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November-December 2008 Volume 96, Number 6

Large scale genomic studies are sharpening but complicating molecular ...

FEATURE ARTICLES

Genomics Confounds Gene Classification *

Michael Seringhaus, Mark Gerstein

Large-scale genomic studies challenge traditional definitions of genes and require new approaches to classifying life at the molecular level

Virtual Fossils from 425 Million-year-old Volcanic Ash

Derek E. Briggs, Derek J. Siveter, David J. Siveter, Mark D. Sutton

A set of exceptionally preserved but difficult-to-extract fossils reveals the diverse creatures from a Silurian sea-floor community

UV Lights Up Marine Fish *

Jill P. Zamzow, Peter A. Nelson, George S. Losey

Some fish have eyes that capture and perceive ultraviolet wavelengths, and many fish must cope with UV's effects

Rocket Science and Russian Spies *

Joseph Castellano

During the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union, the race to develop solid-fueled rockets involved secrecy, explosions and espionage

* access restricted to members and subscribers

SCIENTISTS’ BOOKSHELF

Never at Rest

A review of Kelvin: Life, Labours and Legacy, edited by Raymond Flood, Mark McCartney and Andrew Whitaker. Why, asks Lindley, has Lord Kelvin's remarkable catalog of achievements left so little impression?

See all book reviews for this issue.

DEPARTMENTS

MACROSCOPE

Why Is a Raven Like a Writing Desk?

Musing on the power of convention

COMPUTING SCIENCE

Getting Your Quarks in a Row

A tidy lattice is the key to computing with quantum fields

ENGINEERING

Often considered distinct, engineering and science are frequently difficult to distinguish

MARGINALIA

Adding to the world of known chemical structures is a wonderful mental experiment

SIGHTINGS

Structures Smaller Than Light

Diagramming the structure of proteins

SCIENCE OBSERVER

The Language Playing Field

To improve your communication abilities, try taking up hockey

Fenella Saunders

Reversal of Fortune

County-by-county comparisons of death rates finds that lifespans dropped in some U.S. counties

Catherine Clabby

Icebergs of the Southeast

During the most recent ice age, huge chunks of ice left gouges in the U.S. continental shelf off the Carolinas

David Schoonmaker

LETTERS TO THE EDITORS

Living Harmoniously
Abundant Water Worries

SIGMA XI TODAY (PDF)

2008 Year-End Index

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