In the Feb. 8 SN: Erasing memories, blocking pot’s high, doing calculus at the speed of light, explaining dog paddle and making wine in a global greenhouse.
February 8, 2014
CYNOCLUB/ISTOCKPHOTO
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Magazine
In the April 14 SN: Killer heat, mass insect migrations, the latest Saturn updates, rethinking the Nobel Prize, tectonics on Venus, the science of mass shootings, ancient tool trends and more.
- Feature
Life’s early traces
Tiny tufts, rolls and crinkles in 3.5-billion-year-old rocks add to a growing body of evidence suggesting that cellular life got a relatively quick start on Earth. - Feature
Grape expectations
Global warming has delivered long, warm growing seasons and blockbuster vintages to the world’s great wine regions. But by mid-century, excessive heat will push premium wine-making into new territory. - News
Galaxies’ missing mass may hide in gas clouds
Vast reservoirs of previously undetected gas could account for much of galaxies’ matter, solving a cosmic mystery. - It's Alive
Disco clams put on a streak show
Scuba divers call Ctenoides ales the disco or electric clam because the restless, curling lips of its mantle flash bright streaks. - News
V-flying birds pick efficient flapping pattern
Ibises time their flaps to catch a boost from a neighbor’s wing. - News in Brief
‘Good bacterium’ prevents colic symptoms in newborns
Crying time was nearly halved in babies receiving the beneficial microbe. - News
Smoker’s breath saves caterpillars’ lives
Larvae of the tobacco hornworm caterpillar exhale nicotine, driving away predatory spiders. - News in Brief
Mangroves move up Florida’s coast
Satellite images reveal that the tropical trees are expanding north up Florida’s Atlantic coast, taking advantage of rising winter temperatures. - News
Enormous cosmic lens magnifies supernova
Galaxy warps light of distant exploding star, greatly increasing its brightness. - News in Brief
Green tea may sabotage blood pressure medication
Antioxidants in drink may keep intestinal cells from taking up drug.