We will illustrate both the conserved and divergent properties of the tectum/superior colliculus through vertebrate evolution by comparing tectal processing in lampreys belonging to the oldest group of extant vertebrates, larval zebrafish, rodents, and other vertebrates including primates.Wolbachia bacteria are being widely released for suppression of dengue transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. Walker, Quek, Jeffries and colleagues present robust evidence for natural Wolbachia infections in malaria-vectoring Anopheles mosquitoes, paving the way for new Wolbachia-based interventions.Novel behaviors spread via social learning and may persist in groups even when alternative, more efficient solutions become available. PARP inhibitor A study in birds shows that adoption of more efficient behaviors can be achieved via population turnover as new group members learn and spread more efficient behaviors.In recent years, the diversity of eukaryotic microbes has been greatly expanded by recognising or discovering new major branches of the algal tree of life. A new study defines the phylogenetic home for an elusive marine planktonic lineage previously known only by plastidial rRNA genes, placing it in a new class of the phylum Haptophyta.Centrioles are microtubule-based organelles that are embedded within pericentriolar material (PCM). Together, they comprise the centrosome, a microtubule-organizing center. PCM can sometimes exist in the absence of centrioles, but a new example of acentriolar PCM in neurons offers deeper insight into the relationship between these two entities.Rats respond to the emotions of others. A new study reveals how their central amygdala uses such social information to selfishly trigger defences that adapt to the nature of the danger with all the hallmarks of true emotional contagion.Decision making is adaptive when our actions align with our goals. A new study shows that activity of dorsal raphe serotonin neurons is essential to adaptive decision making, permitting actions to reflect the current goal value.While cytoplasmic male sterility is used for breeding in many crops, it has proved difficult to implement in wheat. A new study identifying the key molecules and their mode of action in cytoplasmic male sterility provides new opportunities for wheat breeding.A new study explores the neural-circuit and synaptic processes that support the transition from general to specific aversive memory formation. A critical role for homeostatic synaptic down-scaling in shaping the specificity of an associative memory is identified.Cytoplasmic intermediate filaments affect cell shape and tissue integrity, and mutations in the proteins that make up these filaments contribute to many human diseases. A new study has identified a conserved protein, BBLN-1/bublin, that is important for intermediate filament organization.Violent behavior is the product of a diverse network of neural structures. A new study shows that the anterior cingulate cortex is important for helping to restrain overly aggressive acts, even within a fight, to ensure animals match their behavioral intensity with the challenge posed by their opponents.Human presence and activities shape African elephant movements more than water and food availability, restricting the area available for their survival.In natural, permanently frozen habitats, some organisms may be preserved for hundreds to tens of thousands of years. For example, stems of Antarctic moss were successfully regrown from an over millennium-old sample covered by ice for about 400 years1. Likewise, whole campion plants were regenerated from seed tissue preserved in relict 32,000-year-old permafrost2, and nematodes were revived from the permafrost of two localities in northeastern Siberia, with source sediments dated over 30,000 years BP3. Bdelloid rotifers, microscopic multicellular animals, are known for their ability to survive extremely low temperatures4. Previous reports suggest survival after six to ten years when frozen between -20° to 0°C4-6. Here, we report the survival of an obligate parthenogenetic bdelloid rotifer, recovered from northeastern Siberian permafrost radiocarbon-dated to ∼24,000 years BP. This constitutes the longest reported case of rotifer survival in a frozen state. We confirmed the finding by identifying rotifer actin gene sequences in a metagenome obtained from the same sample. By morphological and molecular markers, the discovered rotifer belongs to the genus Adineta, and aligns with a contemporary Adineta vaga isolate collected in Belgium. Experiments demonstrated that the ancient rotifer withstands slow cooling and freezing (∼1°C min-1) for at least seven days. We also show that a clonal culture can continuously reproduce in the laboratory by parthenogenesis.Single-stranded DNA breaks, or nicks, are amongst the most common forms of DNA damage in cells. They can be repaired by ligation; however, if a nick occurs just ahead of an approaching replisome, the outcome is a collapsed replication fork comprising a single-ended double-strand break and a ‘hybrid nick’ with parental DNA on one side and nascent DNA on the other (Figure 1A). We realized that in eukaryotic cells, where replication initiates from multiple replication origins, a fork from an adjacent origin can promote localized re-replication if the hybrid nick is ligated. We have modelled this situation with purified proteins in vitro and have found that there is, indeed, an additional hazard that eukaryotic replisomes face. We discuss how this problem might be mitigated.Finding order in disorder is a hallmark of science and art. In the time of Leonardo da Vinci, the schism between science and art had yet to arise. In fact, Leonardo freely used scientific methods for his art and vice versa; for example, when he used his observations of turbulent, whirling water to guide his artistic imagination. Half a millennium later, a cornerstone of modern biology is the continuing search for order in dynamic processes. In neuroscience, the search has focussed on understanding complex spacetime brain dynamics. Recently, turbulence has been shown to be a guiding principle underlying the necessary information processing, supporting Leonardo’s search for order in disorder. Here, we argue that Leonardo’s seminal insights have ongoing relevance for modern neuroscience.