Scientific American Magazine Vol 325 Issue 3

Scientific American

Volume 325, Issue 3

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Features

New Ideas about the Way Autoimmune Diseases Start and How to Stop Them

Millions suffer from ailments such as type 1 diabetes and lupus, in which the body attacks itself

World's Largest Wildlife Bridge Could Save Mountain Lions

An ambitious and popular project to connect the dangerously inbred Santa Monica mountain lions to a larger population is about to break ground

How I Was Betrayed from Within

One patient recounts her journey through a world of disabling symptoms, ineffective treatments and dismissive doctors

New Tech Can Reveal a Vast Network of Methane Leaks

But it is unclear if oil and gas companies and their regulators will respond

In Autoimmune Disease, Organs May Lure the Immune System into an Attack

New evidence indicates that target cells may play a role in their own destruction

Why Nearly 80 Percent of Autoimmune Sufferers Are Female

The effects of sex hormones, X chromosomes and different gut microbes may be parts of the answer

Targeted Treatments for Autoimmune Disease Make Progress

By aiming at specific genes or cells, researchers can boost effectiveness and reduce side effects

The Terrible Toll of 76 Autoimmune Diseases

About 80 conditions can be described as autoimmune disorders, although definitions are still changing

NASA Just Broke the 'Venus Curse': Here's What It Took

Despite the best efforts of scientists eager to study Earth’s sister world, U.S. efforts to send a dedicated spacecraft to Venus languished—until NASA made a surprising announcement

Departments

50, 100 & 150 Years Ago
50, 100 & 150 Years Ago: September 2021
From the Editor
Progress on Autoimmune Disorders, Mountain Lions and Venus
Advances
Made-Up Sounds Convey Meaning across Cultures
How Rootworms Sniff Carbon Dioxide to Devastate Corn Crops
Many Mouse Studies Happen at the Wrong Time of Day
Antibiotic-Producing Mold Announced as Official State Microbe
New Tool Shows Geology behind Kidney Stone Crystallization
Tiny Robots Could Clean Up Microplastic Pollution
Birds' Eye Size Predicts Vulnerability to Habitat Loss
Engineered Bacteria Produce a Rainbow of Colors
Misophonia Might Not Be about Hating Sounds After All
In Case You Missed It
See Bizarre Seeds and Fruits from around the Globe
See the Highest-Resolution Atomic Image Ever Captured
Letters
Readers Respond to the May 2021 Issue
Reviews
A Plot Twist for Climate Change, the Power of Occam's Razor, and Other New Books
Observatory
The Lab-Leak Theory of COVID's Origin Is Not Totally Irrational
Meter
Poem: 'sap pitch and resin'
Graphic Science
The Pandemic's Hidden Toll Is Revealed in Excess Death Counts
The Science Agenda
Fix Disaster Response Now
The Science of Health
A Vaccine against Poison Ivy Misery Is in the Works as Scientists Also Explore New Treatment Paths
Forum
Tragedy of the White Tiger