http://discovermagazine.com Science, Technology, and The Future http://discovermagazine.com/2008/oct/10-are-antidepressant-drugs-actually-worth-taking http://discovermagazine.com/2008/oct/10-are-antidepressant-drugs-actually-worth-taking A psychologist says secret corporate documents show how ineffective the drugs really are. Ben Harder http://discovermagazine.com/2008/oct/10-are-antidepressant-drugs-actually-worth-taking/key_image Fri, 10 Oct 2008 10:25:00 -0500 Fri, 10 Oct 2008 10:25:00 -0500 Web Article http://discovermagazine.com/2008/apr/04-a-dose-of-human-kindness-now-in-chemical-form http://discovermagazine.com/2008/apr/04-a-dose-of-human-kindness-now-in-chemical-form A test involving sharing money with strangers shows that the hormone oxytocin may increase generosity and enhance our ability to see others' viewpoints. Jennifer Barone http://discovermagazine.com/2008/apr/04-a-dose-of-human-kindness-now-in-chemical-form/key_image Fri, 04 Apr 2008 12:05:00 +0000 Fri, 04 Apr 2008 12:05:00 +0000 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2008/may/03-biofuel-farming-looks-to-be-an-environmental-disaster http://discovermagazine.com/2008/may/03-biofuel-farming-looks-to-be-an-environmental-disaster Turning jungle into savanna to grow biofuels is a terrible idea: A new study finds that by using corn for fuel in the U.S., we may increase greenhouse gases for the next 167 years. Jennifer Barone and Amber Fields http://discovermagazine.com/2008/may/03-biofuel-farming-looks-to-be-an-environmental-disaster/key_image Thu, 03 Apr 2008 17:00:00 +0000 Thu, 03 Apr 2008 17:00:00 +0000 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2008/feb/hope-may-be-useless-against-cancer http://discovermagazine.com/2008/feb/hope-may-be-useless-against-cancer Forget what you thought about optimism: Psychologist James Coyne and his colleagues followed 1,093 adults, all of whom had advanced head and neck cancer. “We were surprised to find absolutely no relationship” between emotion and survival, Coyne says. Jennifer Barone http://discovermagazine.com/2008/feb/hope-may-be-useless-against-cancer/key_image Mon, 11 Feb 2008 11:00:00 +0000 Mon, 11 Feb 2008 11:00:00 +0000 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2007/dec/how-to-excuse-yourself-from-your-body http://discovermagazine.com/2007/dec/how-to-excuse-yourself-from-your-body Once you see—and feel—a virtual self, your mind can move into a mannequin. Josie Glausiusz http://discovermagazine.com/2007/dec/how-to-excuse-yourself-from-your-body/key_image Mon, 10 Dec 2007 13:00:00 +0000 Mon, 10 Dec 2007 13:00:00 +0000 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2007/nov/big-boned-how-your-skeleton-can-make-you-fat http://discovermagazine.com/2007/nov/big-boned-how-your-skeleton-can-make-you-fat Bones help fix themselves by controlling the body's metabolism. Josie Glausiusz http://discovermagazine.com/2007/nov/big-boned-how-your-skeleton-can-make-you-fat/key_image Fri, 23 Nov 2007 16:00:00 +0000 Fri, 23 Nov 2007 16:00:00 +0000 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2007/oct/climate-change-triggers-bloodshed http://discovermagazine.com/2007/oct/climate-change-triggers-bloodshed When climate change makes it hard to find food, animals decrease their numbers through cannabilism, while humans do it through warfare. Josie Glausiusz http://discovermagazine.com/2007/oct/climate-change-triggers-bloodshed/key_image Tue, 25 Sep 2007 10:00:00 +0000 Tue, 25 Sep 2007 10:00:00 +0000 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2007/sep/the-goldilocks-method-for-curing-autism http://discovermagazine.com/2007/sep/the-goldilocks-method-for-curing-autism A mutation in the gene FMR1 causes neurons to have long, thin branches, often resulting in retardation. A mutation in the gene PAK produces malfunctioning neurons that have short, fat branches. A mouse with both mutations has normal neurons that work just right—like Goldilocks. Josie Glausiusz http://discovermagazine.com/2007/sep/the-goldilocks-method-for-curing-autism/key_image Thu, 23 Aug 2007 12:00:00 +0000 Thu, 23 Aug 2007 12:00:00 +0000 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2007/aug/raw-data-oldest-star http://discovermagazine.com/2007/aug/raw-data-oldest-star Astronomers find a star almost as old as the big bang. Josie Glausiusz http://discovermagazine.com/2007/aug/raw-data-oldest-star/key_image Mon, 30 Jul 2007 19:00:00 +0000 Mon, 30 Jul 2007 19:00:00 +0000 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2007/jul/raw-data-is-dirt-the-new-prozac http://discovermagazine.com/2007/jul/raw-data-is-dirt-the-new-prozac When researchers injected a common soil bacteria into mice, it activates a set of serotonin-releasing neurons in the brain—the same nerves targeted by Prozac. Simply inhaling M. vaccae—you get a dose just by taking a walk in the wild or rooting around in the garden—could help elicit a jolly state of mind. Josie Glausiusz http://discovermagazine.com/2007/jul/raw-data-is-dirt-the-new-prozac/key_image