杏吧原创

Geography and human song: In the West, a tune often begins with a rising lilt. But music in other parts of the world seems to follow a different pattern. What might this tell us about our musical perceptions?

When males are choosy

Climate and history 鈥� the Westvikings’ saga

The neurologist of Avon: Four centuries on, the Bard’s plays show a remarkable knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the brain. How did he gain such insights into the human condition?

Bands across the water: Sailing boats spend at least eight months competing in the Whitbread Round the World Race, the sport’s fastest and most hazardous event. The telecommunications industry is using the occasion to demonstrate just how small and tame

Who’s coming to Mars?: The US, the Soviet Union and Europe are poised to explore Mars during the 1990s. But Japanese researchers are worried that their country remains uncommitted

Dreams that do what they’re told: Most of us are deceived by dreams, manipulated while asleep. It doesn’t have to be like that – lucid dreaming can put you back in control

Living of the fault line: The San Andreas fault is where the modern science of earthquake prediction began, yet quakes still surprise Californians. Last October’s earthquake encouraged geologists who are finding clues to the next Big One in the landscape

Sing a song of megabytes: The music industry is hijacking technology designed for computers to herald the advent of the tapeless recording studio – and more electronic manipulation of sound

Balancing the carbon budget

Are we missing the grass for the trees?: Amazonian rainforest going up in smoke has become a powerful image of environmental destruction and the growing threat from the greenhouse effect. Tropical grasslands have been almost totally ignored

Embryo research and genetic disease: By studying mice, scientists have found ways of detecting specific gene defects in very early embryos. Could such diagnosis be offered to people who risk passing on a severe genetic disease to their children?

Follow that fin – the technology of tailing fish

Earth

Time and tide wait for no plaice