More Stories from the February 27, 2010 issue
- Life
Carnations had evolutionary bloom boom in Europe
New species have evolved at a surprisingly rapid pace, new study suggests
- Space
Mars rover Spirit still running, but only in place
Six years into its 90-day mission, NASA’s rover becomes a lander
- Health & Medicine
Searing the heart for the better
Electrode-tipped catheter destroys heart tissue to stifle atrial fibrillation, sometimes performing better than meds, study shows.
- Life
For pipefish, measly Mr. Mom needs help
In species with pregnant males, females may put something extra into eggs.
- Earth
Dinosaurs, in living color
Researchers find microscopic structures in some fossils that may have held pigments.
- Health & Medicine
Running barefoot blunts foot’s force
A new study finds that going shoeless tempers impact but can’t say whether this difference reduces injuries.
- Climate
Water vapor slowed recent global warming trend
A decline in stratospheric water vapor has slowed Earth’s surface warming slightly in recent years.
- Archaeology
Skeleton of Western man found in ancient Mongolian tomb
A genetic analysis of a skeleton from an ancient Asian tomb illuminates the spread of Indo-Europeans.
- Life
Skin cells transformed directly into neurons
Researchers making neurons bypass the need to revert cells to an embryonic state.
- Science & Society
A modest proposal for federal science spending
President’s proposed FY 2011 budget outlines 5.9 percent increase in nondefense-related research and development funding.
- Space
Ancient dawn’s early light refines age of universe
Satellite images reveal new aspects of Big Bang’s relic radiation.
- Health & Medicine
Small study hints SSRIs delay breast milk in new moms
Women taking the antidepressant drugs began lactating later.
- Computing
Leaf veins loopy for a reason
A computer simulation finds that leaves' circular networks are efficient at getting around damaged spots and varying distribution load.
- Physics
Algae use quantum trick to harvest light
A new study finds that proteins used in photosynthesis take advantage of electrons’ wavelike properties
- Earth
Oldest feathered dino shows its colors
Analysis of a fossil suggests plumage first evolved for display, not flight.
- Health & Medicine
Protein clumps like a prion, but proves crucial for long-term memory
Study in slugs hints that some molecular 'misbehavior' in neurons may help solidify learning.
- Life
Sperm’s pore propulsion
Scientists identify a key proton channel that helps explain the dash to fertilization.
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Science Future for February 27, 2010
March 16 After a week of interviews, the winner of Intel Science Talent Search 2010 is announced at a gala in Washington, D.C. See www.societyforscience.org March 16–19 Researchers from various disciplines meet in Miami to discuss the state of the Arctic environment. See soa.arcus.org March 21–25 The American Chemical Society hosts its spring meeting in […]
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The Perfect Swarm: The Science of Complexity in Everyday Life by Len Fisher
Complex systems often stem from an accumulation of simple patterns. Basic Books, 2009, 260 p., $22.95. THE PERFECT SWARM: THE SCIENCE OF COMPLEXITY IN EVERYDAY LIFE BY LEN FISHER
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Perfect Rigor: A Genius and the Mathematical Breakthrough of the Century by Masha Gessen
How a mathematician solved a seemingly unsolvable problem and turned down the million-dollar prize. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2009, 242 p., $26. PERFECT RIGOR: A GENIUS AND THE MATHEMATICAL BREAKTHROUGH OF THE CENTURY BY MASHA GESSEN
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A Bird-Finding Guide to Costa Rica by Barrett Lawson
The country with the highest percentage of preserved land in the world has many birding opportunities, described here by location. Cornell University Press, 2009, 365 p., $29.95. A BIRD-FINDING GUIDE TO COSTA RICA BY BARRETT LAWSON
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The Tree Rings’ Tale: Understanding Our Changing Climate by John Fleck
Young adults can learn how scientists use tree rings to document climate change. University of New Mexico Press, 2009, 91 p., $21.95. THE TREE RINGS’ TALE: UNDERSTANDING OUR CHANGING CLIMATE BY JOHN FLECK
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Book Review: The Hidden Brain by Shankar Vedantam
Review by Erika Engelhaupt.
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Book Review: Get Me Out: A History of Childbirth by Randi Hutter Epstein
Review by Kristina Bartlett Brody.
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Assessing the state of U.S. science and engineering
Every two years, the National Science Board reports to the president and Congress about the state of the science landscape. This year’s Science and Engineering Indicators report was presented to the White House on January 15. The chairman of the board’s Science and Engineering Indicators committee, physicist Louis Lanzerotti of the New Jersey Institute of […]
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Weed Killer in the Crosshairs
Concerns prompt reexamination of atrazine’s safety.
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Of Swine and Men
Scientists study H1N1’s past to predict what the virus has in store.
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Quantum on Quantum
Entangled photons validate Feynman’s vision for simulating nature.
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Science Past from the issue of February 27, 1960
HUMAN SPIES FOR RUSSIA CHEAPER THAN SATELLITES — It would be cheaper for Russia to spy on the U.S. through normal channels than by putting a reconnaissance satellite into orbit…. Russian agents in the U.S. can glean vast amounts of solid information merely by reading several major metropolitan daily newspapers…. The Department of Defense thus […]
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Isaac Newton on Mathematical Certainty and Method by Niccolò Guicciardini
A science historian analyzes Newton’s philosophy of mathematics. MIT Press, 2009, 422 p., $55. ISAAC NEWTON ON MATHEMATICAL CERTAINTY AND METHOD BY NICCOLò GUICCIARDINI
