Optics and Realism in Renaissance Art
A much publicized assertion holds that 15th-century painters achieved a new level of realism with the help of lenses and mirrors. But recent findings cast doubt on that idea
Features
The Dinosaurs of Arctic Alaska
Seventy-five million to 70 million years ago, a group of hardy dinosaurs thrived in the harsh climate of what is now northern Alaska
The Case of the Pilfered Planet
Did the British steal Neptune?
The 2004 Scientific American 50 Award
Our third annual salute to the people and institutions brightening our future recognizes accomplishments in stem cells, nanocomputers, mini fuel cells and more
The Brain's Own Marijuana
Research into natural chemicals that mimic marijuana's effects in the brain could help to explain--and suggest treatments for--pain, anxiety, eating disorders, phobias and other conditions...
Are Viruses Alive?
Although viruses challenge our concept of what "living" means, they are vital members of the web of life
Departments
Marijuana Research
- Letters
Errata
- Advances
Nanosize Me
Stormy Weather
Firing on Half-Cylinders
The Beat Goes On
So Much for Green Salvation
A Mini Human Species
Stressing Violence
Wave-Riding Electrons
Excluding Inclusion Bodies
- Recommended
Orangutan Technology
- Skeptic
Common Sense
- Anti Gravity
Number One
- 50, 100 & 150 Years Ago
Necessary Protein -- Wild Herbs -- Unfiltered Water
- In Brief
Brief Points: December 2004
- By the Numbers
Thwarting Big Brother
- Technicalities
More Than Just Music
- Working Knowledge
Crowded Skies
- Insights
Geographer of the Male Genome
- Ask the Experts
Ask the Experts
