Biology

The immune system protects us from a full spectrum of pathogens, but without balance, it can end up hurting us over time, too. The immunologist Shruti Naik explains how our defenses can turn on us.

Traits from RNA molecules passed between multiple generations of worms can work with genetic changes to influence future evolution.

Life could use a more expansive genetic code in theory, but new work shows that improving on three-letter codons would be a challenge.

The optical properties of mitochondrial bundles in the retina may improve how efficiently the eye captures light.

With self-generated gradients of chemicals and physical tension, cells in the body steer themselves to vital destinations.

The reasons why sleep is so vital often hide in unexpected parts of the body, as host Steven Strogatz discovers in conversations with researchers Dragana Rogulja and Alex Keene.

Dopamine, a neurochemical often associated with reward behavior, also seems to help organize precisely when the brain initiates movements. It’s the latest revelation about the power of neuromodulators.

The noted mathematician and author Steven Strogatz explains how the conversations with experts in his new Quanta Magazine podcast address his lifelong fascination with timeless mysteries.

Biomechanical interactions, rather than neurons, control the movements of one of the simplest animals. The discovery offers a glimpse into how animal behavior worked before neurons evolved.