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Trachette Jackson Fights Cancer With Math
Quantitative models built by the mathematical biologist Trachette Jackson can make cancer therapies safer and more effective.
New Genomic Study of Placenta Finds Deep Links to Cancer
A patchwork of genomic differences in the placenta may explain the organ’s “live fast, die young” strategy and its connections to cancer.
Cells Form Into ‘Xenobots’ on Their Own
Embryonic cells can self-assemble into new living forms that don’t resemble the bodies they usually generate, challenging old ideas of what defines an organism.
Chasing the Elusive Numbers That Define Epidemics
Most modeling efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic have sought to address urgent practical concerns. But some groups aim to bolster the theoretical underpinnings of that work instead.
Why Extraterrestrial Life May Not Seem Entirely Alien
The zoologist Arik Kershenbaum argues that because some evolutionary challenges are truly universal, life throughout the cosmos may share certain features.
What Is Life? Its Vast Diversity Defies Easy Definition.
Scientists have struggled to formulate a universal definition of life. Is it possible they don’t need one?
Bonnie Bassler on Talkative Bacteria and Eavesdropping Viruses
The molecular biologist Bonnie Bassler is deciphering the chemical languages that bacteria use to coordinate their assaults on a host.
New Season of The Joy of x Podcast Explores Scientists’ Inner Lives
In a second season of enlightened conversations, Steven Strogatz and leading researchers nourish our pandemic-starved minds.
Neil Shubin on Tiktaalik, Ballistic Tongues and Evolution
The paleontologist Neil Shubin talks with host Steven Strogatz about hunting for a 375 million-year-old fossil and finding novel traits that evolved many times.