Head Case: Last year, fMRI made its debut in court. Is the technique is ready to weigh in on the fate of murderers? Nature (*with podcast!)
An Ear for Poetry: In his strikingly lyrical work, poet Frank Gallimore pays tribute to the culture in which he was raised — a culture, he fears, that may soon die out. Hopkins Magazine (CASE Gold Medal Winner)
Outlook for a Cure: There is a formidable arsenal of drugs available to treat HIV. For the first time in years, there is also renewed hope of a cure. Nature
Shaken, Not Stirred: Hagia Sophia has stood four-square in Istanbul for more than 1,500 years. In a region notorious for earthquakes, what’s keeping this venerable building standing? Nature
Markers of Dispute: The gold standard for early detection of prostate cancer, PSA, has recently come under fire for its high rate of false positives. A close look at the researchers hunting for viable—and profitable—alternatives. Nature Medicine (*with podcast!)
Fine Tuning the Theory of Mind: Rebecca Saxe, a 29-year-old cognitive science professor at MIT, has already revolutionized her field with brain imaging research on the Theory of Mind. Now she’s set her sights on finding out how social thinking is different in people with autism. SFARI
The Most Beautiful Painting You’ve Ever Heard: Inside synesthesia. Seed
Mercury Rising: Parents of autistic children are mounting a vicious campaign against scientists who refute the link between vaccines and autism. Nature Medicine
Einstein Versus the Nobel Prize: Why the Nobel Committee repeatedly dissed this “world-bluffing Jewish physicist.” Discover
Working Modeler: Sally Blower is trying to use math to map the complex patterns of infectious disease. Her models have formed the basis of several TV shows, but are they too simplistic in real life? The Scientist
