Magazine
November-December 2004
November-December 2004
Volume: 92 Number: 6
Plant perfumes such as roses, cut grass or cloves are instantly recognizable and, for most people, quite pleasant. But for the plants themselves, scents are a serious business, playing critical roles in reproduction and defense: Flowers use odor to attract specific pollinators, and many plant species synthesize pungent, toxic compounds to discourage herbivores. Some plants, including the tobacco, Nicotiana tabacum, on the cover, even use fragrance to round up a squad of lethal wasps to retaliate against hungry caterpillars, such as the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta. The herbivore's saliva triggers the release of a chemical distress call that is perceived by parasitoid wasps, including members of the genus Cotesia, which lay their eggs inside the doomed caterpillar. Later, the eggs will hatch into dozens of larvae that devour their host. In "Plant Scents," Eran Pichersky describes the formation and function of these useful odors. (Illustration by Emma Skurnick.)
In This Issue
- Art
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Communications
- Computer
- Engineering
- Environment
- Ethics
- Evolution
- Physics
- Policy
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Technology
The Decline of the Blue Crab
Richard Lee, Marc Frischer
Environment
Changing weather patterns and a suffocating parasite may have reduced the numbers of this species along the Eastern seaboard
Relative Pitch and the Song of Black-Capped Chickadees
Ron Weisman, Laurene Ratcliffe
Biology Evolution
Chickadees, like people, have a strong sense of relative pitch. These birds use skillful, precise pitch changes to advertise their quality and attract mates
Heavy-Metal Nuclear Power
Eric Loewen
Engineering Physics Technology
Could an unconventional coolant enable reactors to burn radioactive waste and produce both electric power and hydrogen?
The Puzzling Origins of AIDS
Jim Moore
Biology Environment Evolution
Although no one explanation has been universally accepted, four rival theories provide some important lessons
