The Science Of Replacing Body Parts, From Hair To Hearts
In “Replaceable You,” Mary Roach describes mind-boggling efforts to replace human body parts—and why it’s proven to be so difficult.
An Off-The-Grid Nobel Win, And Antibiotics In Ancient Microbes
When the Nobel committee called, Fred Ramsdell did not pick up. Plus, searching ancient archaea for solutions to modern antibiotic resistance.
Moth Survival Strategies And A Rodent Thumbnail Mystery
Moths’ evolutionary split between bright warning colors and subtle camouflage depends on the context. Plus, mysteries of the rodent thumbnail.
Anthropologists Have A Bone To Pick With New Skull Finding
A reconstruction of an ancient skull suggests that humans could have evolved half a million years earlier than thought. Not so fast, some say.
The High-Tech Lab Unlocking Secrets Of Coral Reproduction
At a lab in the heart of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, scientists are breeding corals to be more resilient to rising ocean temperatures.
A Trailblazing Geneticist Reflects On Her Life And Work
Dr. Mary-Claire King was the first to link a gene to hereditary cancer risk with the identification of BRCA1. She was just getting started.
A Photographer Captures Nature In Mind-Boggling Detail
Ever seen the hairs on a bee’s eyeball? Or the contours of a hummingbird’s tongue? Science photographer Anand Varma takes us behind the lens.
Octopuses Use Suckers To ‘Taste’ Harmful Microbes
Researchers found that octopuses can use their arms to detect harmful microbes on the surface of objects like crab shells or their own eggs.
Hide Like A Cephalopod: Make An Octopus Den
Put your engineering skills to the test as you design a strong, but camouflaged, underwater home for an octopus.
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Decoding Fireflies’ Smelly Signals And Blinking Butts
Fireflies’ unique body chemistry has led to advances in medical imaging. And scientists are now learning how they communicate using smell.