Book excerpt: Helmut Sigel, Astrid Sigel and Roland K.O. Sigel, in close cooperation with John Wiley & Sons, launch a new Series “Metal Ions in Life Sciences”. The philosophy of the Series is based on the one successfully applied to a previous series published by another publisher, but the move from “biological systems” to “life sciences” will open the aims and scope and allow for the publication of books touching on the interface between chemistry, biology, pharmacology, biochemistry and medicine. Volume 2 focuses on the vibrant research area concerning nickel as well as its complexes and their role in Nature. With more than 2,800 references and over 130 illustrations, it is an essential resource for scientists working in the wide range from inorganic biochemistry all the way through to medicine. In 17 stimulating chapters, written by 47 internationally recognized experts, Nickel and Its Surprising Impact in Nature highlights critically the biogeochemistry of nickel, its role in the environment, in plants and cyanobacteria, as well as for the gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori, for gene expression and carcinogenensis. In addition, it covers the complex-forming properties of nickel with amino acids, peptides, phosphates, nucleotides, and nucleic acids. The volume also provides sophisticated insights in the recent progress made in understanding the role of nickel in enzymes such as ureases, hydrogenases, superoxide dismutases, acireductone dioxygenases, acetyl-coenzyme A synthases, carbon monoxide dehydrogenases, methyl-coenzyme M reductases...and it reveals the chaperones of nickel metabolism.