December 2010 Issue
Innovation and discovery as chronicled in past issues of Scientific American
Linguists have found a new application for ultrasound—decoding dying languages
Patent No. 7,805,767
A parasite's genome is yielding clues to how malaria kills
Discoveries of distant planets are challenging theorists to think deeply about extraterrestrial life
The engineer and recent MacArthur "genius" grant winner thinks we have much to learn from the humble jellyfish
Why we shouldn't put our faith in opinion polls
Clues to the group's disappearance are found in layers of volcanic ash in a cave in the northern Caucasus Mountains that preserve a long record of Neandertal occupation preceding those layers and none afterward
Most deaths from cancer and heart disease now occur in the poorer parts of the world
Mathematicians are still struggling to understand what happens atop your morning cappuccino
SA asked scientists to recommend their favorite educational gifts for kids
Researchers may have re-created an elusive black hole phenomenon in the lab
Editor in Chief Mariette DiChristina introduces the December 2010 issue of Scientific American
The world's fisheries continue to collapse, although smart controls could help
Letters to the editor from the August 2010 issue of Scientific American
Books and recommendations from Scientific American
Speech-recognition programs are no longer clumsy exercises in futility
The laws of physics are the least of NASA's challenges
Could exercising regularly and not smoking help to delay dementia?
Scientific American presents this year's winning micro-imaging entries from the Olympus BioScapes Digital Imaging Contest
Ten thoughts, trends and technologies that have the power to transform our lives
The Web is critical not merely to the digital revolution but to our continued prosperity—and even our liberty. Like democracy itself, it needs defending
In a matter of hours, mind-altering substances may induce profound psychological realignments that can take decades to achieve on a therapist's couch
Deep down, the particles and forces of the universe are a manifestation of exquisite geometry
Primatologist Jane Goodall shares insights from her 50 years among chimpanzees
Mounting evidence from dinosaur bones shows that, contrary to common belief, organic materials can sometimes survive in fossils for millions of years
Why NASA's plan to get out of the manned spaceflight business may (finally) make space travel routine
Tiny flying robots that are part machine and part insect may one day save lives in wars and disasters
Hundreds of planets around other stars have been discovered recently, but many centuries may pass before human eyes actually see them up close. Interpreting current data, we take a tour of seven of the most fascinating of these worlds
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