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Strange protrusions have been observed growing between cells. Often referred to as ‘tunnelling nanotubes’ or ‘membrane nanotubes’, their biological significance is not yet clear. Are these a previously unknown method of cell communication? Or an insignificant anomaly?

Find out more and hear from the scientists who study this mysterious phenomenon at http://www.nature.com/news/1.22645

Special thanks to Karine Gousset and Chiara Zurzolo for providing many of the video clips seen in this video. You can read more about this work at http://www.nature.com/ncb/journal/v11...

20th September 2017

Ulcerative colitis is a common form of inflammatory bowel disease. For many people with the condition, widely prescribed anti-inflammatory or immunosuppressive drugs do not remain effective for long, and up to 15% of patients will need surgery to remove all or part of the colon within 20 years of diagnosis. This animation explores how insights into the immunobiology of ulcerative colitis are helping researchers to develop innovative treatments.

Read some in-depth articles on ulcerative colitis at https://www.nature.com/collections/ul...

This Nature Video is editorially independent. It is produced with third party financial support. Read more about Supported Content here: https://partnerships.nature.com/comme...

7th November 2018

For years, scientists have wanted to create flying robotic vehicles the size of insects. The tricky bit has been building something that can produce enough thrust while still being light enough to fly, without being tethered to an external power source. Now, a group of researchers have hit on a new design. At half the weight of a paper clip, 'RoboBee X-wing' has achieved untethered flight using ultra-lightweight solar cells, powering piezoelectric actuators, via a stripped down circuit board. This technology is in its infancy, but could pave the way for a new generation of miniature drones. Researchers hope these insect-bots could manoeuvre around much more cramped spaces than conventional, larger drones, potentially helping with environmental and disaster monitoring.

Read the paper here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s4158...

26th June 2019

How do different cultures value human life? To find out, researchers created a viral online experiment to gather data from millions of participants across the world. Some values generalised across cultures, but others came as a surprise. Find out more in this Nature Video.

Take part in the experiment here: http://moralmachine.mit.edu

Find the original research paper here: https://www.nature.com/articles/s4158...

*CORRECTION* The spelling of Massachusetts at 00:38 is incorrect. We regret the error.

Fire ants work together to build complex structures out of their own bodies. Research that reveals the simple rules behind this behaviour could be used to inform robotics.

Read more at http://www.nature.com/news/1.22290

12th July 2017