March-April 2010
Separated at Birth: Cheney and Sir Topham Hatt?
A controlling, bossy element on "Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends" exudes qualities that put him on track to become vice president?
Gas on Mars Silent But Not Deadly
Scientists weigh the possibility that methane gas on Mars comes from microorganisms in the soil.
Handwriting: The Controversy!
Letters to the Editor: The keyboard may be quicker, but the supporters of cursive aren't about to give up the fight.
Having a Nose for Degraded Documents
A scientific 'sniff test' could aid museums and libraries in preserving their old works without damaging the actual documents.
Bananas Aweigh
The Navy looks at new technology for keeping produce fresh during lengthy voyages; see-through salad era may be over.
Oscar Winners Should Thank Their Economist
Research studies differ on the effect of an Oscar on a film's bottom line.
Death and the Academy Award Winner
Oscar winners may live longer lives than their peers. Or perhaps shorter ones.
Graphic Art — Automatrix
Graph shows that the U.S. government's effort to shift car buyers to higher-efficiency vehicles was anything but a "Buy American" campaign.
Predicting Oscars for Bigelow, Bridges, Bullock
University of Oregon academic predicts Academy Awards will go to Jeff Bridges, Sandra Bullock and Kathryn Bigelow.
Does an Academy Award Really Denote Quality?
Studies come to conflicting conclusions as to whether Academy Awards are a genuine measure of artistry.
Would You Like a Latte With That Library Card?
New library complexes rejuvenate urban centers around the world by including theaters, shops, cafes, offices and even gyms.
Desperately Seeking Landmines
Despite years of research on everything from 'HeroRATS' to TNT-sniffing bees, humans still remove most landmines by poking — very, very carefully — in the ground.
DNA Meets the Distribution Channel
Reaching the potential of personalized medicine is as much a matter of logistics as science.
Who Are You and What Did You Eat?
The voracious U.S. appetite for intel on casual tourists pushes the boundaries of privacy without necessarily keeping Americans safe.
The Mind of a Terrorist
Arie Kruglanski, who leads a team of researchers who examine the motivation of terrorists and the effectiveness of de-radicalization efforts, shares his insights.
A Mind of Crime
How brain-scanning technology is redefining criminal culpability.
Wonking Class Hero — Exterior Designer
A Wonking Class Hero profile of a global environmental innovator.
The Cyborg Composer
David Cope's software creates beautiful, original music. Why are people so angry about that?
Not the Editor's Letter — Redrawn and Quartered
An extraordinary, nonpartisan experiment in redistricting on the left coast.
Miller-McCune Research Essay — Conventional Wisdom and Partial Data
How the paper of record used partial data to reach a wrong conclusion on infant death in Mississippi.
Social Scientists Under Fire
How anthropology and other social sciences are transforming the American way of war in Afghanistan.
The Fact and Fiction of Earthquake Prediction
A lucid look at decades of failed attempts to reach seismology's Holy Grail: the precise prediction of when earthquakes will occur.