Astronomy
The NASA take on ‘Gravity’
An astronaut and a NASA expert consider the reality of the film’s space dangers.
Reviews & Previews
Science Visualized
Math
Twin primes
Mathematicians have conjectured since Euclid’s time that there are infinite pairs of prime numbers.
Notebook
Animals
Vampire reality check
A vampire bat drinks one meal a night, and missing just three nights in a row would probably kill the animal.
Features
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Memory upgrade
The demands of modern computing call for a seismic shift in data storage and retrieval.
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Deep network
The NEPTUNE observatory — a ring of six underwater research stations connected to the Internet with fiber optic cables — is the first online observatory to brave the depths of the abyss.
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Voyager’s view
Though the 1970s-era space probe has finally slipped into an interstellar realm, in some senses it is still very much within the bounds of the solar system.
More Stories from the October 19, 2013 issue
- Health & Medicine
Alzheimer’s disease protein structure may vary among patients
Two people with different symptoms had amyloid-beta fibers with different shapes.
- Planetary Science
Cometlike crashes produce building blocks of life
Amino acids in collision residue support importance of extraterrestrial impacts.
- Tech
Bacterial batteries get a solid boost
Using microbes to harvest energy from wastewater now has a silver lining, with the metal making reliable, rechargeable batteries.
- Psychology
Poker pros’ arms betray their hands
Top players' arm motions when betting provide clues to whether or not they hold strong cards.
- Life
Mice lose cat fear for good after infection
Parasite carried by cats causes ill effects on rodents long after mice get over disease.
- Animals
Tiger, lion and domestic cat genes not so different
Genomes of big felines provide insight into their evolution.
- Planetary Science
Mars rover fails to find methane
A dearth of the gas in the Red Planet's atmosphere disappoints scientists looking for signs of biological activity.
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- Animals
MERS virus jumped several times from animals to humans
More than one person caught new illness from bats, camels or other creatures.
- Ecosystems
Feces in termites’ nests block biological pest control
Built-in poop nourishes bacteria that protect notorious Formosan species.
- Health & Medicine
Home births more risky than hospital deliveries
Babies born at home are more likely to lack pulse after five minutes.
- Climate
Slashing greenhouse gas emissions could save millions of lives
Simulations suggest reduced air pollution would improve public health.
- Neuroscience
Scented naps can dissipate fears
People unlearned an odor's unpleasant accompaniment when they smelled it in their sleep.
- Life
Killer cells trained on leukemia may protect some people
Immune system seems to remember cancer in people who've never had it, a new study suggests.
- Earth
Oxygen wafted into Earth’s atmosphere earlier than thought
Date pushed back to 3 billion years ago, suggesting photosynthesis had evolved by then.
- Paleontology
Dinosaur dreams dashed
Fans of 'Jurassic Park' may be disappointed (or possibly relieved) to learn that you can’t get ancient DNA from amber.
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- Science & Society
Funding slide
U.S. federal spending on science has decreased sharply since 2010. Scientists are feeling the crunch.
- Earth
Biggest volcano hulks deep
Tamu Massif forms a broad, rounded dome rising about 4 kilometers from the seafloor and stretching 450 by 650 kilometers across.
- Science & Society
Scarcity
Sendhil Mullainathan and Eldar Shafir explain why having too little means so much.
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- Animals
Tortoise-studying teen takes top Broadcom prize
Even a tortoise enthusiast can speed through a three-day gauntlet of science, engineering and math challenges to claim victory. River Grace, 14, of West Melbourne, Fla., did just that. At an awards ceremony October 1, he picked up the top award of $25,000. The teen was one of 30 finalists from 17 states who attended the third annual Broadcom Math, Applied Science, Technology and Engineering for Rising Stars, or MASTERS, competition.
