Scientific American Magazine Vol 287 Issue 5

Scientific American Magazine

Volume 287, Issue 5

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Features

When Stars Collide

When two stars smash into each other, it can be a very pretty sight (as long as you¿re not too close by). These occurrences were once considered impossible, but they have turned out to be common in certain galactic neighborhoods

Michael Shara

Gladiators: A New Order of Insect: An Order is Born

Joachim Adis, Oliver Zompro, Esther Moombolah-Goagoses and Eugène Marais

Weapons of Mass Disruption

Radiological terror weapons could blow radioactive dust through cities, causing panic, boosting cancer rates and forcing costly cleanups

Michael A. Levi and Henry C. Kelly

Rules for a Complex Quantum World: Overview/Quantum Information

Michael A. Nielsen

Burning Questions

Scientists work to understand and control the plague of wildfires in the West

Douglas Gantenbein

The Long Arm of the Immune System

Dendritic cells catch invaders and tell the immune system when and how to respond. Vaccines depend on them, and scientists are even employing the cells to stir up immunity against cancer

Jacques Banchereau

Departments

Errata

Data Points: November 2002

Brief Points: November 2002

Ask the Experts: November 2002

Fuzzy Logic

Land of Fire

See the Wind

Perfect Billiards

The Universal Biosensor

Letters

Aye (Caramba) on the News

Calculus of Happiness

The Loveless Man ...

Mesmerized by Magnetism

Selling the Free Lunch

A Search for All Species

Langley Succeeding -- Edison Wrong -- Agassiz Deluded

An Ear to the Stars