Technologies for Hacking the Brain
Big science lights the way to an understanding of how the world's most complex machine gives rise to our thoughts and emotions
Features
How the Milky Way Got Its Dwarf Galaxies
Small galaxies orbiting the Milky Way may have arrived via dark matter superhighways stretching across the universe
Gene Therapy's Second Act
A decade and a half after a series of tragic setbacks led to critical reevaluations, scientists say gene therapy is ready to enter the clinic
The Oldest Rocks on Earth
One team of scientists thinks ancient rocks discovered in northern Canada give us a window onto the planet's infancy and the birth of life itself. Another team thinks they're not that special...
How Data Mining Uncovered Rampant Scientific Plagiarism and Fraud
The author wanted to build software that would navigate medical jargon. He ended up uncovering widespread plagiarism and hundreds of millions of dollars in potential fraud
The American Chestnut's Genetic Rebirth
A foreign fungus nearly wiped out North America's once vast chestnut forests. Genetic engineering can revive them
Why Your First Idea Can Blind You to a Better One
While we are working through a problem, the brain’s tendency to stick with familiar ideas can literally blind us to superior solutions
Departments
- From the Editor
Technologies for the Next Century of Brain Research
- Letters
Readers Respond to "Why the Brain Prefers Paper"
- Advances
Naturally Occurring Packets Show Promise for Protecting Brain's Nerve Fibers
Toxic Fire Retardants Will Linger in the Environment for Years
The U.S. Conservation Crisis That No One Hears About
New Evidence Suggests That Neandertals Buried Their Dead
Ancient Roman Lead Melted Down to Explore the Frontiers of Physics
Solar-Powered Cars Inch toward the Mainstream
Self-Assembling Flower Petals in Liquid Crystals Focus Light
Painful Mosquito-Borne Viral Disease Reaches Western Hemisphere
Hair Follicles in a Dish Make for Cruelty-Free Testing
Can We Keep Airplanes Safe without Killing So Many Birds?
Boom in Finding Dwarf Planets May Be Over
Pupils Dilate or Expand in Response to Mere Thoughts of Light or Dark
Gut Microbes Respond within Days to Major Diet Changes
A Conversation with U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest J. Moniz
- Forum
The Scientific Case for Banning Trans Fats
- The Science of Health
Can Space Tourism Companies Keep Their Customers Safe and Healthy?
- The Science Agenda
Free the Elephants and Orcas in Captivity [Editorial]
- TechnoFiles
Asimov’s Predictions from 1964: A Brief Report Card
- Recommended
Review: Particle Fever
Book Review: The Extreme Life of the Sea
Book Review: On the Cancer Frontier
Book Review: Caffeinated
Book Review: Computing with Quantum Cats
- Skeptic
Can an Atheist Be in Awe of the Universe?
- Anti Gravity
Could It Be That James Bond’s Martinis Were Shaken Because He Had Alcoholic Tremor?
- 50, 100 & 150 Years Ago
100 Years Ago: A New Look at Ancient Art
- Graphic Science
Spice Imports Carry Lots of Filth
