Science Selections

Self-control is a key psychological trait that breeds success at work and play - and in overcoming life's hardships. By Roy Baumeister

Electronics made from nanoscale carbon shapes are coming, thanks to pioneering researcher Mildred Dresselhaus. By Mark Anderson.

Forensic geologist Lorna Dawson has pioneered methods to help convict criminals using the dirt from their shoes. By Chelsea Wald.

It's Like a Truck Going Through a Pipe With Tollbooths. Metaphors for Net neutrality - and why they all stink. By Joshua J. Romero.

Transfusions are one of the most overused treatments in medicine. Researchers are working out how to cut back. By Emily Anthes.

Why Gordon Moore’s grand prediction for exponential growth of integrated circuit complexity has endured for 50 years. By Chris Mack.

How to Survive Cyber War. Step One: Stop counting on others to protect you... By Keren Elazari.

Firewalls of particles may border black holes, confounding both general relativity and quantum mechanics. By Joseph Polchinski.

No secret is safe in the digital age. The implications for our institutions are downright Darwinian. By Daniel Dennett and Deb Roy.

Ears are such terrific pattern finders that scientists are using audio data to detect cancer cells and space particles. By Ron Cowen.

Stimulation of the nervous system could replace drugs for inflammatory and auto immune conditions. By Kevin J. Tracey.

To get energy out of a black hole, the first step would be to build a space elevator that defies the laws of physics... By Adam Brown

Using techniques from astronomy, physicists are finding ways to see through opaque materials like living tissue. By Zeeya Merali.

Not your average tech. Research relies on unsung heroes working behind the scenes - some have rather unusual jobs. By various authors.

Electrical stimulation deep within the brain may alleviate devastating mood disorders. By Andres M. Lozano and Helen S. Mayberg.

Analyses of anatomy, DNA and cultural remains have yielded insights into the inner lives of our mysterious extinct cousins. By Kate Wong.

Winegrowers are trying to preserve the flavor of wines as climate change alters the compounds in grapes. By Kimberly A. Nicholas.

24 years after the conflict ended, scientists and veterans are still fighting for recognition of Gulf War illness. By Sara Reardon.

A new microscope reveals tiny changes in objects that appear to be stock-still. By Fredo Durand, William Freeman and Michael Rubinstein

Planets quite different from our own may be the best homes for life in the universe. By Renee Heller.