
Reasonable Doubt
Data secrecy clouds judgments of lethal injection
David Biello is a contributing editor at Scientific American.

Reasonable Doubt
Data secrecy clouds judgments of lethal injection

Genome Swap Turns One Microbe into Another
Scientists successfully transfer the entire genetic code of one germ to another, bringing them a step closer to synthesizing life

Digging in Diapers for History of Gut Bacteria
A new tool allows scientists to map the changes in human intestinal bacteria over time in the precious first year of life

How to Reconstruct the Neandertal Genome
A Neandertal, mammoth and cave bear wandered into a lab and, in the process, revealed how it might be possible to reconstruct their entire genetic makeup

Olé! Amazon Longer Than the Nile—Or Is It?
Which tributary counts as the headwaters will determine whether the Amazon or the Nile is the longest river in the world

It Sounds Fishy, but Cull the Prey and Its Predator Will Thrive
Scientists found that culling older, larger prey fish can lead to more small fish for predators to dine on, even though the overall number of prey decline

Turning Whole Plants into Fuel in Four Simple Steps
A new process can turn plants into energy-dense fuel by combining the power of fermentation and chemical reactions

Arctic Thaw Springs Forward
Winter ends in the Arctic earlier than a decade ago

Turning Plants into Plastic—And Replacing Oil in the Process
A new process may allow plants to become the root of chemicals, plastics and fuels rather than oil

Blowing in the Wind: Arctic Plants Move Fast as Climate Changes
Arctic plants have retreated and advanced in their colonization of fertile regions with great speed and over vast distances as the climate changes

Gigantoraptor: It's a Bird, It's a Dinosaur, It's a Mystery
It may or may not have had feathers but it certainly had a toothless beak—and stood more than 16 feet tall

Children May Breathe Easier If Antibiotics Are Avoided in Infancy
A new study of 13,000 children from infancy to age seven links early use of antibiotics to respiratory ills

Scientists Dish Up Rice Vaccine to Fight Cholera
Cholera toxin implanted in rice provokes strong immunity in mice while surviving the rigors of acid digestion

Impure as the Driven Snow
Smut is a bigger problem than greenhouse gases in polar meltdown

Getting the Bugs Out of Genetically Modified Crops
Are crops genetically altered to resist insects really better for the environment?

Sick Genes
Researchers uncover gene mutations that contribute to disease by screening the genomes of thousands of healthy and ill people

Had a Long Day? Global Warming Could Be the Answer
Global warming could speed the time it takes Earth to rotate completely on its axis

Planning a Picnic in a Warming World? Satellite Forecasts More Rain
As global temperatures have risen over the past 20 years, satellite data reveals that global rainfall has also increased—and the trend may continue as the climate changes

Fishing for Personalities
Theoretical biologists demonstrate how an aggressive personality might make evolutionary sense

Researchers Tap Cellular Communication Between Species
European scientists create a synthetic ecosystem based on communication between cells of different organisms—and potentially a way to safely manufacture cell-killing medicines

Combating Climate Change: Farming Out Global Warming Solutions
Changes to agricultural practice and forestry management could cut greenhouse gas emissions, buying time to develop alternative technologies

Genetically Modified Crops Survive Weed-Whacking Herbicide
Crops genetically altered to resist herbicides have become so prevalent that resistant weeds are beginning to appear, necessitating new forms of genetic modification

Do Fungi Feast on Radiation?
Apparently, but only if they contain melanin, the chemical that serves as skin pigment in humans

Hot Potato: Global Warming Threatens Spuds and Peanuts
Wild cousins have provided the genes to boost nutrition in domesticated potatoes and other crops, but they face trouble as the climate changes