Vol. 180 No. #7
Read Digital Issue Modal Example Archive Issues Modal Example |

More Stories from the September 24, 2011 issue

  1. Humans

    Big fish return to Mexican marine park

    Most effects of overharvesting reversed within a decade.

    By
  2. Planetary Science

    White dwarfs gobble Earthlike treats

    Astronomers have found elements in the dead stars’ atmospheres that suggest rocky planetary bodies once orbited the stars.

    By
  3. Humans

    Financial world dominated by a few deep pockets

    Analysis suggests a small number of firms control a big share of global wealth.

    By
  4. Life

    Early stress is contagious in adulthood

    A zebra finch’s tough childhood shortens both its life and its mate’s.

    By
  5. Life

    Butterfly species a master of disguise

    Supergene allows butterfly to mimic several species.

    By
  6. Anthropology

    The Iceman’s last meal: goat

    Two decades after he was discovered sticking out of an Alpine glacier, a famous 5,300-year-old mummy’s diet details and hiking habits are revealed.

    By
  7. Humans

    Stress spears deployed service personnel

    Supply officers draw as much or more emotional fire as combat soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.

    By
  8. Life

    Lager’s mystery ingredient found

    After scouring the globe, researchers find the missing ancestor of the yeast used to make cold-brewed beer in an unexpected place.

    By
  9. Astronomy

    Galactic bull’s-eye came naturally

    A strange cosmic object isn't the result of a galactic crash, a new study suggests.

    By
  10. Life

    Genes may explain who gets sick from flu

    People who stay well even after being exposed to the flu have a strong immune reaction to the virus, but in exactly the opposite way as those who get sick.

    By
  11. Humans

    Recession-sensitive parenting

    Economic downturn led to temporarily more severe parenting tactics among genetically predisposed mothers.

    By
  12. Space

    Atom & Cosmos

    Planets born with off-kilter orbits, the planet formerly known as a star and more in this week's news.

    By
  13. Chemistry

    Pooping pandas may make better biofuels

    Gut microbes break down bamboo efficiently, inspiring new approaches to process raw plant materials for fuel.

    By
  14. Astronomy

    Star goes boom, telescopes zoom

    Astronomers have spotted a supernova in the Pinwheel Galaxy, the nearest such stellar explosion in decades.

    By
  15. Chemistry

    Fighting flames with greener materials

    New, nano-thin coatings for fabrics and plastics are relatively nontoxic flame retardants.

    By
  16. Humans

    Middle school scientists recognized

    The first class of 30 finalists in the Broadcom MASTERS will convene in Washington, D.C., this fall to compete in new national science competition geared to younger students.

    By
  17. Humans

    Humans

    Humans and Neandertals may not have interbred, after all, the backlash of selfishness and more in this week's news.

    By
  18. SN Online

    ATOM & COSMOSJapan’s Hayabusa spacecraft has returned to Earth with the first-ever scrapings taken from an asteroid. Find out what the specks of dust reveal in “Asteroid sample nails meteorite source.” LIFEA young elephant shows off its ability to have an “aha” moment by finding a way to reach fruit just out of reach. Learn […]

    By
  19. Science Future for September 24, 2011

    October 1 Afraid of the dark? The Boston Museum of Science’s “In the Dark” exhibit shows the wonders of caves, the deep ocean and more. Visit www.mos.org October 9–15 Earth Science Week explores “Our Ever-Changing Earth” with events and activities around the world. Learn what’s near you at www.earthsciweek.org October 14–21 The Imagine Science Film […]

    By
  20. Science Past from the issue of September 23, 1961

    ALGAE COULD PROVIDE OXYGEN FOR SPACEMAN — Minute plant life that form the common green scum found on the surface of stagnant ponds and in river beds, Chlorella algae, assisted by the sun, may provide the future man in space with the oxygen essential to maintain life. A new gas exchange device operating on the […]

    By
  21. Future Science: Essays from the Cutting Edge (Vintage Original) by Max Brockman, ed.

    Essays by 19 young scientists explore how science will answer questions ranging from nature versus nurture to understanding infinity. Vintage Books, 2011, 247 p., $15.95

    By
  22. Among African Apes: Stories and Photos from the Field by Martha M. Robbins and Christophe Boesch, eds.

    Tales and photos from primate researchers give readers a vivid look into the lives of apes. Univ. of California Press, 2011, 182 p., $29.95

    By
  23. Virtual Water: Tackling the Threat to Our Planet’s Most Precious Resource by Tony Allan

    Learn why it takes 140 liters of water to make a cup of coffee in this exploration of the water use hidden in everyday life. I.B. Tauris, 2011, 368 p., $18

    By
  24. The Wild Life of Our Bodies: Predators, Parasites, and Partners That Shape Who We Are Today by Rob Dunn

    A biologist explores how “clean living” has made people sicker in some ways. Harper, 2011, 290 p., $26.99

    By
  25. BOOK REVIEW: Measure of the Earth: The Enlightenment Expedition That Reshaped Our World by Larrie D. Ferreiro

    Review by Nathan Seppa.

    By
  26. BOOK REVIEW: Sex on Six Legs: Lessons on Life, Love and Language from the Insect World by Marlene Zuk

    Review by Susan Milius.

    By
  27. Tumor Tell-All

    Unraveling complex genetic stories in cancer cells may lead to personalized treatment.

    By
  28. Physics

    Last Words

    Tevatron’s data may have more to say, even after the atom smasher shuts down.

    By
  29. Science From On High

    Google Earth gives researchers new access.

    By
  30. Letters

    New light on sunshine vitamin Regarding the article “The power of D” (SN: 7/16/11, p. 22), I was very surprised that there was no mention of the positive effects of this vitamin on the debilitating effects of depression. I have lived in northern latitudes between upstate New York and now Vermont since my birth in […]

    By
  31. Life

    Evolution should be taught to all students

    The antievolution movement in science education, which gained national attention in the 1920s, lives on in different forms.

    By
  32. On the Origin of Tepees: The Evolution of Ideas (and Ourselves) by Jonnie Hughes

    An entertaining tour of the American West shows how ideas spread through the cultural landscape. Free Press, 2011, 302 p., $25

    By