Beyond the Era of Materials
The industrial nations now face a historic change: economic growth is no longer accompanied by increased consumption of basic materials. The economic outlook depends on the capacity to adapt to this shift...
Features
Fibronectins
These adhesive proteins act as biological organizers by holding cells in position and guiding their migration. Detailed analyses of fibronectins are revealing molecular bases for their functions...
Is Nature Supersymmetric?
Supersymmetry could represent the next step in the quest for a few simple laws that explain the nature of matter. Physicists have been seeking evidence to test the theory
El Niño
This anomalous. warming of the sea surface in the equatorial Pacific is associated with a vast fluctuation in atmospheric pressure. Global changes in weather patterns are linked to the equatorial anomalies...
The Heart as a Suction Pump
A new model suggests some energy from each contraction is stored within the muscle and provides the power for a suction that aids filling. The effect is amplified by the motion of the heart as a whole...
Sexual Selection in Bowerbirds
The bower, or mating site, of these extraordinary birds of Australia and New Guinea is the center of intense competition among males. The female's mating choice is based on its architectural adornment...
The Perception of Apparent Motion
When the motion of an intermittently seen object is ambiguous, the visual system resolves confusion by applying some tricks that reflect a built-in knowledge of properties of the physical world...
Modern Windmills
The principles are ancient but the materials and the technology have changed. The chief function of modern mills is to generate electricity, thereby conserving fuel for conventional power plants...
Departments
50 and 100 Years Ago: June 1986
Science and the Citizen, June 1986
- Letters
Letters to the Editors, June 1986
- Recommended
Books, June 1986
- Mathematical Recreation
Mathematical Games, June 1986
- Amateur Scientist
The Amateur Scientist, June 1986
- Departments
The Authors, June 1986
Bibliography, June 1986
