Contents
IONL Galaxy EatersASTRONOMY P.7 0 Cracking a Migration MysteryLIVING WORLD P.4 DISCOVERMAGAZINE.COM
COLUMNS & DEPARTMENTS
6 EDITOR’S NOTE
On the Brain’s Path
Grasping and repairing the neural
connections of the mind.
8 INBOX
Readers weigh in on everything
worth knowing.
18 VITAL SIGNS
Border Line
A seemingly brain-dead young man
makes a startling recovery, and a
neuroscientist tries to find out why.
BY ADRIAN OWEN
22 NOTES FROM EARTH
The Vanishing Eels
Tackling a migration mystery, scientists
are getting a grip on where these
slithery fishes call home.
BY ERIC BETZ
74 HISTORY LESSONS
The Cold War’s
Modern Resistance
Antibiotic resistance is on the verge
of causing a world health crisis. The
9 THE CRUX
Artificial wombs might one
day nurture premature babies;
scientists take funding into
their own hands; the bacteria
that surround us; renewable
energies might not be so
reliable; and more.historical divide between Soviet and
Western science might be a culprit.
BY MARC LANDAS78 PROGNOSIS
No Denying It
Have you skipped your vitamins
today? That might not be a bad
thing. BY DAN HURLEY82 20 THINGS YOU DIDN’T
KNOW ABOUT ...
Animal Domestication
Dogs and cats are popular
companions. But they’re not the
only critters we’ve converted from
wild to mild. BY GEMMA TARLACHCover image: Illustration by Bryan Christie Design NASA/ESA/Z. LEVAY AND R. VANDER MAREL (STSCI)/T. HALLAS/A. MELLINGERGalaxy Eaters p.
Cracking a Migration Mystery p.
An Insider’s Guide to Aging
and the Brain p.
Vitamin Facts You Won’t Believe p.
A Secret History Tied in Knots p.
Hackers in Your Home p.63 OUT THERE SPECIAL BONUS SECTION
As telescopes improved and more stars came into focus, astronomers
realized the scale they used to measure celestial brightness needed
a makeover. Plus, galaxies might appear stationary, but they’re
moving fast. When they collide, it’s survival of the biggest.In 3 billion years,
the Milky Way
and approaching
Andromeda galaxy
will merge. Read
about such collisions
on page 70.