Vol. 190 No. 8
Read Digital Issue Modal Example Archive Issues Modal Example |

Reviews & Previews

Science Visualized

Notebook

Features

More Stories from the October 15, 2016 issue

  1. Paleontology

    Preteen tetrapods identified by bone scans

    Roughly 360 million years ago, young tetrapods may have schooled together during prolonged years as juveniles in the water.

    By
  2. Life

    Scientists watch as bacteria evolve antibiotic resistance

    A giant petri dish exposes the evolutionary dynamics behind antibiotic resistance.

    By
  3. Archaeology

    Oldest indigo-dyed fabric found

    South American society was first known to use complex dye process on fabrics.

    By
  4. Astronomy

    Gaia mission’s Milky Way map pinpoints locations of billion-plus stars

    New map of the galaxy provides unprecedented positions of over 1 billion stars and promises of a detailed 3-D atlas to come.

    By
  5. Life

    Color vision strategy defies textbook picture

    Cone cells in the retina see in black and white and color.

    By
  6. Life

    Rattlesnakes have reduced their repertoire of venoms

    The most recent common ancestor of today’s rattlesnakes had a huge set of toxin-producing genes. Modern rattlesnake species have independently ditched some of these genes.

    By
  7. Neuroscience

    Brain’s physical structure may help guide its wiring

    The brain’s stiffness helps dictate how nerve cells grow, a study suggests.

    By
  8. Quantum Physics

    Taming photons, electrons paves way for quantum internet

    Scientists are gearing up to create supersecure global quantum networks.

    By
  9. Astronomy

    Vanished star may be first known failed supernova

    A star that vanished in another galaxy might be the first confirmed case of a failed supernova — and the birth of a black hole.

    By
  10. Genetics

    Single exodus from Africa gave rise to today’s non-Africans

    Genetics and climate studies differ on when modern humans left Africa.

    By
  11. Health & Medicine

    Sugar industry sought to sugarcoat causes of heart disease

    Sugar industry has long, sweet history of influencing science.

    By
  12. Earth

    Nuclear blasts, other human activity signal new epoch, group argues

    A group of scientists will formally propose the human-defined Anthropocene as a new epoch in Earth’s geologic history within a few years, probably pegging the start date to nuclear tests.

    By
  13. Tech

    Wi-Fi can help house distinguish between members

    Using Wi-Fi, computers could one day identify individual family members in a smart home.

    By
  14. Oceans

    Atlantic monument is home to unique and varied creatures

    A region of ocean off the coast of Cape Cod has become the first U.S. marine national monument in the Atlantic Ocean.

    By
  15. Animals

    Extreme bird nests bring comforts and catastrophe

    Extreme bird nests of Southern Africa’s weaverbirds offer condo living in tough temperatures.

    By
  16. Tech

    XPRIZE launched new kind of space race, book recounts

    'How to Make a Spaceship' chronicles the XPRIZE challenge that helped ignite the private space industry.

    By
  17. Health & Medicine

    50 years ago, noise was a nuisance (it still is)

    In 1966, scientists warned of the physical and psychological dangers of a louder world.

    By
  18. Planetary Science

    Source of Charon’s red north pole is probably Pluto

    The dark red pole on Charon, the largest moon of Pluto, is probably gas that escaped from Pluto and was then transformed by sunlight.

    By