How to Measure Molecules

A 19th-century physicist, Lord Rayleigh, was the first to experimentally measure the size of individual molecules. He did it using little more than oil, water, and a back-of-the-envelope calculation.

How to Measure Molecules

A 19th-century physicist, Lord Rayleigh, was the first to experimentally measure the size of individual molecules. He did it using little more than oil, water, and a back-of-the-envelope calculation.

Mitochondria Are Alive

The physical world is an intricate dance between matter, information, and energy. Recognizing that mitochondria are alive will open new horizons into how we learn about, and build with, biology.

Levers for Biological Progress

Thoughts on Dario Amodei’s “Machines of Loving Grace.”

The Long Road to End Tuberculosis

The vaccine and antibiotics available to treat tuberculosis have curbed cases, but more innovations are needed to halt its spread and counteract drug resistance.

The Forgotten Pandemic

Humans have suffered from tuberculosis for thousands of years and, even today, the disease kills more than 1 million people each year. Yet diagnosing cases remains a challenge. Why?

A Defense of Peer Review

Why scientists should strengthen, rather than replace, the peer review system.