Better photocells from bigger Buckyballs

Building a Better World with Buckyballs

The 0 60 "buckyball" I a prominent member of the recently discovered family of fullerene molecules, is an unusual system with exciting properties. This contribution summarizes the present state of theoretical understanding of the equilibrium structure of carbon clusters, in particular the fullerenes, the optical properties of individual fullerene molecules, superconductivity in the alkali-inter...

Bigger isn't better

H IV-1 induces e x t e n s i v e changes in its host cell's nuclear pores, Monette et al. reveal. Like all viruses, HIV-1 hijacks the molecular machinery of its host cell to drive its own replication. One process disrupted by the virus is protein transport between the nucleus and cytoplasm. For example, HIV-1 prevents an RNA-binding protein called hnRNP A1 from entering the nucleus so that it c...

Are Bigger Brains Better?

Attempts to relate brain size to behaviour and cognition have rarely integrated information from insects with that from vertebrates. Many insects, however, demonstrate that highly differentiated motor repertoires, extensive social structures and cognition are possible with very small brains, emphasising that we need to understand the neural circuits, not just the size of brain regions, which un...

Bigger and better things.

Is bigger better?

What is medical science all about? Surely it is about the value chain, which begins with basic research and ends—if there is an end— with a useful product. There is a widespread perception that scientists do a lot of basic research, but neglect the application of their findings. To remedy this, a number of organizations and philanthropists have become dedicated advocates of applied or translati...