RU 486
This controversial drug is now used widely in France to terminate unwanted pregnancies. Yet the compound was not invented for that purpose and actually has many possible applications
Features
Pluto
The ninth planet has a huge moon, a surface covered with frozen methane and a wispy atmosphere that may fall as snow periodically.. It may be a relic from the formation of the solar system...
Biosonar and Neural Computation in Bats
Bats extract remarkably detailed information about their surroundings from biosonar signals. Neurons in their auditory systems are highly specialized for performing this task
The Mid-Ocean Ridge
It is the longest mountain chain, the most active volcanic area and until recently the least accessible region on the earth. New maps reveal striking details of how segments of the Ridge form and evolve...
Science in Pictures: Frogfishes
Masters of aggressive mimicry, these voracious carnivores can gulp prey faster than any other vertebrate predator
The 3He Superfluids
The curious properties of this millikelvin liquid show quantum mechanics operating on a macroscopic scale. At nanokelvin temperatures even more bizarre liquids may exist
Sustainable Agriculture
Traditional conservation-minded methods combined with modern technology can reduce farmers' dependence on possibly dangerous chemicals. The rewards are both environmental and financial
Oliver Heaviside
An eminent Victorian mathematical physicist who despised mathematical rigor, a shy man who pilloried his enemies in print, Heaviside laid the foundations of modern electric-circuit design...
Departments
50 and 100 Years Ago: June 1990
Blood Feud
Hubble's Legacy
Death Watch
Peary Redux
Atomic Fountain
Science Writ Small
"Flying Ring" Inventor Revamps the Boomerang
Man Bites Shark
Old Green Genes
Skullduggery
Easing the Trauma
Overview: Schizophrenia
Talking Policy
Sick of Work
Dust Busters
Patent Power
Remote Possibility
- Letters
Errata
Letters to the Editors, June 1990
- Recommended
Books, June 1990
- Amateur Scientist
The Amateur Scientist, June 1990
- Departments
The Analytical Economist, June 1990
Essay: Of Ladders, Cycles and Economic Growth