Thu, 14 Jun 2007 17:45:00 +0000 Thu, 14 Jun 2007 17:45:00 +0000 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2007/jun/raw-data-message-in-a-bacterium http://discovermagazine.com/2007/jun/raw-data-message-in-a-bacterium Japanese researchers have encoded E = mc² in binary into the DNA of the bacterium Bacillus subtilis. Encoding our most important information in a bacterial genome could ensure that our legacy lives on, even after humans are extinct. The same technology could conceivably let biotech companies patent or copyright GMOs by encoding a brand name within the organism's genetic code. Josie Glausiusz http://discovermagazine.com/2007/jun/raw-data-message-in-a-bacterium/key_image Mon, 04 Jun 2007 21:55:00 +0000 Mon, 04 Jun 2007 21:55:00 +0000 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2007/may/dawn-of-the-dexterous-ape http://discovermagazine.com/2007/may/dawn-of-the-dexterous-ape Evidence of tool-wielding chimps extends back more than 4,000 years, but how the apes learned the skill remains a mystery. Josie Glausiusz http://discovermagazine.com/2007/may/dawn-of-the-dexterous-ape/key_image Wed, 23 May 2007 22:05:00 +0000 Wed, 23 May 2007 22:05:00 +0000 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2007/mar/raw-data-scents-and-scents-ability http://discovermagazine.com/2007/mar/raw-data-scents-and-scents-ability Our clumsy noses won't win any sniffing contests, but we can use them to find chocolate. Josie Glausiusz http://discovermagazine.com/2007/mar/raw-data-scents-and-scents-ability/key_image Thu, 15 Mar 2007 17:00:00 +0000 Thu, 15 Mar 2007 17:00:00 +0000 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2007/feb/titan-ethane-smog-dust-smust http://discovermagazine.com/2007/feb/titan-ethane-smog-dust-smust Smog-and-ethane powder rains on Saturn's giant moon Titan—and covers it in a mile-thick layer. Josie Glausiusz http://discovermagazine.com/2007/feb/titan-ethane-smog-dust-smust/key_image Fri, 02 Feb 2007 16:25:00 +0000 Fri, 02 Feb 2007 16:25:00 +0000 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2006/dec/p16-protein-aging-healing-cancer http://discovermagazine.com/2006/dec/p16-protein-aging-healing-cancer The same protein that prevents cancer may also encourage aging. Jessica Ruvinsky http://discovermagazine.com/2006/dec/p16-protein-aging-healing-cancer/key_image Wed, 06 Dec 2006 10:10:00 +0000 Wed, 06 Dec 2006 10:10:00 +0000 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2006/nov/beautiful-daughters http://discovermagazine.com/2006/nov/beautiful-daughters Natural selection may be driving the beautiful people to have girls. Jessica Ruvinsky http://discovermagazine.com/2006/nov/beautiful-daughters/key_image Tue, 14 Nov 2006 08:50:00 +0000 Tue, 14 Nov 2006 08:50:00 +0000 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2006/oct/psilocybin-mushrooms-mystical http://discovermagazine.com/2006/oct/psilocybin-mushrooms-mystical Apparently, yes. Most volunteers say psilocybin experiences are spiritually significant. Jessica Ruvinsky http://discovermagazine.com/2006/oct/psilocybin-mushrooms-mystical/key_image Fri, 13 Oct 2006 17:04:36 -0500 Fri, 13 Oct 2006 17:04:36 -0500 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2006/sep/gaybrothers http://discovermagazine.com/2006/sep/gaybrothers Boys with older brothers are more likely to be gay. But is it nurture or nature? Stephen Ornes http://discovermagazine.com/2006/sep/gaybrothers/key_image Fri, 01 Sep 2006 11:51:30 -0500 Fri, 01 Sep 2006 11:51:30 -0500 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2006/aug/ancientmariners http://discovermagazine.com/2006/aug/ancientmariners Measuring changes in the Earth's magnetic field. Stephen Ornes http://discovermagazine.com/2006/aug/ancientmariners/key_image Mon, 14 Aug 2006 10:22:16 -0500 Mon, 14 Aug 2006 10:22:16 -0500 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2006/jul/rawdata http://discovermagazine.com/2006/jul/rawdata Can more sex make up for less life? Jessica Ruvinsky http://discovermagazine.com/2006/jul/rawdata/key_image Sat, 01 Jul 2006 15:00:58 -0500 Sat, 01 Jul 2006 15:00:58 -0500 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2006/jun/raw-data http://discovermagazine.com/2006/jun/raw-data Jessica Ruvinsky http://discovermagazine.com/2006/jun/raw-data/key_image Sun, 25 Jun 2006 16:18:46 -0500 Sun, 25 Jun 2006 16:18:46 -0500 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2006/may/raw-data http://discovermagazine.com/2006/may/raw-data A star one second, an exploding supernova the next Jessica Ruvinsky http://discovermagazine.com/2006/may/raw-data/key_image Sun, 28 May 2006 15:18:27 -0500 Sun, 28 May 2006 15:18:27 -0500 Print Article http://discovermagazine.com/2006/apr/placebo-placebo http://discovermagazine.com/2006/apr/placebo-placebo Placebo vs Placebo Jessica Ruvinsky http://discovermagazine.com/2006/apr/placebo-placebo/key_image Thu, 27 Apr 2006 13:43:43 -0500 Thu, 27 Apr 2006 13:43:43 -0500 Print Article