The authors explore the complexities of applying science in forming public policy and suggest means for making more effective use of research results.

Author: Brian Baird

This exhibition celebrating superconductivity features sculptures by Etienne Krähenbühl that reveal fresh mechanical and artistic possibilities of metal alloys.

Authors: Thomas Junier, Pilar Junier

A listing of books received at Science during the week ending 19 April 2013.

A recent court case calls into question the ability to protect human subjects in research on terrorism and conflict.

Authors: Brian A. Jackson, Tora K. Bikson, Patrick P. Gunn

A switch in the type of neurotransmitter released in the brain underlies changes in mammalian behavior associated with day-night cycles. [Also see Research Article by Dulcis et al.]

Authors: Susan J. Birren, Eve Marder

Field studies show that both whales and vervet monkeys acquire feeding behaviors through social learning. [Also see Reports by 483de Waal et al. and 485Allen et al.]

Author: Frans B. M. de Waal

Carbon dioxide emissions cuts implemented today would affect the rate of future global warming immediately.

Authors: H. Damon Matthews, Susan Solomon

A class of circular RNAs that regulates microRNAs is abundant in mammalian cells.

Authors: Jeremy E. Wilusz, Phillip A. Sharp

Heating of gold nanoparticles by radio-frequency waves, which is of interest for clinical applications, can occur if the nanoparticles are made magnetic.

Authors: Hong Koo Kim, George W. Hanson, David A. Geller

Studies of melting iron at extreme temperature and pressure provide a better understanding of the temperature of Earth's core. [Also see Report by Anzellini et al.]

Author: Yingwei Fei

Root Cause Analysis, an IBI prize-winning module, requires students to use a systematic approach to analyze complex problems.

Author: Joe Immel

Observations of a pulsar confirm general relativity in the strong-field regime and reveal a perplexing stellar binary.

Authors: John Antoniadis, Paulo C. C. Freire, Norbert Wex, Thomas M. Tauris, Ryan S. Lynch, Marten H. van Kerkwijk, Michael Kramer, Cees Bassa, Vik S. Dhillon, Thomas Driebe, Jason W. T. Hessels, Victoria M. Kaspi, Vladislav I. Kondratiev, Norbert Langer, Thomas R. Marsh, Maura A. McLaughlin, Timothy T. Pennucci, Scott M. Ransom, Ingrid H. Stairs, Joeri van Leeuwen, Joris P. W. Verbiest, David G. Whelan

Switching rats from long days to short days causes neurons to change their neurotransmitters, and this changes behavior. [Also see Perspective by Birren and Marder]

Authors: Davide Dulcis, Pouya Jamshidi, Stefan Leutgeb, Nicholas C. Spitzer

Electron microscopy reveals that vaterite, a calcium carbonate polymorph, comprises at least two distinct crystal structures.

Authors: Lee Kabalah-Amitai, Boaz Mayzel, Yaron Kauffmann, Andrew N. Fitch, Leonid Bloch, Pupa U. P. A. Gilbert, Boaz Pokroy

The mechanism of a common and highly versatile molecular coupling reaction is elucidated.

Authors: B. T. Worrell, J. A. Malik, V. V. Fokin

Observations by the Cassini spacecraft provide evidence of meteoroid impacts onto Saturn’s rings.

Authors: Matthew S. Tiscareno, Colin J. Mitchell, Carl D. Murray, Daiana Di Nino, Matthew M. Hedman, Jürgen Schmidt, Joseph A. Burns, Jeffrey N. Cuzzi, Carolyn C. Porco, Kevin Beurle, Michael W. Evans

High-temperature and -pressure experiments simulate the melting behavior of metallic iron in Earth’s core. [Also see Perspective by Fei]

Authors: S. Anzellini, A. Dewaele, M. Mezouar, P. Loubeyre, G. Morard

Excavations at the Mayan city of Ceibal, Guatemala, reveal early examples of plazas and pyramids.

Authors: Takeshi Inomata, Daniela Triadan, Kazuo Aoyama, Victor Castillo, Hitoshi Yonenobu

The Parkinson’s disease factors PINK1 and Parkin interact with mitofusin 2 on damaged mitochondria.

Authors: Yun Chen, Gerald W. Dorn II