Chang ­Chung-i and Wu Shih-­hsiung, research fellows at Academia Sinica’s Institute of Biological Chemistry, recently succeeded in resolving the structure of LonC protease, extracted from bacteria present in the hot springs of Wu­lai, south of Tai­pei. Their work has attracted lots of attention, especially since a representation of the protease structure appeared on the cover of the August 2013 issue of the prestigious Acta Crystallographica Section D, Biological Crystallography. The breakthrough solves a problem that had been vexing biochemists for over 30 years, and points the way to the possible ­development of new medicines.