May 2011
Scientific American Magazine

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Cover; May 2011; by Staff Editor; 1 Page(s)

Table of Contents; May 2011; by Staff Editor; 2 Page(s)

From the Editor; May 2011; by Mariette DiChristina; 1 Page(s)

Risks vs. Gains

Letters; May 2011; by The Editors; 2 Page(s)

Letters to the editor from the January 2011 issue of Scientific American

Science Agenda: Dr. No Money; May 2011; by The Editors; 1 Page(s)

Scientists spend too much time raising cash instead of doing experiments

Forum: Trust Me, I'm a Scientist; May 2011; by Daniel T. Willingham; 1 Page(s)

Fifty years after the first human ventured into space, we need some creative thinking

Warning: Flooding Ahead; May 2011; by David Biello; 1 Page(s)

Human-induced climate change is bringing on more extreme weather

Coral in Love; May 2011; by Rebecca Coffey; 1 Page(s)

Why they spawn only at twilight

Cancer Testing? There's an App for That; May 2011; by Melinda Wenner Moyer; 1 Page(s)

Physicians are using smartphones to diagnose diseases, check blood cell counts and identify pathogens in drinking water

My, What Long Telomeres You Have; May 2011; by Thea Singer; 1 Page(s)

Researchers will soon be offering a simple test that aims to tell patients how quickly they are aging

Bracing for the Big One; May 2011; by Sid Perkins; 1 Page(s)

A series of major earthquakes have struck below the Pacific Ocean in less than a year and a half. Could the West Coast be next?

The Newest Nuclear Plants; May 2011; by David Biello; 1 Page(s)

As always, safety is a balancing act

Steel Rainbow; May 2011; by Charles Q. Choi; 1 Page(s)

Twenty-five years after Chernobyl, the world's largest movable structure is set to seal off the failed reactor for good

Beating Back the Bugs; May 2011; by Jeneen Interlandi; 1 Page(s)

Some hospitals have turned a corner in fighting deadly infections

The Prices are Right; May 2011; by Michael Easter; 1 Page(s)

Economists find a faster, cheaper way to measure inflation

HIV vs. Measles; May 2011; by Erica Westly; 1 Page(s)

Pediatric HIV may be hindering measles eradication efforts

A Cure within Sight?; May 2011; by Sonya Collins; 1 Page(s)

Embryonic stem cells may help treat a leading cause of blindness

Why Bayes Rules; May 2011; by Sharon Bertsch McGrayne; 1 Page(s)

A new book about the now ubiquitous theorem traces its road from 18th-century theology to 21st-century robotic cars

"Let's Go for It"; May 2011; by David Biello; 1 Page(s)

The leader of the government's push into alternative energy talks about fuel-making microbes, the next industrial revolution and how soon his high-risk projects will reach the market

In Brief: May 2011; May 2011; by George Hackett; 1 Page(s)

The Science of Health: Beyond Mammograms; May 2011; by Nancy Shute; 2 Page(s)

Conventional breast cancer screening tests are far from perfect. What's next?

Technofiles: Gadgets Are Garbage; May 2011; by David Pogue; 1 Page(s)

Your brand-new device is about to be obsolete. Save it from the trash heap

7 Radical Energy Solutions; May 2011; by The Editors; Graham P. Collins; David Biello; Bijal P. Trivedi; JR Minkel; Steven Ashley; Charles Q. Choi; Michael Lemonick; 8 Page(s)

The failure rate may be 90 percent, but if any of these exotic technologies succeeds it could significantly improve energy security and efficiency

The Lost Galaxies; May 2011; by James E. Geach; 8 Page(s)

By the latest estimate, the observable universe contains 200 billion galaxies. Astronomers wonder: Why so few?

The Hidden Organ In Our Eyes; May 2011; by Ignacio Provencio; 6 Page(s)

Our bodies adjust to the cycle of day and night thanks to specialized neurons in our eyes. Ongoing study of these cells could lead to new treatments for winter depression and other conditions

The Strangest Numbers in String Theory; May 2011; by John C. Baez; John Huerta; 6 Page(s)

A forgotten number system invented in the 19th century may provide the simplest explanation for why our universe could have 10 dimensions

Fast Track to Vaccines; May 2011; by Alan Aderem; 6 Page(s)

Analyzing all the layers of the immune system at once speeds design and may one day deal a decisive blow against HIV

The Space Station's Crown Jewel; May 2011; by George Musser; 2 Page(s)

A fancy cosmic-ray detector, the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer, is about to scan the cosmos for dark matter, antimatter and more

The Growing Menace from Superweeds; May 2011; by Jerry Adler; 6 Page(s)

Pigweed, ragweed and other monsters have begun to outsmart the advanced technologies that protect the biggest U.S. cash crops

Masters of Disguise; May 2011; by Peter Forbes; 4 Page(s)

Animal mimicry takes many forms—including chemical and acoustic varieties—and offers unique insights into evolution

Inner Sparks; May 2011; by Alicia Anstead; 4 Page(s)

Hearing specialist and sax player Charles J. Limb says that studying the brain during flights of improvisation may provide new understanding of creativity—as well as insight into the musical genius of John Coltrane

Recommended; May 2011; by Kate Wong; 1 Page(s)

Books and recommendation from Scientific American

Skeptic: Extrasensory Pornception; May 2011; by Michael Shermer; 1 Page(s)

Does new research prove paranormal precognition or normal postcognition?

Anti-Gravity: O Mercaptan, My Mercaptan; May 2011; by Steve Mirsky; 1 Page(s)

Some smells always belong, but do not always remain, outside

50, 100, 150 Years Ago; May 2011; by Daniel C. Schlenoff; 1 Page(s)

Innovation and discovery as chronicled in Scientific American

Graphic Science: Exposed; May 2011; by Mark Fischetti; 1 Page(s)

Medical imaging delivers big doses of radiation