The Allocation of the Radio Spectrum
The electromagnetic spectrum from 10 kilohertz to 300 gigahertz is a natural resource of communication that must be fairly allocated. Reforms in the system of allocation are currently being considered...
Features
Transposable Genetic Elements
They bypass the rules of ordinary genetic recombination and join together segments of DNA that are unrelated, transferring groups of genes among plasmids, viruses and chromosomes in living cells...
Zapotec Writing
Among the high cultures of Mexico before the Spanish conquest was the Zapotec. Its hieroglyphs, mostly carved from 500 B. C. to A.D. 700, record the rise and decline of the Zapotec state...
The Einstein X-Ray Observatory
This satellite, carrying an X-ray telescope of unprecedented size and sensitivity, has been aloft for more than a year. It has yielded dramatic new views of high-energy phenomena in the universe...
Yellowstone Park as a Window on the Earth's Interior
Yellowstone is a "hot spot" in the earth's crust. Its strong volcanic and tectonic activity makes it a unique location for the study of processes that originate deep in the earth
Hydrogen Storage in Metal Hydrides
The exploitation of hydrogen as a fuel for motor vehicles requires a method for storing it safely and compactly at ambient temperature. Forcing it into the gaps among metal atoms may be the best approach...
The Perception of Human Growth
How does the human head change shape from infancy to adulthood? Tests of the way most people perceive the process show that growth can be represented by a particular type of geometric transformation...
Decorator Crabs
Many species of spider crabs can camouflage themselves by patterns of behavior in which they select materials from their environment and festoon them on their shell
Departments
50 and 100 Years Ago, February 1980
Science and the Citizen, February 1980
- Letters
Letters to the Editors, February 1980
- Mathematical Recreation
Mathematical Games, February 1980
- Amateur Scientist
The Amateur Scientist, February 1980
- Departments
The Authors, February 1980
Books, February 1980
Bibliography, February 1980
