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On the Cover

January-February 2008 Volume 96, Number 1

On the cover:

Death Valley seems an unlikely habitat for fish, yet the hottest, drie...

FEATURE ARTICLES

The Phenotypic Plasticity of Death Valley's Pupfish

Desert fish are revealing how the environment alters development to modify body shape and behavior

Salivary Diagnostics *

Amazing as it might seem, doctors can detect and monitor diseases using molecules found in a sample of spit

A Stone-Age Meeting of Minds *

Neandertals became extinct while Homo sapiens prospered. A marked contrast in mental capacities may account for these different fates

The Past and Future of the Periodic Table *

This stalwart symbol of the field of chemistry always faces scrutiny and debate

* access restricted to members and subscribers

SCIENTISTS’ BOOKSHELF

A Scientific Tempest

James P. Kossin

A review of Storm World: Hurricanes, Politics, and the Battle over Global Warming, by Chris Mooney. With refreshing objectivity and humanity, Mooney guides readers through the major areas of disagreement over the possible effects of global warming on hurricanes

See all book reviews for this issue.

DEPARTMENTS

COMPUTING SCIENCE

Accidental Algorithms

A strange new family of algorithms probes the boundary between easy and hard problems

SIGHTINGS

In Living Color

A new technique for "labeling" neurons with brilliant hues reveals structures and connections in the brains of transgenic mice

MACROSCOPE

"Reliably Safe"

Douglas W. Larson (Biology)

The history of one problematic dam in Oregon teaches how not to manage risk

MARGINALIA

Freed to Fly Again

Through CT scans that can show sub-millimeter details, an imprisoned fossil reveals its secrets

ENGINEERING

A Bridge and Observatory*

The new Penobscot Narrows crossing offers an innovative model for expedited construction

SCIENCE OBSERVER

Solar Energy's Red Queen

David Schneider

Conventional photovoltaic panels will be hard pressed to displace fossil-fuel use anytime soon. But a different kind of solar cell might well do so

Sounding Out Muscle Health

Fenella Saunders

The noise of contraction could help to diagnose disease

LETTERS TO THE EDITORS

Caroline on Our Minds

Vegetable Security

More Bridges, Please

Building on the Past

Dogs, Genes and Drugs

SIGMA XI TODAY (PDF)

IN THIS SECTION

American Scientist Classics

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