Feature

  1. Earth

    Traces of Trouble

    Scientists and engineers are investigating how to stem the flow of naturally-occurring and synthetic estrogens that, when released from waste water treatment plants and livestock operations, can harm aquatic life.

    By Aimee Cunningham
  2. Animals

    Science behind the Soap Opera

    Tight family groups of meerkats in Africa's arid lands offer a chance to see the costs, as well as the charms, of cooperation. With audio.

    By Susan Milius
  3. Health & Medicine

    Fixes for Fatty Liver

    A slate of experimental treatments, including three established diabetes drugs, could become medicines for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, an obesity-related cause of cirrhosis.

    By Ben Harder
  4. Humans

    Fractal or Fake?

    A physicist who uses fractals to investigate the authenticity of some paintings attributed to Jackson Pollock finds that the works may be fake. But is the flaw in the paintings or in the fractal analysis?

    By Julie Rehmeyer
  5. Astronomy

    Studies of Light and Shadow

    Two new surveys of the night sky examine the two facets of galaxy formation: the glitter and the gloom.

    By Ron Cowen
  6. Animals

    What’s Going on Down There?

    In a 10-year, global effort, researchers exploring the unknowns of marine life have found bizarre fish, living-fossil shrimp, giant microbes, and a lot of other new neighbors.

    By Susan Milius

  7. Net Heads

    With a new arsenal of mathematical approaches, neuroscientists are unraveling the surprisingly few steps messages take to traverse the vast networks of brain cells underlying thought and perception.

    By Bruce Bower
  8. Health & Medicine

    Vice Vaccines

    Vaccines currently in development could give people a novel way to kick their addictions and lose weight.

    By Christen Brownlee

  9. Well-Tooled Primates

    People may have leaned on ancient primate-brain capacities to begin making stone tools by 2.5 million years ago, a transition that possibly spurred the development of language and other higher mental faculties.

    By Bruce Bower
  10. Materials Science

    Savvy Skins

    Researchers are developing new coatings that incorporate multiple functions, offer chemical reactivity, or act in response to stimuli in the environment.

    By Aimee Cunningham
  11. Earth

    Sudden Chill

    Today's combination of nuclear proliferation, political instability, and urban demographics increases the likelihood that humankind could suffer a devastating nuclear winter.

    By Sid Perkins
  12. Earth

    Aquatic Non-Scents

    Many common pollutants appear to be jeopardizing the survival of fish and other aquatic species by blunting their sense of smell.

    By Janet Raloff