Women with breast cancer who undergo partial-breast removal are just as likely to survive for at least 20 years as are women who have their entire breast removed. (p. 243)

A mummified dinosaur unearthed in Montana a year ago is giving scientists a rare peek at what the creature's muscles and other soft tissues may have looked like. (p. 243)

The discovery of a new enzyme responsible for creating the tear-inducing chemicals found in onions may herald the arrival of genetically modified tearfree onions. (p. 244)

By analyzing data from a mammoth sky survey, astromoners have found that galaxies divide into two distinct families, depending on their stellar mass. (p. 244)

Some scientists now worry that discarded contraceptive patches may leak synthetic estrogen into the environment, potentially harming wildlife. (p. 245)

The 2002 Nobel Prize in Chemistry recognized the work of three scientists who created tools for analyzing proteins and other large biological molecules. (p. 245)

An ancient, well-preserved glacial formation in Oman provided evidence that Earth experienced intermittent ice ages like those in Earth's more recent history. (p. 246)

A common caterpillar can sense when a plant is gearing up to manufacture insecticidal toxins and respond by starting up its own detoxification system. (p. 246)

Sand dunes can provide scientists with clues about ancient patterns of wind and precipitation. (p. 248)

A reanalysis of brain-imaging data links conscious visual experience to activity patterns throughout the brain, challenging the popular view that specific brain areas coordinate this mental state. (p. 251)

The results of a new study suggest that soot plays a bigger role in regional climate changes than scientists had previously realized. (p. 253)

A dispute has broken out over whether a recently discovered, 7-million-year-old fossil skull represents the earliest known member of the human evolutionary family or an ancient ape. (p. 253)

An ecological study of kangaroo rats has revised thinking about how these desert dwellers cope with their stressful home. (p. 253)

A drought-resistant South African plant is revealing its genetic secrets. (p. 254)

The DNA sequence of a sea squirt may reveal the origins of vertebrates. (p. 254)

Genetically engineered bacteria help biologists turn off worm genes. (p. 254)

Researchers have identified a means by which the Y chromosome may forestall, or at least delay, the gradual degradation that some biologists argue will ultimately delete it from the human genome. (p. 254)