Feature
- Health & Medicine
The Cancer of Dorian Gray
By studying mice that have been engineered to carry mutations in certain tumor-suppressing genes, researchers have identified a link between cancer and aging.
- Planetary Science
Satanic Winds
Dust devils send prodigious amounts of dust into Earth's atmosphere, and on Mars the electric fields generated by the dusty vortices may actually stimulate changes in atmospheric chemistry that sterilize the soil.
- Animals
Why Play Dead?
Common wisdom dictates that playing dead discourages predators, but researchers are now thinking harder about how, or whether, that strategy really works.
- Math
Swirling Seas, Crystal Balls
A remarkable geometric shape made up of a sequence of triangles leads to a host of intriguing forms and mobile structures.
- Physics
Fit to Be Tied
Two new books present scathing critiques of string theory, which holds that the universe has 11 dimensions and that its fundamental building blocks are ultratiny loops of energy known as strings.
- Planetary Science
Ring Shots
With the sun poised behind Saturn, the Cassini spacecraft recently got a unique view of the rings' icy dust particles, enabling it to discover two new rings and confirm the presence of two ringlets.
- Health & Medicine
Warming Up to Hyperthermia
By notching up a tumor's temperature a few degrees, scientists are boosting the power of radiation, chemotherapy, and cancer vaccines.
- Astronomy
Enigmatic Eruption
An erupting star near the outskirts of the Milky Way has become one of the most puzzling objects in the galaxy.
- Chemistry
Cell-Surface Stories
The latest generation of microelectrodes is reaching into biological realms to detect the ebbs and flows of chemicals at the surfaces of cells.
- Humans
Venting Concerns
Scientists have developed a code of conduct to guide their research and activities at hydrothermal vents.
- Humans
Good Gone Wild
New research shows that the ecotourism model of raising conservation awareness while protecting indigenous cultures doesn't always work out as planned.
-
Chemical Enlightenment
After a 40-year hiatus, research on the psychedelic drug psilocybin indicates that it often triggers mystical and spiritual experiences in ordinary people, at least temporarily changing their lives for the better.
