Biden Names Top Geneticist Eric Lander as Science Adviser
U.S. president-elect also elevates the position to the cabinet for the first time
Stories by Nature magazine
How COVID-19 is Changing the Cold and Flu Season
Measures meant to tame the coronavirus pandemic are quashing influenza and most other respiratory diseases, which could have wide-ranging implications
Could New COVID Variants Undermine Vaccines? Labs Scramble to Find Out
Researchers race to determine why variants identified in Britain and South Africa spread so quickly and whether they’ll compromise vaccines
Will Increasing Traffic to the Moon Contaminate Its Precious Ice?
Scientists seek guidance on exploring frozen caches at the lunar poles responsibly
A Virologist Helps Keep Uruguay Safe from COVID with a Homegrown Test
Gonzalo Moratorio assists his country in steering a more adept response than that mounted in Argentina and Brazil
What’s Your Risk of Catching COVID? These Tools Help You Find Out
A look at apps that predict the chance of infection and illness, depending on what you’re doing and where you are
Moderna COVID Vaccine Becomes Second to Get U.S. Authorization
Two RNA vaccines will be useful as U.S. infections surge, but the speedy authorizations complicate clinical trials
The Data on Coronavirus and Public Holidays
With the festive season ahead, Nature examines what is known about the risks of COVID spread and how researchers will spend their time off
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?
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
DeepMind’s AI Makes Gigantic Leap in Solving Protein Structures
Google’s deep-learning program for determining the 3-D shapes of proteins stands to transform biology, scientists say
Pandemic of Hunger
COVID-19 is straining African food security but also presents an opportunity for change
Legendary Arecibo Telescope Will Close Forever, and Scientists Are Reeling
A new satellite image reveals the damage that shut down the facility, ending an era in astronomical observation
Fast Coronavirus Tests: What They Can and Can’t Do
Rapid antigen tests are designed to tell in a few minutes whether someone is infectious. Will they be game changers?
The Antibiotic Gamble
Paratek Pharmaceuticals made a life-saving drug and got it approved. So why is the company’s long-term survival still in question?
Prospects for Life on Venus Fade—but Aren’t Dead Yet
Debate continues over a controversial report of phosphine in the planet’s atmosphere, as researchers reanalyze data and find a fainter signal
COVID Vaccine Excitement Builds as Moderna Reports Positive Result
Preliminary data show that the immunization is 94 percent effective and seems to prevent severe infections
China Set to Retrieve First Moon Rocks in 40 Years
Chang’e-5 has just one lunar day to collect material from a previously unexplored region of the moon’s near side
How to Stop Restaurants from Driving COVID Infections
Mobile phone data suggest restaurants, gyms and cafés can be COVID hotspots—and reveal strategies for limiting spread
Scientists Relieved as Joe Biden Wins Tight U.S. Presidential Election
The new president has the opportunity to reverse four years of anti-science policies—but he has a hard road ahead as he inherits a nation divided
