Science & Technology

Unwelcome Guests

A new strategy to curb the spread of gypsy moths

Teeth Tales

Fossils tell a new story about the diversity of hominid diets

Mirror Image

The first evidence that elephants can recognize themselves

The Smart and Swinging Bonobo

The last great apes to be discovered, these peaceable, intelligent—and orgiastic—animals may be the first to go extinct if wars, hunting and habitat loss persist in their Congo homeland

Speaking Bonobo

Bonobos have an impressive vocabulary, especially when it comes to snacks

Bonobo Paradise

Orphaned bonobos find refuge at an 86-acre sanctuary near Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Song and Dance Man

Once an aspiring ballet star, neurobiologist Erich Jarvis is now taking bows for his melodious, "bird brain" approach to studying the evolution of language

Cover Story: The Planet Hunters

Searching other stars in the Milky Way, a team of astronomers based in California hopes—and fully expects—to find new worlds like our own.

Inventive Abe

In 1849, a future president patented an ingenious addition to transportation technology.

Neanderthal Man

Svante Paabo has probed the DNA of Egyptian mummies and extinct animals. Now he hopes to learn more about what makes us tick by decoding the DNA of our evolutionary cousins.

Storm Warnings

Whether the increasing intensity of Atlantic hurricanes is the result of global warming or a natural climate cycle, one thing is certain: there are more Katrinas ahead.

Interview with J. Madeleine Nash, Author of "Storm Warnings"

Nash, a science reporter, discusses her most thrilling weather experience, and her fascination with the scariest forces of nature.

Interview: Amy Smith, Inventor

Amy Smith, a practitioner of humanitarian engineering, wants to solve everyday problems for rural families in the developing world.

Corn Plastic to the Rescue

Wal-Mart and others are turning to packaging made from corn, touted as cheaper and greener than conventional plastics. But there is more to the story.