S@BL Suppositions

"Quest," derived from a Latin word for search, has been around in English since the 14th century. In the 21st century, in the San Francisco Bay Area, QUEST means a new approach to science education.

It sounds like a thriller, but it's real: The Seebeck Effect could produce clean energy from waste heat by turning temperature differences directly into electricity. Scientists have measured the Seebeck effect in cheap organics, which could overcome the inefficient processes and expensive materials which have prevented practical applications in the past.

Two hours after fertilization, a fruit fly's embryo is a hotbed of activity — and a favorite target of researchers studying gene expression and development. Scientists can now image the embryo in 3‑D at cellular resolution, as thousands of cell nuclei move over the surface and express the genes that shape the unfolding organism.

To trade nerve impulses, ions move in and out of neurons' membranes through channels equipped with voltage-sensing domains. Channels are controlled by a crucial segment that tunnels through the channel on a tilt, spiraling like a screw.

Biologists can insert DNA at numerous random locations in the fruit fly genome or target specific genes. Methods for manipulating genes are fast maturing; some techniques, like P[acman], can be adapted to many organisms, bringing precision gene engineering a step closer.