It’s one of the first things any of us learn about astronomy – stars twinkle while planets don’t. However, other point-like objects in the radio sky also twinkle, or “scintillate,” including spinning neutron stars known as pulsars. A team led by Australian scientists has used a scintillating pulsar to perform a CT scan of the interstellar medium in our galaxy, mapping previously unseen layers of plasma, including within a rare structure called a bow shock.

In plants, the space between cells is a key battleground during infection. To avoid recognition in this space, a strain of the bacterial tomato disease Pseudomonas syringae manipulates plants by producing a substance called glycosyrin. This substance suppresses the immune response and allows the bacteria to remain unnoticed.

A new study led by the University of Oxford has revealed that glycosyrin does this by mimicking galactose, a simple sugar found in many living things – acting like a wolf in sheep’s clothing.