Feature

  1. Planetary Science

    Exploring the Red Planet

    Searching for signs of subsurface water on the Red Planet and analyzing the elemental and mineral composition of surface rock, NASA's Mars Odyssey spacecraft begins its main mapping mission next month and may shed light on several enduring puzzles about the planet.

    By Ron Cowen
  2. Ecosystems

    Tadpole Science Gets Its Legs . . .

    The amazingly complex tadpole now shines in ecological studies.

    By Susan Milius

  3. Biological Dark Matter

    The discovery that some genes encode RNA strands instead of proteins has surprised biologists.

    By John Travis
  4. Materials Science

    Getting Out the Thorn

    Researchers are developing new ways to improve the compatibility of implantable biomaterials in the body.