Scientific American MagazineDecember 2014

10 problem-solving, planet-improving, lifesaving advances set to drive progress in the years ahead

A DNA-editing technique based on bacterial “memories” could revolutionize medicine. But some worry it could get out of control

Taking control of cells by squeezing them

A Body Worlds–inspired method promises to speed up biomedical research

Saliva could be a new renewable energy source for medical devices

Self-correcting screens on smartphones and iPads tailor themselves to a viewer's vision—no glasses necessary

Snapping together one-atom-thick sheets of material creates substances with completely new properties—and amazing possibilities

An efficient way to beam electricity through the air

Eco-friendly polymers strong enough to use in cars and airplanes

Electron microscope resolution for quick-and-dirty industrial applications

A third of all the energy wasted in the U.S. could produce electricity instead

Early in its history the Milky Way gobbled up many tiny galaxies. The cosmic rubble it left behind is now yielding fresh clues into how our corner of the universe came to be

Venom molecules could provide alternatives to addictive opiate drugs

Extreme summers and winters of the past four years could become the norm

Newly discovered Maya artwork illuminates an ancient clash

Sophisticated mathematical tools suggest that the immune system has a blind spot when it comes to subtle mutations of the influenza virus

Some arachnids go to extraordinary lengths to mimic the appearance and behavior of ants