The ratio of helium isotopes in some oceanic volcanoes seemed to demand a reservoir of virgin primordial gas in the Earth's mantle. In fact, that might not be necessary — a relief for other geophysical models.

The myosins are a superfamily of protein motors. Analysis of their sequences in a wide range of organisms reveals an unexpected variety of domains, and provides insights into the nature of the earliest eukaryotes.

Reactions that produce only one of two mirror-image forms of a molecule are a hot topic in organic synthesis. A light-driven catalyst provides good results, and the technique could be generally applicable.