October 2006

The Final Frontier

Ten years after the publication of The End of Science, John Horgan says the limits of scientific inquiry are more visible than ever.

by John Horgan

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October

Departments

Discover Interview: Newt Gingrich

The former Speaker—now a leading candidate for the Republican presidential nomination—talked to DISCOVER in 2006 about evolution, stem cells, Washington's two cultures, and why kids should be paid to take science and math.
by Francis Wilkinson, photography by Grant Delin

Natural Selections: Brazilian Rendezvous

Primatologists devise ways for critically threatened monkeys to meet and mate.
by Mary C. Pearl

Map: What Does the Internet Look Like?

Why China has as many IP addresses as an American university, which ISP should be called "Spamalot," and more.
by Stephen Ornes

Vital Signs: Why Is He Limping?

The injury seemed recent, but its origins were not.
by H. Lee Kagan

Raw Data: Do Magic Mushrooms Make You Mystical?

Apparently, yes. Most volunteers say psilocybin experiences are spiritually significant.
by Jessica Ruvinsky

Fuzzy Math... Almost Is Enough

A surprisingly simple manipulation shows how infinity can trick our intuition.
by Alex Stone

Blinded by Science: Who's Freaky Now?

How abhorrence and attraction affect our bioethical judgment.
by Bruno Maddox

Letters

Readers slash and burn the enthusiasm for corn ethanol, and more.

Reviews

Midlife rebellion hits the subjects of the 7 Up film series. Plus: why Edison electrocuted an elephant named Topsy, a chance to commune with Mendel's peas, and how cartoons taught adults good hygiene.

Peer Review: Too Clear for Comfort

The increased detail of HDTV may decrease our viewing pleasure.
by Douglas Rushkoff

20 Things You Didn't Know About... The Nobel Prizes

The king who tried to kill the prizes, what goes through the minds of cockroaches as they watch Star Wars, and more.
by Jessica Ruvinsky and Jason Stahl

Jaron's World: Raft to the Future

Does time come together like an island of boats floating on the open seas?
by Jaron Lanier