May 2009

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Pixels by the Yard: HP Prints Flexible Screens Like Newsprint

A flexible computer screen—one that you can roll up and stick in your pocket—is coming closer to reality.
by Stephen Cass

The Inspiring Boom in "Super-Earths"

At last we are finding rocky planets like our own. But some are pretty weird: The smallest may have a mineral-vapor atmosphere that condenses as lava rain or rock snow.
by Stephen Battersby

20 Things You Didn't Know About... Tunnels

New York has a forgotten one, Texas has a $2 billion wasted one, and Switzerland's building the longest.
by Jocelyn Rice

Vital Signs: Fishy Food

A tropical vacation goes south when a tourist catches something horrible from the catch of the day. But what exactly is it?
by Claire Panosian Dunavan

Bringing Dead-Tree Misfits Into the Digital World

A new Fujitsu scanner merges business cards, receipts, and other important pieces of paper with the rest of your data.

The Best of Science Culture This Month

Extreme mammals, animal justice, the indie version of the Matrix, and more
by Andrew Grant, Stephen Cass, Amy Barth

What Is This? A Piece of Rainbow Rock?

Hint: To forensic technicians it's a valuable timer; to medical doctors it's a defense against infection.
by Andrew Grant

Visual Science: The Achilles Heel on Michelangelo's David: His Shin

3-D scanning shows where the statue is most stressed—and where it will probably fail.

3 Great Uses of Twitter, According to Cofounder Jack Dorsey

1) Throwing parties 2) Lifeline during a terrorist attack 3) Staying connected with mom
by Boonsri Dickinson ("@boonspoon" on Twitter)

78 Exabytes of Facebook, Porn, and More

The big numbers behind Internet use in the U.S.
by Adam Hadhazy

The Big Similarities & Quirky Differences Between Our Left and Right Brains

A broken symmetry from our evolutionary heritage is part of what makes us human.
by Carl Zimmer