Neuroscience
New book offers a peek into the mind of Oliver Sacks
The wide-ranging essays in Oliver Sacks’ ‘The River of Consciousness’ contemplate evolution, memory and more.
Featured Articles in this Issue
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Cover Story
The SN 10: Meet the scientists ready to transform their fields
In this year’s SN 10, meet early- and mid-career research stars who are coming up with and testing new ideas in astronomy, archaeology, artificial intelligence and more.
Reviews & Previews
Science Visualized
Materials Science
Tiny ‘supraballs’ put a new spin on creating long-lasting color
Nano-sized balls of melanin and silica generate durable colors.
Notebook
Features
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José Dinneny rethinks how plants hunt for water
Plant biologist José Dinneny probes the very beginnings of root development, which may have important implications for growing food in a changing climate.
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Jennifer Dionne harnesses light to illuminate nano landscapes
Nanophotonics research by materials scientist Jennifer Dionne could lead to improved drugs, cancer tests or invisibility cloaks.
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M. Ehsan Hoque develops digital helpers that teach social skills
Computer scientist M. Ehsan Hoque programs emotionally attuned assistants that bring people together.
More Stories from the October 14, 2017 issue
- Life
KC Huang probes basic questions of bacterial life
A physicist by training, Kerwyn Casey Huang tries to understand cell shape, movement and growth.
- Astronomy
David Kipping seeks new and unexpected worlds
Astronomer David Kipping became “the moon guy” by deciding no idea is too crazy.
- Chemistry
Chong Liu one-ups plant photosynthesis
Chong Liu mixes bacteria and inorganics into systems that can generate clean energy better than a leaf.
- Life
Lena Pernas sees parasitic infection as a kind of Hunger Games
In studies of Toxoplasma, parasitologist Lena Pernas has reframed infection as a battle between invader and a cell’s mitochondria.
- Neuroscience
Kay Tye improvises to understand our inner lives
To figure out how rich mental lives are created by the brain, neuroscientist Kay Tye applies “a new level of neurobiological sophistication.”
- Anthropology
Christina Warinner uncovers ancient tales in dental plaque
Molecular biologist Christina Warinner studies calculus, or fossilized dental plaque, which contains a trove of genetic clues to past human diet and disease.
- Health & Medicine
Luhan Yang strives to make pig organs safe for human transplants
A bold approach to genome editing by biologist Luhan Yang could alleviate the shortage of organs and ease human suffering.
- Paleontology
Like sea stars, ancient echinoderms nibbled with tiny tube feet
An ancient echinoderm fossil preserves evidence of tube feet like those found on today’s sea stars.
- Health & Medicine
Microbes hobble a widely used chemo drug
Bacteria associated with cancer cells can inactivate a chemotherapy drug.
- Quantum Physics
A new test of water ripples supports the idea of quantum heat in a vacuum
Water waves bolster theory that accelerating space travelers really feel the heat.
- Microbes
Now we know how much glacial melting ‘watermelon snow’ can cause
Algae that give snow a red tint are making glacial snow in Alaska melt faster.
- Genetics
In a first, human embryos edited to explore gene function
In groundbreaking research, CRISPR/Cas9 used to study human development for the first time.
- Health & Medicine
By ganging up, HIV antibodies may defeat the virus
A duo or trio of powerful antibodies was effective at stopping an HIV-like infection in lab monkeys, two studies find.
- Astronomy
Ultrahigh energy cosmic rays come from outside the Milky Way
The biggest cosmic ray haul ever points toward other galaxies as the source of the rays, not our own.
- Neuroscience
Gene variant linked to Alzheimer’s disease is a triple threat
A genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease works on multiple aspects of the disease, researchers report.
- Anthropology
The rise of agricultural states came at a big cost, a new book argues
In ‘Against the Grain,’ a political scientist claims early states took a toll on formerly mobile groups’ health and happiness.
- Astronomy
How a meteor shower helped solve the case of the vanishing comet
A missing comet has been linked to a long-lost meteor shower, helping astronomers recover both.
- Health & Medicine
Six in seven contact lens wearers take unnecessary risks with their eyes
A lot of contact wearers are not practicing healthy habits with their lenses, a national survey finds.
- Astronomy
50 years ago, a spacecraft discovered oxygen in moon rocks
In 1967, scientists dreamed of lunar processing plants to turn moon rocks into oxygen.
- Earth
Plate tectonics started at least 3.5 billion years ago
Analyses of titanium in rock suggest plate tectonics began 500 million years earlier than thought.
