FEATURES

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN December 2007 Volume 297 Number 6

62

BIOL O GY

By Paul Davies

Are Aliens among Us?

All life on Earth is generally understood to have descended from a common ancestor. But if cells evolved independently more than once, some microbes radically different from all known organisms might still survive in extreme environments of our planet. The search is on for evidence of these strangers.

Image by Jean-Francois Podevin

54 Window on the Extreme Universe

AS TRONOM Y

54

70

By William B. Atwood, Peter F. Michelson and Steven Ritz

The GLAST satellite is about to open up an unexplored region of the electromagnetic spectrum, where dark matter and other mysteries might be seen.

70 Making Carbon Markets Work

By David G. Victor and Danny Cullenward
Limiting climate change without damaging the world economy depends on stronger and smarter market signals to regulate carbon dioxide.

EN V IRONMENT

84 78
ON THE COVER
One can only guess how different cells that evolved independently of conventional life might look or act. Artist Adam Questell has imagined an alien cell that carries its genetic material in twin nuclei.

78 Radiant Information
By Emily Harrison
State-of-the-art light microscopy from the Olympus BioScapes competition illuminates life exquisitely.

GA L L ERY

84 Diet Advice from DNA?

By Laura Hercher
Are personalized diets based on genetic tests cutting-edge science or high-tech horoscopes?

G ENE TIC S

w w w. S c i A m . c o m

20 07 SCIENTIFIC AMERIC AN, INC.

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN

MORE FEATURES 90 The Semantic Web in Action

HIS T ORY OF PH YSIC S INF ORM ATION T ECHNOL O GY

By Lee Feigenbaum, Ivan Herman, Tonya Hongsermeier, Eric Neumann and Susie Stephens
Networks that handle data more intelligently are already here.

98

98 The Many Worlds of Hugh Everett

By Peter Byrne
Whatever became of the creator of the now celebrated quantum theory of multiple universes?

106 In Boxes

CRO S SWORD

By Patrick Merrell
Challenge your knowledge of science and the past years issues of this magazine.

Cash for Carbon Dioxide

An expanded version of the article on carbon markets by David G. Victor and Danny Cullenward can be found at

www.SciAm.com/ontheweb

GO TO

.COM

How Artists Portray Exoplanets Theyve Never Seen

Planets outside our solar system are too faint to be distinguished from the stars they orbit, yet popular news accounts overow with bold, almost photorealistic images of distant worlds. To nd out how it is done, visit us at www.SciAm.com/ontheweb

8 In Focus

Sunny Outlook: Can Sunshine Provide All U.S. Electricity? Large amounts of solar-thermal electric supply may become a reality if steam storage technology works and new transmission infrastructure is built. Dont Forget: Drink a Beer or Two Daily! Study in rats suggests long-term, moderate consumption of alcohol improves recall of both visual and emotional stimuli. Plant Passion Truly Hot Male cycad plants use heat to attract and repel thrips, whose comings and goings fertilize female cycads.
COURTESY OF TIM PYLE ( planet mock-ups)

8 News

8 Podcast 8 Blog

GREG BACON STScI, NASA

God Is in Your Mind Not to put too ne a point on it, but so is everything else. Less Sleep Means More Dreams Missing sleep tonight may just boost your dreams tomorrow night.

Everything described here, plus Web-exclusive supplements to the articles in this issue, can be found at www.SciAm.com/ontheweb
WANT MORE?

8 Strange but True

Scientic American (ISSN 0036-8733), published monthly by Scientic American, Inc., 415 Madison Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017-1111. Copyright 2007 by Scientic American, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this issue may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording for public or private use, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Periodicals postage paid at New York, N.Y., and at additional mailing ofces. Canada Post International Publications Mail (Canadian Distribution) Sales Agreement No. 40012504. Canadian BN No. 127387652RT; QST No. Q1015332537. Publication Mail Agreement #40012504. Return undeliverable mail to Scientic American, P.O. Box 819, Stn Main, Markham, ON L3P 8A2. Subscription rates: one year $34.97, Canada $49 USD, International $55 USD. Postmaster: Send address changes to Scientic American, Box 3187, Harlan, Iowa 51537. Reprints available: write Reprint Department, Scientic American, Inc., 415 Madison Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017-1111; (212) 451-8877; fax: (212) 355-0408. Subscription inquiries: U.S. and Canada (800) 333-1199; other (515) 248-7684. Send e-mail to sacust@sciam.com Printed in U.S.A.

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN

20 07 SCIENTIFIC AMERIC AN, INC.

December 2007

DEPARTMENTS
12 14 20 22 24 From the Editor Letters 50, 100 & 150 Years Ago Updates

30 22

N EWS S CAN

AIDS: Can immunosuppressants ght off HIV? Decline in hormonal response to pheromones? Testing for drugs in municipal sewage. Night-vision goggles light up the night. Shock-wave engine pulses to save fuel. More virulent space bacteria. Evolution in a petri dish. Data Points: A smaller ozone hole? The 2007 Nobel Prizes.

Do more than talk about the climate.

42 46

By Jeffrey D. Sachs

Sustainable Developments Forum

SUSAN DUNCAN

40

O PINION

SciAm Perspectives

50
Negotiating Climate
Can the new Bali talks on controlling CO2 emissions do more than Kyoto did? Join the debate at www.SciAm.com/ontheweb

Small steps to big climate progress.

By Rob Dunn
Human changes to the environment are accelerating evolution.

48 49

By Michael Shermer
How science really works.

Skeptic

50

Insights
Sasquatch is just a legend, right? Maybe not, anthropologist Jeffrey Meldrum argues.

By Steve Mirsky

Anti Gravity

108 Working Knowledge

Adaptive cruise control.

Apples and squeaky cheese.

112 Reviews

Books to give, books to get.

49 114

114 Ask the Experts 116 Fact or Fiction?

How do short-term memories become long-term memories?

Is chocolate poisonous to dogs?

116
December 2007

2007 SCIENTIFIC AMERIC AN, INC.