Research highlights.

The article highlights several research projects in different fields of science. Monte Carlo simulations are often used to look for equilibrium states in systems with many interacting components. Cells resting on stiff surfaces are better at taking up genes delivered by non-viral carriers; they also express these genes more readily. Bacteria induce mutations in their genome when put under stress. This finding might offer a way to combat the emergence of antibiotic resistance. Plants can be useful factories for manufacturing foreign proteins. But permanently modified crops carry environmental risks, and transient infection with a transgene is too inefficient to be of industrial use.