Occasionally we have an editorial team Scientific American melted. When I was reviewing the illustrations for “The Neurobiology of Love” about the pair bonding of prairie voles, the most common reaction was “ahh”. First of all, they are so cute. Unlike rambunctious species like meadow voles, they mate for life, raise their young together, and cuddle for comfort. For nearly 50 years they have been the go-to animal model for studying attachment, relationships, and what appears to be rudimentary love. , explains how he learned a lot about commitment from the Prairie Voles. Free advice: date your favorite meadow vole and marry a meadow vole.
This month’s cover story is an attempt to find unknown life in one of science’s most shocking searches. (Science writer Sarah Scholes suggests the acronym “LAWDKI” for this search.) How do you find aliens so alien to Earthlings? We’re figuring out how to scan life that uses RNA, or life that doesn’t use genetic sequences at all. Depending on how you define ‘life’, it can include chemistries quite different from our own and molecules that assemble themselves.
Astronomers worry that a swarm of satellites is interfering with observatories on Earth. A growing number of Starlink and other communications satellites are passing through low Earth orbit at high speeds and can be seen with the naked eye. It was previously exempt from environmental reviews, but a recent report from the US Government Accountability Office said it could be subject to stricter regulations. Journalist Rebecca Boyle quotes one astronomer raising “deeper cultural questions” about the power satellite companies should have.
Actor Alan Alda is a great advocate of science communication, Scientific American: He hosted a TV series with us from 1993 to 2007. Scientific American FrontierNow he’s generously sharing his Parkinson’s experience to help others recognize one of the early signs of a disease called REM Sleep Behavior Disorder (RBD). A person with this condition puts his dreams into action, which can be dangerous for himself and his partner. Science Her writer Diana Kwon shows how RBD can predict neurodegenerative diseases, allowing patients to start treatment and clinical trials earlier.
The term “positive feedback” sounds like something good, right? That is, the language we use to describe positive feedback) and other aspects of climate change can mislead people about the urgency of the crisis. She points out unintended meanings of common terms and suggests more agile and clearer alternatives. Enjoy the chalkboard at the beginning of the article.
The biggest contributor to the climate emergency is the production and use of cement and concrete, which accounts for about 9% of the world’s carbon footprint. You don’t have to do it this way. Scientific American”Senior Sustainability Editor Mark Fischetti presents a 12-point plan on how to improve manufacturing and minimize the climate impact of cement. Amazing graphics by illustrator and designer Nick Bockelman will pop right out of his truck when he was a kid. I need all the solutions available.
