Animals
Pets’ rights explored in ‘Citizen Canine’
Science journalist David Grimm describes pet's progression towards full citizenship.
Reviews & Previews
Science Visualized
Life
A new twist on a twist
Nature abounds with perfect helices. They show up in animal horns and seashells, in DNA and the young tendrils of plants. But helix formation can get complicated: In some cases, the direction of rotation can reverse as a helix grows.
Notebook
Life
Polio could return after near eradication
Polio was considered eliminated in the United States by 1979, but since then vaccination rates have slipped, prompting concerns about reemergence.
Features
-
Legalization trend forces review of marijuana’s dangers
Marijuana legalization advocates tout pot’s medicinal benefits and low addictiveness, while critics point to its neurological dangers. Research shows that the reality is somewhere in the middle.
-
Designer T cells emerge as weapons against disease
Decades of attempts to boost the immune system’s ability to fight disease are finally starting to pay off. Reprogrammed T cells serve as new weapons against cancer and autoimmune diseases.
More Stories from the June 14, 2014 issue
- Astronomy
Exoplanet spin measured for first time
Astronomers measure the spin of a planet outside our solar system, and its days are short: just over eight hours.
- Genetics
Organism with artificial DNA alphabet makes its debut
Using DNA molecules other than A, C, G and T, scientists have created the first living organism with an expanded genetic alphabet.
- Animals
Everyday electronics may upset birds’ compass
Weak electromagnetic waves, coming from normal university activities, interfere with European robins’ migratory orientation.
- Psychology
Farming practices have shaped thinking styles
The different levels of cooperation required to grow rice and wheat have sown psychological differences within China and possibly between East Asia and the West.
- Neuroscience
Birth of new brain cells might erase babies’ memories
The growth of new neurons in early childhood may explain why adults can’t remember being infants.
- Astronomy
Milky Way’s magnetic field mapped
The Planck telescope sees the galaxy’s magnetic field in polarized light bouncing off interstellar dust grains.
- Climate
Antarctic glacier melt is unstoppable
The inevitable collapse of Antarctic’s western glaciers could raise global sea level by more than 4 meters in coming centuries.
- Quantum Physics
Next-gen quantum teleportation in just 2 photons
Researchers teleport quantum information between two photons instead of the standard three.
- Neuroscience
Playing football linked to brain changes
Division I college football players have smaller hippocampi, especially if they’ve had concussions.
- Earth
Tiny earthquakes may follow groundwater loss
Draining California’s aquifers may stress San Andreas Fault, triggering earthquakes and forcing mountains to rise.
- Astronomy
Milky Way’s far side reveals some secrets
Variable stars provide first direct measurements of distance to the far side of the Milky Way.
- Anthropology
Teen’s skeleton ties New World settlers to Native Americans
Underwater cave discovery in Mexico shows genetic range of New World’s ancient Asian colonists.
- Materials Science
Recyclable superplastics made with old chemistry
A new durable plastic and a self-healing gel are the first high-performance polymers that are easily recycled.
- Particle Physics
Proposed experiment would create matter from light
Photon collider would convert light into electrons and positrons.
- Animals
Lizards may scale back head bobbing to avoid predators
Brown anoles may scale back mating signals to avoid being eaten.
- Climate
Environmental change may spur growth of ‘rock snot’
A controversial new theory suggests alga that forms rock snot isn’t an invader, but a low-key species native to many rivers.
- Science & Society
Cancer research scores big at Intel ISEF
An innovative statistical analysis of cancer-promoting genes earned a 15-year-old the top prize — and $75,000 — at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair 2014.
- Astronomy
Young, hot exoplanet takes title for longest year
Newly discovered exoplanet sits a whopping 2,000 times farther from its star than Earth does from the sun.
- Science & Society
Outgoing congressman Rush Holt calls scientists to action
The New Jersey physicist has decided not to run for re-election but is a proponent of scientists in office.
-
-
- Science & Society
To do: Summer science exhibits across the country
Here's a roundup of museum exhibits to explore in the United States.
- Planetary Science
Do-it-yourself solar system
If you've always wanted to build your own solar system, roll up your sleeves — SuperPlanetCrash is an online solar system simulator, set up as a game.
- Quantum Physics
The least physics you need is a lot in ‘Quantum Mechanics’
Leonard Susskind and Art Friedman walk readers through the basics needed to understand the quantum realm.
