December 2004
Scientific American Magazine

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Cover; December 2004; by Staff Editor; 1 Page(s)

Table of Contents; December 2004; by Staff Editor; 2 Page(s)

SA Perspectives: Marijuana Research; December 2004; by Staff Editor; 1 Page(s)

The absurd restrictions on marijuana research

How to Contact Us and On the Web; December 2004; by Staff Editor; 1 Page(s)

Letters to the Editors; December 2004; by Staff Editor; 2 Page(s)

50, 100 and 150 Years Ago; December 2004; by Staff Editor; 1 Page(s)

Necessary Protein; Wild Herbs; Unfiltered Water

Register or Perish; December 2004; by Marina Krakovsky; 2 Page(s)

Looking to make the downside of therapies known

Firing on Half-Cylinders; December 2004; by Steven Ashley; 2 Page(s)

Turning V-8s into V-4s may yield the fastest fuel savings

Muscle Twitch Switch; December 2004; by Diane Martindale; 2 Page(s)

Genetic finding could mean gain without pain

Nanosize Me; December 2004; by Patrick DiJusto; 2 Page(s)

Nebulous naming--nano knack not needed

Stormy Weather; December 2004; by Mark Alpert; 1 Page(s)

Why are Atlantic hurricanes on the rise?

Back to the Future; December 2004; by Graham P. Collins; 1 Page(s)

Physicists gaze into the crystal ball

By the Numbers: Thwarting Big Brother; December 2004; by Rodger Doyle; 1 Page(s)

The job of blocking prying eyes falls mostly to states

News Scan Briefs; December 2004; by Kate Wong, Charles Choi, Aimee Cunningham, JR Minkel; 2 Page(s)

A Mini Human Species; So Much for Green Salvation; The Beat Goes On; Stressing Violenece; Excluding Inclusion Bodies; Wave-Riding Electrons

Skeptic: Common Sense; December 2004; by Michael Shermer; 1 Page(s)

Surprising new research shows that crowds are often smarter than individuals

Insights: Geographer of the Male Genome; December 2004; by Gary Stix; 2 Page(s)

The notion of the Y sex chomosome as a genetic wasteland still entices biologists. David C. Page has spent a good part of his career knocking down that myth

The Scientific American 50; December 2004; by Staff Editors; 22 Page(s)

Our third annual salute to the people and institutions brightening our future recognizes accomplishments in stem cells, nanocomputers, mini fuel cells and more

The Brain's Own Marijuana; December 2004; by Roger A. Nicoll and Bradley E. Alger; 8 Page(s)

Research into natural chemicals that mimic marijuana's effects in the brain could help to explain--and suggest treatments for--pain, anxiety, eating disorders, phobias and other conditions

Optics and Realism in Renaissance Art; December 2004; by David G. Stork; 8 Page(s)

A much publicized assertion holds that 15th-century painters achieved a new level of realism with the help of lenses and mirrors. But recent findings cast doubt on that idea

The Dinosaurs of Arctic Alaska; December 2004; by Anthony R. Fiorillo; 8 Page(s)

Seventy-five million years ago, a group of hardy dinosaurs thrived in the harsh climate of what is now northern Alaska

The Case of the Pilfered Planet; December 2004; by William Sheehan, Nicholas Kollerstrom and Craig B. Waff; 8 Page(s)

Did the British steal Neptune?

Are Viruses Alive?; December 2004; by Luis P. Villarreal; 6 Page(s)

Although viruses challenge our concept of what "living" means, they are vital members of the web of life

Working Knowledge: Crowded Skies; December 2004; by Mark Fischetti; 2 Page(s)

Air traffic control

Technicalities: More Than Just Music; December 2004; by Nicole Garbarini; 3 Page(s)

Accessories can enhance the iPod music player

Reviews: Orangutan Technology; December 2004; by Barbara Smuts, Staff Editors; 3 Page(s)

Among Orangutans reveals that amazing and overlooked state of culture among the red apes. Also, The Editors Recommend

Anti Gravity: Number One; December 2004; by Steve Mirsky; 1 Page(s)

Thanks to this woman, you can read it in the paper

Ask the Experts; December 2004; by Staff Editor; 1 Page(s)

Why is life expectancy longer for women than it is for men?