Toolbox

New versions of the DNA editor CRISPR enable scientists to turn off specific genes in rats, detect mutations in human tissue and delete segments of the genome.

A new method restores blood flow and some functions in pig brains four hours after the animals have died.

An array of minute beads enables researchers to build precise maps of gene expression in the brain.

A new technique leads to neuron cultures of consistent quality, enabling scientists to study how autism mutations alter neurons.

A new method for growing brain organoids allows them to survive for up to a year — more than four times as long as is possible with other methods.

A new computational method sifts true mutations from spurious ones in a single cell’s genome.

A new magnetic resonance imaging machine has the power to reveal the brain’s structure and activity at unprecedented resolution.

Two imaging techniques together reveal architectural features of the brains of preterm infants.

A new parent questionnaire is the first test designed to gauge anxiety in children with autism.

An evaluation of 11 tests of social skills has identified 8 that give credible results in autistic adults.