SCIENCE & THE PUBLIC BLOG Sound science is lacking for many alternative remedies. See “Traditional Chinese medicine: Big questions.” LIFEMicrobes flourish, maybe at the expense of fish, during jellyfish blooms. See "Marine microbes fritter away jelly bonus" Larger broods bring more stress for a tree swallow mom (below, with mate), but also more fledglings. See “Stressed bird moms.” MATTER & ENERGYResearchers turn virtual particles into real photons. Read “Light created from the void.” (p. 4)

ATOM & COSMOS A fireball over Indonesia sent sound waves around the world. Read “News in Brief: Atom & Cosmos.” MOLECULES Chemists create a possible pain reliever from crepe jasmine (flowers shown). See “Natural pain-killing chemical synthesized.” BODY & BRAIN Bacteria can linger on woodwinds for days. Read “Don’t share that clarinet.” EARTH A hot pocket, not a plume, may have formed Hawaii’s island chain. See “Hawaii heat source debated.” (p. 4)

BODY & BRAIN Broken neural loops distinguish vegetative states. Read “Gravely damaged brains have ‘bottleneck.’ ” MATTER & ENERGY Bird plumage inspires a new laser design. See “New laser is from the birds.” HUMANS Depression may boost individuals’ analytical skills. Read “Thinking better with depression.” LIFE Ancient fungi finally found. See “New fungi the dark matter of mushrooms.” (p. 4)

DELETED SCENES BLOG A leaked LHC study sparks hubbub, but physicists stay skeptical of a particle find. See “Rumors of a Higgs discovery are just that.” EARTH Eyjafjallajökull spit super-sharp ash. Read “Volcanic ash gets its close-up.” LIFE Brain evolution preceded a diversity boom in one electricity-emitting fish. Read “Zap! More fish.” GENES & CELLS Some quick-evolving genes may also shorten human pregnancies. See “News in Brief: Genes & Cells.” (p. 4)

ATOM & COSMOS Reflected heat may explain the strange slowdown of two spacecraft. Read “Pioneer puzzle pinned on thermodynamics.” DELETED SCENES BLOG After 30 years, the space shuttle fleet comes to rest. See “NASA picks shuttles’ retirement homes” to find out where. BODY & BRAIN Fat breakdown by friendly bacteria may lead to unfriendly buildup in the arteries. Read “Gut microbes may foster heart disease.” HUMANS Gene variants may make some kids more sensitive to good and bad parenting. See “Genetic roots of ‘orchid’ children.” (p. 4)

ATOM & COSMOS Reflected heat may explain the strange slowdown of two spacecraft. Read “Pioneer puzzle pinned on thermodynamics.” DELETED SCENES BLOG After 30 years, the space shuttle fleet comes to rest. See “NASA picks shuttles’ retirement homes” to find out where. BODY & BRAIN Fat breakdown by friendly bacteria may lead to unfriendly buildup in the arteries. Read “Gut microbes may foster heart disease.” HUMANS Gene variants may make some kids more sensitive to good and bad parenting. See “Genetic roots of ‘orchid’ children.” (p. 4)

Highlights from recent online-only stories (p. 4)