Features

The Root of the Problem

It's a Cell-Eat-Cell World
Slideshows

Haeckel’s Radiolarians
After completing his studies in medicine and biology, Prussian naturalist Ernst Haeckel set off for Italy in 1859, where, in addition to painting landscapes, he spent the climactic months of his stay glued to his microscope observing and sketching.

Battling Malaria in Africa
When general practitioner John Lusingu returned to his native Tanzania to do research on malaria, he was met with a total lack of science infrastructure.
Infographics

Helpful Bacterial Metabolites
While gut microbiota appear to have both positive and negative impacts on our health, in the guts of healthy, lean individuals, the good outweighs the bad.

Harmful Bacterial Metabolites
Gut bacteria that feed on healthy food appear to amplify the nutritional benefits of those foods. However, they also appear to amplify the undesirable effects of unhealthy food.

From the Ground Up
As the planet warms plant growth will likely increase—locking up some of that extra carbon dioxide by converting it into vegetative biomass—but that’s not the whole story.

Cell-In-Cell Action
The mechanism by which tumor cells end up harboring other living cells remains elusive, and the sparse evidence acquired thus far has led researchers to propose different hypotheses.
Scientist to Watch

Seirian Sumner: Wasp Whisperer
Research Fellow, Institute of Zoology, London. Age: 37
Notebook

Personalized Athletics
Motivated by a career-ending ligament tear, a former NFL player starts a company to test athletes' genetic predispositions to common sports injuries.

String Theory
New types of biological filaments are turning up in yeast, fly, bacterial cells and in rat neurons, and they may yield clues to how the cytoskeleton evolved from metabolically active enzymes.

Powering Clinical Trials
To ensure high-quality clinical trials of a malaria vaccine, organizers in rural Africa must first upgrade electrical and research infrastructures.

An Unlichenly Pair
A young botanist pays tribute to his mentor by naming a newly discovered, rare species in his honor.
Thought Experiment

Deconstructing the Mosaic Brain
Sequencing the DNA of individual neurons is a way to dissect the genes underlying major neurological and psychological disorders.
Modus Operandi

The Right Sort
Using the strongest molecular binding partnership in biology to separate different cell types.
The Literature

An Eyeful of RNA
Editor's Choice in Physiology

Memory Aid
Editor's Choice in Neuroscience

Plant Cells and Soap Bubbles
Editor’s Choice in Plant Biology
Profiles

3-D Seer
Dissatisfied with the uncertainty of crystallography, Ned Seeman invented a new way of assembling the molecules that encompass the logic of life.
Bio Business

Make Mine Rare
With mounting interest from biotechs, Big Pharma, and the federal government, research on rare diseases is burgeoning.
Reading Frames

Faculty Fallout
Administrators have taken over US universities, and they’re steering institutions of higher learning away from the goal of serving as beacons of knowledge.
Editorial

Seeing the Forest for the Trees
Getting the big picture means asking lots of little questions.
Critic at Large

Toads
Ascribing benefits to the experience of devastating illness or trauma is fraught with hidden dangers.
Foundations

Ernst Haeckel’s Pedigree of Man, 1874
After completing his studies in medicine and biology, a restless Ernst Haeckel set off for Italy in 1859 to study art and marine biology. The diversity of life fascinated the 26-year-old Prussian, and in addition to painting landscapes, he spent the
Speaking of Science

Speaking of Science
August 2011's selection of notable quotes
Lab Tools

Learning to Become a Tree Hugger
A guide to free software for constructing and assessing species relationships
Capsule Reviews

Capsule Reviews
First Life, Radioactivity, Brain Bugs, Life of Earth
Contributors

Contributors
Meet some of the people featured in the August 2011 issue of The Scientist.