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Representatives of diverse species from the plant kingdom. The genomes of thale cress (Arabidopsis thaliana), grape (Vitis viniferva), rice (Oryza sativa), and the moss Physcomitrella patens have been sequenced, and there is ongoing genetic research on apple (Malus domestica), rose (Rosa spp.), tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), Gerbera daisy (Gerbera hybrida), monkey flower (Mimulus lewisii), columbine (Aquilegia formosa), maize (Zea mays), wheat (Triticum aestivum), tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera), and the fern Ceratopteris richardii. The special section includes News stories and Perspectives exploring plant biology, ecology, economic applications, and the future of plant genomics research.

GM Crops: A World View
Science maps where genetically modified crops are grown and imported, as well as which countries avoid them.

Bypassing Medicine to Treat Diabetes
By altering the gut's production of hormones, gastric bypass surgery may be able to eliminate type 2 diabetes. But scientists worry that this radical operation can also cause dangerously low blood sugar.

Japanese Experts Steal a Glance at Once-Taboo Royal Tomb
Japan's key-shaped burial mounds offer tantalizing glimpses into prehistory. Researchers have been given access for the first time to those built for the imperial family.

Picking Up Evolution's Beat
Pardis Sabeti mixes geek cool with hot science as she studies how human populations have evolved to resist malaria and Lassa fever.

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