Snippets from Nature’s past.

Identifying nutrient dependencies of cancer cells is crucial for developing new therapies. The discovery that an aggressive type of cancer cell has a high uptake of vitamin B5 sheds light on the link between vitamin availability and tumour growth.

High-resolution structures of TAAR1 — the receptor bound by amphetamines and molecules called trace amines — reveal detailed interactions with ligand molecules that will inform efforts to design antipsychotic drugs.

Electron spin resonance is a standard method for studying the structure of chemical compounds, and it can also be used to control quantum spin states. Combining electron spin resonance with atomic force microscopy allows single spins to be manipulated in single molecules — with potential applications in quantum computing and elsewhere.