Articles from 08/2010
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Deconstructing Death
Why are we so bad at caring for the dying? In Final Exam, surgeon Pauline Chen reveals a complex array of reasons, from the training of young physicians to a culture that believes a cure is the only goal.
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Projectile Pooping
When it comes to eliminating wastes, some animals are overachievers. Silver-spotted skipper caterpillars and Adelie penguins both can fling poo to startling lengths. But how, and why?
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Into the Uncanny Valley
New findings shed light on a century’s worth of bizarre explanations for the eerie feeling we get around lifelike robots.
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All Consuming
With population and per-capita consumption both on the rise, it's hard to believe humanity's impact on the Earth is sustainable. But what would happen if we ate less meat? Or gave women better education and more power? David Biello takes a critical look.
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Saved by Science
Artist Justine Cooper's large-format photographs document the intersection of science, curation, and the endurance of human curiosity.
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Taming Carbon’s Wild Side
Highly reactive molecules known as carbenes have gone from unstable intermediates with nanosecond lifetimes to powerful tools in synthetic chemistry.
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Sexy, But Biased
When scientists, scholarly reviewers, and the media focus only on the most sensational results of research studies, the resulting distortions can harm scientific progress and the public.
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Music of the Spheres
The composers of One Ring Zero’s new astronomy-themed album, PLANETS, discuss the scientific inspiration behind their music.
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Tiny Viruses, Big Controversy
A recent dispute over the active mechanism for adamantanes, antiviral drugs that combat influenza, sheds light on the difficulties of designing effective antiviral therapies.
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Does Coffee Work?
More than any other drug, caffeine makes the modern world go ’round. But how good is it for you, how well does it work, and how much do most users consume? The answers may surprise you.
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Life in a Box
In Packing for Mars, Mary Roach reveals that space exploration is really an exploration of what it means to be human. In this exclusive excerpt, she talks with former cosmonauts about the psychological challenge of living in space.
Now on SEEDMAGAZINE.COM
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Ideas
I Tried Almost Everything Else
John Rinn, snowboarder, skateboarder, and “genomic origamist,” on why we should dumpster-dive in our genomes and the inspiration of a middle-distance runner.
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Ideas
Going, Going, Gone
The second most common element in the universe is increasingly rare on Earth—except, for now, in America.
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Ideas
Earth-like Planets Aren’t Rare
Renowned planetary scientist James Kasting on the odds of finding another Earth-like planet and the power of science fiction.
