The Mysterious Origins of Solar Flares

New observations are beginning to reveal what triggers these huge explosions of the sun's atmosphere

An Antibiotic Resistance Fighter

A compound that tweaks a pivotal protein may quell development of antibiotic resistance

Hybrid Vehicles Gain Traction

As car buyers turn to fuel-sipping gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles, a new generation of greener hybrids is just coming over the horizon

Does Globalization Help or Hurt the World's Poor?

Computing with Quantum Knots

A machine based on bizarre particles called anyons that represents a calculation as a set of braids in spacetime might be a shortcut to practical quantum computation

New Hope for Defeating Rotavirus

Although its name is unfamiliar to many, rotavirus is the leading cause of severe childhood diarrhea worldwide and a frequent killer of young children in developing nations. Now--after 30 years of investigation--vaccines that may well conquer it are ready for market...

Why Are Some Animals So Smart?

The unusual behavior of orangutans in a Sumatran swamp suggests a surprising answer