first time, the organizers of NeurIPS required speakers to consider the societal impact of their work.

The science events to watch for in 2021
Climate change and COVID-19 vaccines are among the themes set to shape research.

What’s your risk of catching COVID? These tools help you to find out
A look at apps that predict the chance of infection and illness depending on what you’re doing and where you are.

The lightning-fast quest for COVID vaccines — and what it means for other diseases
The speedy approach used to tackle SARS-CoV-2 could change the future of vaccine science.

Is lightning striking the Arctic more than ever before?
Team detects a huge increase and says it could be due to climate change, but others can’t confirm the findings.

Asteroid dust recovered from Japan’s daring Hayabusa2 mission
Scientists hope the dark grains from asteroid Ryugu will improve their understanding of the Solar System’s formation.

How the first life on Earth survived its biggest threat — water
Living things depend on water, but it breaks down DNA and other key molecules. So how did the earliest cells deal with the water paradox?