Scientific American - August 2014 (gnv64) torrent

Scientific American - August 2014
English | 88 pages | True PDF | 37.8 mb

FEATURES
COSMOLOGY
36 The Black Hole at the Beginning of Time
The big bang, and the universe that arose from it, may be a holographic mirage from another dimension. By Niayesh Afshordi, Robert B. Mann and Razieh Pourhasan
BIOLOGY
44 A New Kind of Inheritance
Chemicals, stress and other influences can permanently alter a gene’s activity without changing its DNA sequence. Some of these “epigenetic” changes may be passed to— and cause disease in —future generations. By Michael K. Skinner
NEUROSCIENCE
52 Accidental Genius
A blow to the head can sometimes unleash hidden artistic or intellectual gifts—a phenomenon known as acquired savant syndrome. Is there a way to tap these buried abilities without a concussion? By Darold A. Treffert
HEALTH
58 Sickness in the Arctic
As temperatures rise in the far north, its inhabitants are getting ill. By Christopher Solomon
CYBERSECURITY
64 Saving Big Data from Itself
An architect of the digital age offers advice on how to handle mass information in an era of government overreach. By Alex “Sandy” Pentland
EDUCATION
68 The Science of Learning
Researchers are using tools borrowed from medicine and economics to figure out what works best in the classroom. By Barbara Kantrowitz
Also: “Stop Lecturing Me,” by Carl Wieman
ASTRONOMY
74 Cosmic (In)Significance
Is Earth uniquely special or merely mediocre? By Caleb Scharf

DEPARTMENTS
4 From the Editor
6 Letters
10 Science Agenda
New metrics are needed to determine automation’s effects on joblessness. By the Editors
13 Forum
The U.S. is neglecting its most promising science students. By Rena F. Subotnik, Paula Olszewski-Kubilius and Frank C. Worrell
17 Advances
Why Africa is tearing apart. New laws for driverless cars. Tech inspired by pterosaurs. How to land on a comet.
30 The Science of Health
Our bodies harbor a calorie-burning form of fat. By Melinda Wenner Moyer
34 TechnoFiles
Why it’s so hard to design technology that will please everyone. By David Pogue
78 Recommended
A new crop of books examines our increasing dependence on the online world. By Clara Moskowitz
79 Skeptic
Does the “existential threat” of climate change merit less attention than other risks? By Michael Shermer
80 Anti Gravity
Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly. By Steve Mirsky
82 50, 100 & 150 Years Ago
84 Graphic Science
Tropical species will suffer soonest from global warming. By Mark Fischetti