New forms of highly drug-resistant tuberculosis are emerging and action must be taken soon before they become widespread globally, says an editorial in this week's BMJ.

X-ray image of a seed with the seed-coat virtually removed showing the embryonic leaves (green) and stem (beige). Researchers from the CNRS, the University J. Fourier (UJF) of Grenoble and the ESRF have recently visualised a plant seed in 3D using synchrotron light. This new view has revealed that there is a network of voids between the cells which may be used for oxygen storage that is needed for efficient germination. It is the first time that a living organism is studied using the holotomography technique at a third generation synchrotron source. The team behind the discovery publishes its results in PNAS.

Easy availability of emergency contraception does not have a notable effect on rates of pregnancy and abortion, according to an editorial in this week's BMJ.

The most aggressively malignant cancer cells have a "toggle switch" that enables them to morph into highly mobile cells that invade other tissues and then nest comfortably in their new surroundings, a new study in rats suggests.

No one has ever seen exactly how water molecules interact with proteins – even though water is the essential element for life . . . that is, not until now.

In higher order animals, genetic information is passed from parents to offspring via sperm or eggs, also known as gametes. In some single-celled organisms, such as yeast, the genes can be passed to the next generation in spores. In both reproductive strategies, major physical changes occur in the genetic material after it has been duplicated and then halved on the way to the production of mature gametes or spores. Near the end of the process, the material – called chromatin, the substructure of chromosomes – becomes dramatically compacted, reduced in volume to as little as five percent of its original volume.

An international team of researchers has shed new light on how tiny molecular motors that transport materials within cells generate the energy that powers their movements.

Like a 1950's Detroit automaker, it appears that nature prefers to build its proteins around a solid, sturdy chassis.

The worlds of medical and biological research are abuzz with the promises offered by nanoparticles known as semiconductor quantum dots. These Quantum Dots (QDs) have unique optical and electronic properties that make them suitable for breakthrough treatments such as the detection and destruction of cancer cells.