November 22, 2024
On the 50th anniversary of Lucy’s discovery, paleoanthropologists reflect on what she taught us about ourselves. Plus, divers have recovered seeds of a long-lost rye variety from a 146-year-old shipwreck in Lake Huron. And, a potato researcher explains potato varieties, potato nutrition, and some tubular tuber facts.
Tick Talk: Lyme Disease Under The Microscope
A look at Lyme disease, the illness linked to a multibillion-dollar banking blunder.
Breaking Out Of A Web Of Fear
After brief therapy, arachnophobes touch tarantulas and have lasting changes in fear response.
What’s The Secret To Great Tomato Flavor?
Horticulturalist Harry Klee is on a mission to bring great taste back to the supermarket tomato.
Planning for a Solar Sky Show
Want to see a ring of fire? We’ll tell you how to see Sunday’s solar eclipse.
Stroke Victims Think, Robotic Arm Acts
A pill-sized implant turns thought into action for two individuals paralyzed by stroke.
Rerouting Working Nerves to Restore Hand Function
Surgeons bypass a spinal cord injury to build a new hand-brain connection in paralyzed man.
On Eve of Launch, SpaceX Head Talks about Mission
Elon Musk on the Dragon launch, traveling to Mars, and–his other hobby–electric cars.
From Rooftops and Abandoned Lots, an Urban Harvest
How about some rooftop honey or dandelion flower jelly? A look at city harvests.
The Itching Question That’s More Than Skin Deep
A connection between thinking and scratching shows how little we know about the tingles on our skin.
Why Race Could Color the Vote Against Obama
A new study shows hidden racial attitudes are playing a role in the 2012 presidential vote.
The Case for a Presidential Science Debate
A grassroots group is calling for a presidential debate based on science and technology issues.
‘The Garbage-Men’ Rock a Trashy Sound
The Garbage-Men prove one man’s trash is another man’s upright bass.
Cracking the Egg Sprinkler Mystery
When engineer Tadd Truscott was in grad school, one of his classmates at MIT suggested they spin an egg in a puddle of milk and film it with a high-speed camera.
How Buffett’s Cancer Is Shaping National Dialogue
One journalist says Warren Buffett’s decision to treat prostate cancer sets a bad precedent.
Mining Quarries Millions of Miles from Earth
A company aims to expand the world’s natural resource base by mining asteroids.
An Astronaut Explores NASA’s Scientific Frontiers
Astronaut and astrophysicist John Grunsfeld leads NASA’s investigations of Earth–and beyond.
The Idea Factory: How Bell Labs Created the Future
Jon Gertner writes of how Bell Labs became a hotspot for innovation in The Idea Factory.
A New Stage Play Tackles Athletes and Concussions
“Headstrong” looks at the high price some athletes pay for staying in the game.
Designing the Pied Piper of Fish
Maurizio Porfiri designed a robotic fish that attract real fish. Now he’s trying to understand why.
Pied Piper of Fish
Maurizio Porfiri wants to build robots that can herd fish like sheepdogs. Sound fishy?