Science & Society

  1. Psychology

    ‘Survival of the Nicest’ demonstrates altruism all around

    Selfishness is not the rule in human society, new book argues.

    By Nathan Seppa
  2. Ecosystems

    Lessons for the new year

    SN Editor in Chief, Eva Emerson, reflects on looking to nature for insights on how to constructively look ahead - even if just a year -drawing from a handful of this issues natural science stories for her 2015 resolutions.

    By Eva Emerson
  3. Computing

    ‘The Imitation Game’ entertains at the expense of accuracy

    Inaccuracies weaken “The Imitation Game,” an otherwise enjoyable film about Alan Turing breaking the Enigma code during World War II.

    By Andrew Grant
  4. Life

    Contamination blamed in STAP stem cell debacle

    Stem cells supposedly made in acid baths were really embryonic stem cells, investigation finds.

    By Tina Hesman Saey
  5. Neuroscience

    Smartphone users’ thumbs are reshaping their brains

    Smartphones are forcing us to use our thumbs in new ways and reshaping the way our brains respond to touch.

    By Ashley Yeager
  6. Chemistry

    Retraction looms for brute-force chemistry study

    A 2011 study on tearing apart ring-shaped molecules is set to be retracted following a misconduct investigation.

    By Beth Mole
  7. Science & Society

    This study of hype in press releases will change journalism

    A survey of press releases and their related scientific studies shows that hype may creep from press releases to news coverage. But this doesn’t give anyone at any stage of the news cycle a pass.

    By Bethany Brookshire
  8. Science & Society

    Ebola, Rosetta, e-cigarettes and more top stories of 2014

    West Africa’s Ebola epidemic captured the attention of both the scientific world, and the world at large in 2014, placing it first among the Top 25 stories of the year.

    By Science News Staff
  9. Science & Society

    Science’s good, bad, ugly year

    In the race for Top Science Story of 2014, some of the contenders stumbled before reaching the finish line.

    By Tom Siegfried
  10. Science & Society

    Science inspires awe — and arguments

    As an eventful year in the sciences concludes, one that sparked both triumph and tragedy, SN's Editor in Chief contemplates 2014's most interesting stories.

    By Eva Emerson
  11. Genetics

    Year in review: Easy stem cells a no go

    An incredibly easy method for making stem cells turned out to be impossible, again tainting the stem cell research field with controversy.

    By Tina Hesman Saey
  12. Math

    Math to match pedestrian behavior is all about timing

    The best-ever simulation of pedestrians moving through a crowd relies on a new formula that encapsulates people’s ability to anticipate collisions.

    By Andrew Grant