SPORE POWER Bacillus spores quickly shrivel in dry times and bloat with a blast of humidity.
X. Chen Et Al/Nature Nanotech. 2014
Math & Technology
Topic Image Rail
By embedding sensors in a thin sheath of silicon, scientists have created a jacket that can slip around a rabbit's heart and measure how specific regions of the organ react to temperature changes, low blood flow and other types of stress.
Rogers et al./Nature Comm. 2014
STAYING IN SYNC Some ensembles are more autocratic — following one leader — while other musical groups are more democratic, making corrections equally, to stay together while playing a piece.
EmirMemedovski/iStockphoto
-
Numbers
Reviews & PreviewsOur Mathematical Universe
Math is everywhere: medicine, sports, banking, gambling, National Security Agency espionage.News
Goldberg variations: New shapes for molecular cages
Scientists have figured a way to iron out the wrinkles in a large class of molecular cages. -
Computing
News
Materials’ light tricks may soon extend to doing math
A simulation paves the way toward metamaterials that can perform ultrafast complex mathematical operations using light waves.Science Stats
Fastest supercomputers
The new list of the world’s fastest computers, now in its 20th year, has China’s Tianhe-2 on top with a processing speed of 33.9 petaflops — or quadrillions of calculations per second. -
Technology
News in BriefShining a light on radio waves
A new device detects faint signals by first converting them to laser pulses.Feature
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.
