Features
Capsule Reviews

Capsule Reviews
Tracks and Shadows, The Gap, The Cure in the Code, and An Appetite for Wonder
Notebook

The Ultimate Wingman
Differential gene expression between dominant and subordinate male turkeys could help evolutionary biologists deconstruct the roots of sexual dimorphism.

Ye Old Parasites
Evidence of early-13th-century intestinal worms found in a medieval castle latrine yields clues about the lives and deaths of crusaders.

Bad Blood
A rare bleeding disorder leads scientists to uncover an unusual blood component that might be common to us all.

Doggie Dialogue
Georgia Tech researchers develop technology that could allow assistance dogs to better communicate with their handlers.
Thought Experiment

How, If, and Why Species Form
Biologists have struggled for centuries to properly define what constitutes a “species.” They may have been asking the wrong question—many smaller organisms might not form species at all.

Dating the Origin of Us
Theoretical anthropogeny seeks to understand how Homo sapiens rose to a position of global dominance.
Modus Operandi

Detecting Diversity
High-throughput sequencing without PCR could make estimates of biodiversity more precise.
The Literature

Bacterial Scaffolders
In mycelial bacteria, a protein that self-assembles into cytoskeletal networks is recruited to growing tips to shore up newly synthesized cell walls.

Neurons Govern Immunity
Hunger-associated molecules in the hypothalamus suppress inflammation.

Guidance Counselors
Cell-adhesion molecules help newborn neurons migrate to their intended destinations within the neocortex.
Scientist to Watch

Thomas Gregor: Biological Quantifier
Assistant Professor, Physics, Princeton University. Age: 39
Lab Tools

Synapses on Stage
Light microscopy techniques that spotlight neural connections in the brain

Seeing Double
Combining two imaging techniques integrates molecular specificity with nanometer-scale resolution.
Reading Frames

Chance and Necessity
War and justice brought together two of the greatest minds of the 20th century, a scientist and a writer.
Foundations

The Neuron Doctrine, circa 1894
Santiago Ramón y Cajal used a staining technique developed by Camillo Golgi to formulate the idea that the neuron is the basic unit of the nervous system.
Speaking of Science

Speaking of Science
November 2013's selection of notable quotes
Contributors

Contributors
Meet some of the people featured in the November 2013 issue of The Scientist.
Editorial

Exploring the Neuron Forest
Innovations in imaging techniques and genetic sequencing take neuroscience to a new level.
Profiles

Waste-Management Consultant
By audaciously pursuing an abandoned area of research, Ana María Cuervo discovered how cells selectively break down their waste, and revealed the health consequences when that process malfunctions.
Bio Business

Penetrating the Brain
Researchers use molecular keys, chisels, and crowbars to open the last great biochemical barricade in the body—the blood-brain barrier.
Cover Story

Tuning the Brain
Deep-brain stimulation is allowing neurosurgeons to adjust the neural activity in specific brain regions to treat thousands of patients with myriad neurological disorders.