Feature
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The decider
Informing the debate over the reality of ‘free will’ requires learning something about the lateral habenula.
- Health & Medicine
Itch
When it comes to sensory information detected by the body, pain is king, and itch is the court jester. But that insistent, tingly feeling—satisfied only by a scratch—is anything but funny to the millions of people who suffer from it chronically.
- Space
Half-life (more or less)
Physicists are stirred by claims that the sun may change what’s unchangeable—the rate of radioactive decay.
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- Chemistry
Nicotine’s new appeal
Mimicking the addictive compound’s action in the brain could lead to new drugs for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and schizophrenia.
- Chemistry
Long Live Plastics
With plastics in museums decomposing, a new effort seeks to halt the demise of materials commonly thought to be unalterable.
- Health & Medicine
Body In Mind
Long thought the province of the abstract, cognition may actually evolve as physical experiences and actions ignite mental life.
- Astronomy
Ultramassive: as big as it gets
A black hole can consume anything in its path. These monsters can become huge — but perhaps only so huge.
- Humans
The Science Vote
Science News runs down what the two presidential candidates and their campaigns have been saying about science and technology issues.
- Humans
The Science Vote: Spending priorities differ
Federal funding for academic research — a major engine of innovation — has experienced an “unprecedented” two-year decline, the National Science Foundation reported in late August. Between fiscal years 2005 and 2007, Uncle Sam’s share of academic research funding fell from 64 percent to 62 percent. To take up the slack, universities turned to industry […]
- Humans
The Science Vote: Linking energy to greenhouse risks
Science and technology have not played out as major presidential campaign issues this year. And following Sen. John McCain’s unexpected announcement that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin would be his running mate, even foreign policy and major energy issues have been relegated to the back seat as the media feverishly probe the views, background and administrative […]
