Science

The best in science news, commentary, and research
  • [News Focus] Ardi's a Hominin—But How Did She Move?
    [Apr 2013]

    Researchers gave Ardi, the oldest and most complete skeleton of a potential human ancestor, new recognition as a hominin. They agreed with the discoverers that Ardi walked upright—albeit in a weird way—and that features in her teeth and skull make her a primitive member of the human family. But debate raged about whether she also climbed vertically in trees like an ape.

    Author: Ann Gibbons
    Categories: Journal Articles
  • [Letter] The Brazilian Adirondacks?
    [Apr 2013]



    Authors: C. Guilherme Becker, David Rodriguez, Kelly R. Zamudio
    Categories: Journal Articles
  • [Letter] Japan's Lagging Gender Equality
    [Apr 2013]



    Authors: Miwako Kato Homma, Reiko Motohashi, Hisako Ohtsubo
    Categories: Journal Articles
  • [Letter] Strategy Behind Science Policy Decisions
    [Apr 2013]



    Author: Rudy Juliano
    Categories: Journal Articles
  • [Technical Comment] Comment on “In Monkeys Making Value-Based Decisions, LIP Neurons Encode Cue Salience and Not Action Value”
    [Apr 2013]



    Authors: William T. Newsome, Paul W. Glimcher, Jacqueline Gottlieb, Daeyeol Lee, Michael L. Platt
    Categories: Journal Articles
  • [Book Review] Social Science: To Improve Public Policy
    [Apr 2013]

    The authors explore the complexities of applying science in forming public policy and suggest means for making more effective use of research results.

    Author: Brian Baird
    Categories: Journal Articles
  • [Book Review] Exhibitions: Materials Science: Transit Shadows
    [Apr 2013]

    This exhibition celebrating superconductivity features sculptures by Etienne Krähenbühl that reveal fresh mechanical and artistic possibilities of metal alloys.

    Authors: Thomas Junier, Pilar Junier
    Categories: Journal Articles
  • [Books et al.] Books Received
    [Apr 2013]

    A listing of books received at Science during the week ending 19 April 2013.
    Categories: Journal Articles
  • [Policy Forum] Science and Law: Human Subjects Protection and Research on Terrorism and Conflict
    [Apr 2013]

    A recent court case calls into question the ability to protect human subjects in research on terrorism and conflict.

    Authors: Brian A. Jackson, Tora K. Bikson, Patrick P. Gunn
    Categories: Journal Articles
  • [Perspective] Neuroscience: Plasticity in the Neurotransmitter Repertoire
    [Apr 2013]

    A switch in the type of neurotransmitter released in the brain underlies changes in mammalian behavior associated with day-night cycles. [Also see Research Article by Dulcis et al.]

    Authors: Susan J. Birren, Eve Marder
    Categories: Journal Articles
  • [Perspective] Behavior: Animal Conformists
    [Apr 2013]

    Field studies show that both whales and vervet monkeys acquire feeding behaviors through social learning. [Also see Reports by 483de Waal et al. and 485Allen et al.]

    Author: Frans B. M. de Waal
    Categories: Journal Articles
  • [Perspective] Atmosphere: Irreversible Does Not Mean Unavoidable
    [Apr 2013]

    Carbon dioxide emissions cuts implemented today would affect the rate of future global warming immediately.

    Authors: H. Damon Matthews, Susan Solomon
    Categories: Journal Articles
  • [Perspective] Molecular Biology: A Circuitous Route to Noncoding RNA
    [Apr 2013]

    A class of circular RNAs that regulates microRNAs is abundant in mammalian cells.

    Authors: Jeremy E. Wilusz, Phillip A. Sharp
    Categories: Journal Articles
  • [Perspective] Chemistry: Are Gold Clusters in RF Fields Hot or Not?
    [Apr 2013]

    Heating of gold nanoparticles by radio-frequency waves, which is of interest for clinical applications, can occur if the nanoparticles are made magnetic.

    Authors: Hong Koo Kim, George W. Hanson, David A. Geller
    Categories: Journal Articles
  • [Perspective] Geophysics: Melting Earth's Core
    [Apr 2013]

    Studies of melting iron at extreme temperature and pressure provide a better understanding of the temperature of Earth's core. [Also see Report by Anzellini et al.]

    Author: Yingwei Fei
    Categories: Journal Articles
  • [Essay] IBI* Series Winner: Root Cause Analysis for Young Engineers
    [Apr 2013]

    Root Cause Analysis, an IBI prize-winning module, requires students to use a systematic approach to analyze complex problems.

    Author: Joe Immel
    Categories: Journal Articles
  • [Research Article] A Massive Pulsar in a Compact Relativistic Binary
    [Apr 2013]

    Observations of a pulsar confirm general relativity in the strong-field regime and reveal a perplexing stellar binary.

    Authors: John Antoniadis, Paulo C. C. Freire, Norbert Wex, Thomas M. Tauris, Ryan S. Lynch, Marten H. van Kerkwijk, Michael Kramer, Cees Bassa, Vik S. Dhillon, Thomas Driebe, Jason W. T. Hessels, Victoria M. Kaspi, Vladislav I. Kondratiev, Norbert Langer, Thomas R. Marsh, Maura A. McLaughlin, Timothy T. Pennucci, Scott M. Ransom, Ingrid H. Stairs, Joeri van Leeuwen, Joris P. W. Verbiest, David G. Whelan
    Categories: Journal Articles