Flying observatory’s cosmic portraits continue to capture hearts and minds (p. 16)

New findings show how circadian clocks make the body tick (p. 22)

Scientists have figured out two of the final key steps in the chain of chemical reactions that the opium poppy uses to synthesize morphine, suggesting possible signaling strategies for new ways of making the drug and its cousin painkillers. (p. 5)

Top winner of the enduring high school science competition takes 2010 prize for work on a space navigation system. (p. 7)

Observations of gas flows on the solar surface may explain why the sun recently had such a prolonged case of the doldrums; could lead to more accurate predictions for the duration and severity of future solar cycles. (p. 8)

New images and gravity data reveal details about the origin and composition of Phobos. (p. 8)

A long-term investigation raises the possibility of identifying 14-month-olds who will develop autism spectrum disorder almost two years later. (p. 9)

Kids under 3 can learn from educational videos if they believe what they’re seeing is real. (p. 9)

A demonstration marries the world of the very small with the everyday, opening new realms for quantum computing and other applications. (p. 10)

Researchers suggest a never-before-imagined property of electromagnetic fields that could one day yield new types of sensors. (p. 10)

New theory and experiments help reveal how molecules interact in an ultracold system. (p. 11)

New data from the Frankfurt stock exchange show that fleeting financial bubbles behave according to the same mathematical rules as history-making ones. (p. 11)

Computer simulations suggest thermal plumes may trap microbes, pollen and dust near a person’s head. (p. 11)

New genetic data reveals that Fido likely originated in the Middle East. (p. 12)

Comparing the complete genetic material of family members pinpoints genes involved in three rare inherited diseases. (p. 12)

Bacteria from a person’s hands may provide a new type of fingerprint. (p. 13)

In birds, hormones may not be the last word in determining males and females. (p. 13)

Collagen gives the creatures a bug-catching advantage in chilly conditions. (p. 14)

Odorous house ants act like invading aliens when they discover urban living. (p. 14)

Antarctica’s ice sheets could hide vast quantities of the greenhouse gas, churned out by a buried ecosystem. (p. 15)

Territorial crustaceans will defend their own rivals, but only to keep stronger ones out. (p. 15)

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Review by Rachel Zelkowitz (p. 28)

Review by Lisa Grossman (p. 28)

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