Feature

  1. Life

    All the World’s a Phage

    There are an amazing number of bacteriophages—viruses that kill bacteria—in the world.

    By John Travis
  2. Humans

    Udder Beauty

    Sophisticated screening of livestock championship winners may become as common as urine tests of Olympic athletes.

    By Janet Raloff
  3. Anthropology

    The Ultimate Colonists

    Human ancestors managed to adjust to life in a variety of ecosystems during the Stone Age, indicating that their social lives were more complex than they've often been given credit for.

    By Bruce Bower
  4. Materials Science

    Microbial Materials

    Microorganisms can be coaxed into producing high-tech components and can themselves serve as valuable ingredients in new classes of materials.