Brains Are Not Required When It Comes to Thinking and Solving Problems—Simple Cells Can Do It
Tiny clumps of cells show basic cognitive abilities, and some animals can remember things after losing their head
Stories by Rowan Jacobsen
Rowan Jacobsen is a journalist and author of several books, including Truffle Hound (Bloomsbury, 2021). He wrote about cracking the code that makes artificial proteins in Scientific American's July 2021 issue. Follow Jacobsen on X (formerly Twitter) @rowanjacobsen
Artificial Proteins Never Seen in the Natural World Are Becoming New COVID Vaccines and Medicines
Researchers have begun to crack the code of protein structure, allowing them to remake, well, everything
The World’s First Virus-Proof Cell, with Redesigned DNA, Is About to Meet the Test of Its Life
Biologists are building an organism that can shrug off any virus on the planet. Impervious human cells may be next
Rebuilt Wetlands Can Protect Shorelines Better Than Walls
Fortified wetlands can protect shorelines better than hard structures
Fragrant Genes of Extinct Flowers Have Been Brought Back to Life
The genes of Hawaiian plants, extinct for more than a century, have been brought back from the dead. Today we can smell their scents
Israel Proves the Desalination Era Is Here
One of the driest countries on Earth now makes more freshwater than it needs