Scientific American - July 2011
English | 76 pages | True PDF | 19.65 MB
Scientific American (informally abbreviated to SciAm) is a popular science magazine published since August 28, 1845, which according to the magazine makes it the oldest continuously published magazine in the United States. It brings articles about new and innovative research to the amateur and lay audience.
FEATURES
NEUROSCIENCE
20 The Limits of Intelligence
The laws of physics may prevent the human brain from evolving into an ever more powerful thinking machine. By Douglas Fox
ASTROPHYSICS
28 The Periodic Table of the Cosmos A simple diagram, which celebrates its centennial this year, continues to serve as the most essential conceptual tool in stellar astrophysics. By Ken Croswell
HEALTH CARE
34 The Best Medicine A quiet revolution in how doctors compare the effectiveness of different treatments just might save us from
soaring medical costs. By Sharon Begley
CLIMATE CHANGE
40 The Last Great Global Warming Surprising new evidence suggests that the earth’s most abrupt prehistoric warm-up was downright
stately compared with the steep rise in temperatures we face today. By Lee R. Kump
ENGINEERING
46 Underground Railroad A peek inside New York City’s subway line of the future. By Anna Kuchment
BIOLOGY
48 Evolution of the Eye Scientists now have a clear view of how our notoriously complex eye came to be. By Trevor D. Lamb
CYBERSECURITY
54 Hacking the Lights Out A powerful computer virus has taken out well-guarded industrial control systems. The electrical power grid
may be next. By David M. Nicol
DISEASE CONTROL
60 Scent of a Human Decoding how a mosquito sniffs out its human targets could lead to better ways of curtailing the spread of
malaria. By John R. Carlson and Allison F. Carey
COSMOLOGY
64 Bad Boy of Physics Leonard Susskind rebelled as a teen and never stopped. Today he insists that reality may forever be beyond
reach of our understanding. Interview by Peter Byrne
DEPARTMENTS
3 From the Editor
4 Letters
6 Science - Agenda Fair and reasonable ways to cut health care costs. By the Editors
7 Forum - The human cost of biofuels. By Timothy Searchinger
8 Advances - Rewilding. Dark matter wars. Charlotte’s giant ancestor.
Cars 2. Itch doctor. Pretty women and war.
Al Qaeda’s failed cyberattacks. French fry science.
16 The Science of Health - How poverty, culture and prejudice conspire to increase HIV’s toll in the southern U.S. By Jessica Wapner
19 TechnoFiles - Why gadgets flop. By David Pogue
68 Recommended - Six hundred species of fungi. The mystery of Easter Island. Many kinds of smiles. By Kate Wong
69 Skeptic - The believing brain. By Michael Shermer
70 Anti Gravity - Car buying and the rules of persuasion. By Steve Mirsky
71 50, 100 & 150 Years Ago
72 Graphic Science - Smarter solution to infant deaths: maternal education. By Mark Fischetti
