The Specter of Biological Weapons

States and terrorists alike have shown a growing interest in germ warfare. More stringent arms-control efforts are needed to discourage attacks

Primordial Deuterium and the Big Bang

Nuclei of this hydrogen isotope formed in the first moments of the big bang. Their abundance offers clues to the early evolution of the universe and the nature of cosmic dark matter...

Creating Nanophase Materials

The properties of these ultrafine-grained substances, now found in a range of commercial products, can be custom-engineered

Cell Suicide in Health and Disease

Cells can—and often do—kill themselves, in a process known as apoptosis. This capacity is essential to the proper functioning of the body; flawed regulation may lie behind many diseases...

Atmospheric Dust and Acid Rain

Emissions of acidic air pollutants have fallen dramatically. Why is acid rain still a problem? Atmospheric dust may be part of the answer

A Cricket Robot

Can a simple electromechanical system perform a complex behavior of a living creature? There was one sure way to find out

Daily Life in Ancient Egypt

Workmen and their families lived some 3,000 years ago in the village ow known as Deir el-Medina. Written records from the unusually well educated community off er fascinating descriptions of everyday activities...

Why Freud isn't Dead