Discover 3

6 DISCOVERMAGAZINE.COM

Editor's Note ®

SCIENCE FOR THE CURIOUS

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Becky Lang

Beneath the Surface

As kids who grew up skiing in

the mountains of Montana, my

brother and I were always on

guard for those pesky and elusive

snow snakes. The little rascals

were masters at hiding beneath the

chopped-up powder, lying in wait

to snag your ski edge and knock

you off balance.

They weren’t actual snakes,

of course. But I was more than

happy to shift blame onto these

imaginary creatures that had

nabbed my metal edges and sent

me tumbling. For the daughter of

a ski racing coach, that dose of

humor helped curb the frustration

of keeping Dad’s long list of

things to do in your head as you

carved, and slid, down a run.

The fictional snow snakes were

a way for a kid to push through something difficult. In this issue,

we focus on very real, and difficult, hidden mysteries that

researchers are working to reveal.

Geneticists, biologists and anthropologists are taking different

tacks to figure out exactly who the Vikings were. Discover senior

editor Gemma Tarlach finds it’s a tricky proposition, even with

DNA evidence at hand. Contributing editor Steve Volk dives

into the quantum underpinnings of our very thoughts through

a profile of Stuart Hameroff, a controversial figure in the study

of consciousness. We also shine a light on dim galaxies that lurk

in the background of our bright universe. And famed illustrator

Ralph Steadman brings the gonzo to a collection of wild and

endangered species.

Scientists are gradually uncovering these hidden finds, blasting

right by those sneaky snow snakes.

D