Vol. 185
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Particle Physics

Catching Particle Fever

Interspersed with the plot of Particle Fever are artful explanatory animations and commentary by six articulate physicists. Through these characters, we learn that the Higgs is a stepping stone toward a deeper understanding of the universe.

Science Visualized

Notebook

Features

  • Creature power

    Biological fuel cells that generate electricity by harnessing sugars and oxygen in the body may one day power implanted devices in humans and other animals.

  • Quantum timekeeping

    Recent advances in controlling the quantum behavior of particles have inspired physicists to dream of a global clock that would tell the same time everywhere. It would be hundreds of times as accurate as current atomic clocks.

More Stories from the March 8, 2014 issue

  1. Cosmology

    Filament of cosmic web set aglow

    Astronomers say they have glimpsed a brightly lit strand of the cosmic web, the universe’s underlying structure

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  2. Animals

    Sloths, moths, algae may live in three-way benefit pact

    Insects and green slime may justify the slow mammal’s risky descent from trees.

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  3. Animals

    Mantis shrimp’s bizarre visual system may save brainpower

    The mantis shrimp sees each color separately with one of a dozen kinds of specialized cells, a system that may help the animal quickly see colors without a lot of brainpower.

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  4. Health & Medicine

    Nanopackaging biodegrades after delivering cancer drug

    DNA binding creates potentially nontoxic tumor-targeting structures.

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  5. Plants

    Sexually deceived flies not hopelessly dumb

    Pollinators tricked into mating with a plant become harder to fool a second time.

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  6. Humans

    Neandertal hot spots highlighted in modern humans’ DNA

    Mating with evolutionary cousins produced genetic trade-offs for Stone Age people.

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  7. Genetics

    Monkeys born with edited genes

    A DNA-snipping technique inspired by bacteria shows therapeutic promise.

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  8. Materials Science

    Bone inspires strong, lightweight material

    Tiny synthetic structures modeled after bone are as sturdy as metal.

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  9. Paleontology

    Rivers of rock and gas froze ancient animals in time

    Ancient Chinese fossil beds were preserved by high-speed rivers of volcanic rock and gas.

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  10. Particle Physics

    Single-pole magnet emerges in frozen concoction

    An experiment has simulated the long-sought magnetic particle.

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  11. Neuroscience

    Prosthetic provides sense of touch to man who lost hand

    A new prosthetic hand restores a sense of touch by stimulating nerves in the arm.

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  12. Neuroscience

    Diuretic may treat autism, study in rodents suggests

    Drug that lowers chloride levels in brain cells staves off symptoms in mice and rats.

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  13. Astronomy

    Old stars gleaned neighbors’ gas, Hubble data show

    Blue straggler stars can continue to burn hot after taking material from a stellar companion.

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  14. Physics

    Getting warmer in attempt to reach ignition

    Fusion energy output hits modest milestone at National Ignition Facility.

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  15. Animals

    Orangutans hit the ground walking

    A surprising affinity for moving across the forest floor may aid threatened apes.

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  16. Ecosystems

    Arctic melting may help parasites infect new hosts

    Grey seals and beluga whales encounter killer microbes as ranges change.

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  17. Chemistry

    X-rays uncover hidden faces in Rembrandt painting

    Lead paint under the surface of the work gives away the artist’s indecisiveness.

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  18. Climate

    Sharks could serve as ocean watchdogs

    Tagged with sensors, toothy fish gather weather and climate data in remote Pacific waters.

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  19. Genetics

    Neanderthal Man

    The hottest thing in human evolution studies right now is DNA extracted from hominid fossils. Svante Pääbo, the dean of ancient-gene research, explains in Neandertal Man how it all began when he bought a piece of calf liver at a supermarket in 1981.

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  20. Neuroscience

    Me, Myself, and Why

    Me, Myself, and Why is an ambitious effort to dissect the hodgepodge of genetic and environmental factors that sculpt people’s identities.

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  21. Microbes

    Power-packed bacterial spores generate electricity

    With mighty bursts of rehydration, bacterial spores offer a new source of renewable energy.

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  22. Agriculture

    Where antibiotics go

    Of the 51 tons of antibiotics consumed every day in the United States, about 80 percent goes into animal production.

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  23. Psychology

    Beatles reaction puzzles even psychologists

    From the February 29, 1964, issue: Psychologists are as puzzled as parents over the explosive effect the Beatles are having on American teen-agers.

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