Two female Komodo dragons in zoos have startled their keepers by laying viable eggs without males, possibly as a last resort at a time when mates are in increasingly short supply. (p. 403)

(p. 403)

A single swap in the letters of a gene's sequence could modify the protein it encodes, even if it doesn't change which amino acids make up the molecule. (p. 404)

(p. 404)

Two large trials in Africa find that male circumcision limits HIV infection, which could prompt governments on that continent to promote or subsidize the operation. (p. 405)

A spacecraft has discovered the largest mountains known on Titan, Saturn's smog-shrouded moon. (p. 405)

(p. 405)

A prototype aircraft wing has demonstrated in its first flight tests that its morphing might save fuel. (p. 406)

New ways to simulate ice-crystal growth yield patterns remarkably similar to the beautiful and intricate shapes of snowflakes and may shed light on how those real-life shapes come about. (p. 408)

By mastering traditional handicrafts such as knitting and crocheting, mathematicians are better able to understand complex surfaces. (p. 411)

A recent test that simulated the effect of a magnitude-6.7 earthquake on a full-size, wood-frame townhouse may help engineers and analysts design more earthquake-resistant homes. With sound and video. (p. 414)

(p. 416)

Pictures showing fresh deposits of bright material on two Martian gullies provide the most compelling evidence yet that water flowed on parts of the Red Planet during the last few years. (p. 416)

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A review of important scientific achievements reported in Science News during the year 2006. (p. 420)