Science & Society
- Science & Society
Here’s what game theory says about how to win in semifinals
Game theory informs competitors facing off in a semifinal whether to go all out or save energy for the final.
By Andrew Grant - Science & Society
Gene therapy, Gattaca-style, poses ethical issues
Gene therapy becomes more sophisticated, and the debate over the ethics of DNA tinkering grows.
By Eva Emerson - Plants
The art and science of the hedgerow
Spiky hawthorn trees have found many uses despite their unforgiving nature, Bill Vaughn writes in ‘Hawthorn.’
By Nathan Seppa - Science & Society
Histories left behind by the dispossessed
‘Dispatches from Dystopia’ chronicles adventures in modernist wastelands to recount tales of the invisible and the overlooked, the exiled and the dispossessed.
By Sid Perkins - Science & Society
The Dress divided the Internet, but it’s really about subtraction
People really do see different colors in the same photo of a dress, suggesting that our internal models shape color perception far more than has been recognized.
- Science & Society
Working together doesn’t always work
Working as a team is a great way to gather information, but innovative solutions come best from small groups or individuals, a new study suggests.
- Genetics
Editing human germline cells sparks ethics debate
Human gene editing experiments raise scientific and societal questions.
- Astronomy
‘Black Hole’ traces 100 years of a transformative idea
Implied by general relativity and proven by astronomical discoveries, black holes’ existence took decades for physicists to accept.
- Science & Society
Cancerous clams and other sci-fi fodder
Fans of science fiction will find a few items in this issue sure to trip the imagination.
By Eva Emerson - Chemistry
Designer drugs hit dangerous lows to bring new highs
A surge in designer drugs, which emulate the highs of classic illicit substances with unpredictable effects, is keeping law enforcement busy.
- Tech
‘Ex Machina’ explores humanity as much as AI
Sci-fi thriller delves into hubris and power relationships.
By Eva Emerson - Neuroscience
Brain on display
In her online videos, Nancy Kanwisher goes where few other neuroscientists go.