ATLAS publishes first paper on Public Engagement with Science - ATLAS Experiment at CERN

The protein catalogue gives a dynamic picture of the mitochondria, beyond what was known from humans and yeast. Credit: Dr David Furness/Keele University/SPLScientists have mapped in unprecedented detail the proteins that make up the mitochondria in six organisms — five single-celled parasites and one plant — spanning the eukaryotic tree of life. The findings, described in nine papers published in Cell, Cell Press Blue, Molecular Cell and Current Biology on 1 October1–9, reveal dozens of proteins that are not found in humans but are shared among parasites, including some that cause malaria or sleeping sickness. The findings might help scientists to devise new treatments for these illnesses. The work has also stirred a long-running debate about the origin of the mitochondrion. Cells are swapping their mitochondria. What does this mean for our health? Best known as the powerhouse of the eukaryotic cell because it produces energy, the mitochondrion has its own tiny DNA, which is distinct from that of the cell’s nucleus. But both mitochondrial and nuclear DNA encode the proteins that make up this organelle.

While the earliest lighthouses were little more than large bonfires on hilltops, their underlying principle has always been the same for thousands of years. These towering coastal sentinels have helped sailors from around the world navigate vast oceans, avoid dangerous shoals, and sometimes simply find their way home. However, it’s sometimes difficult to comprehend just how crucial the buildings remain for maritime crews—but one fascinating (and frequently hypnotic) online mapping project vividly illustrates humanity’s ongoing reliance on lighthouses. Each light blinks or spins at the same speed as its real lighthouse. Credit: Aaron Becker

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory researcher Isaiah Santistevan led the development of three-dimensional simulations exploring how a nuclear device could deflect or disrupt an asteroid threatening Earth. Credit: Blaise Douros/LLNL Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) researchers are developing three-dimensional simulations to examine how a nuclear device could be used to deflect or potentially disrupt an asteroid threatening Earth.