While investigating the mysteries of natural food flavors for “The Biology of . . . Bitterness,” page 26, MARY DUENWALD participated in a laboratory taste test of a new additive that could replace excessive salts and sugars. “These kinds of efforts are hopeful because scientists are looking for creative ways to make mass-produced foods healthier,” she says. Duenwald writes a biweekly health column for The New York Times, and she frequently contributes to Real Simple, Departures, and Discover.

As an undergrad at the University of Lowell 14 years ago, ROBERT SILVERS could have majored in either photography or computer sciences. Instead, he chose to  explore both disciplines. That led him to the MIT Media Lab, where, as a grad student, he created the unique Photomosaic process used in “Human, Study Thyself,” page 38. He takes several thousand small images to create a single large pointillistic composite without any duplications. Silvers’s work has also appeared in Time, Esquire, Newsweek, Forbes, and LIFE.

Moments after VICKY SAMBUNARIS began photographing researchers for “Drilling San Andreas,” page 52, the story took on new meaning for her. “All of a sudden the whole earth was shaking,” she says. “It was a profound experience—my first earthquake.” Primarily a landscape photographer, Sambunaris is based in New York City. She also teaches photography at the Yale University School of Architecture, and her work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, House & Garden, and Architecture.

In “Our Disorderly Cosmos,” page 28, Sky Lights columnist BOB BERMAN explains the fallacy of believing in an unchanging universe. “Everybody’s looking for some stability in their crazy, wild lives,” he says.“We assume that the stars and constellations are going to deliver that, and they do—to a degree.” Berman produces “Skywindow” for Northeast Public Radio, edits astronomy for The Old Farmer’s Almanac, has appeared on the Late Show With David Letterman, and is author of several books, including The Men of Tranquility Bay (Chamberlain Bros., 2005).