| ContributorsContributors Meet some of the people featured in the July 2014 issue of The Scientist. EditorialCarnal KnowledgeBy Bob Grant Sex is an inherently fascinating aspect of life. As researchers learn more and more about it, surprises regularly emerge. Speaking of ScienceSpeaking of SexJuly 2014's selection of notable quotes Freeze FrameSpineless SexNot to be outdone by vertebrates, invertebrates employ a suite of interesting structures and behaviors to accomplish procreation. NotebookSex and DrugsBy Kerry Grens Did 20th-century pharmaceutical and technological advances shape modern sexual behaviors? The Love BugBy Jef Akst A mysterious iridovirus outbreak in a lab colony of crickets reveals the virus's ability to spur increased sexual activity. Accidental OrgasmsBy Rina Shaikh-Lesko Meet the researcher struggling to gain approval for his medical device, which was originally designed to relieve back pain, but turned out to be an orgasm inducer. A Rock and a Hard PlaceBy Bob Grant Meet the retired chemical engineer who has made quite the impression on paleoentomology by uncovering ancient secrets of insect coitus. | Critic At LargeGoing Beyond the Lab By Dean Hamer Scientists who study the biological roots of sexual orientation should continue working with educators, policy-makers, and the public to put their data to good use. To Study UnfetteredBy Michael Bailey Researching the causes of sexual orientation should be guided by scientific, not social, concerns. Modus OperandiLaser-Guided ChastityBy Ruth Williams Scientists devise a precision-targeted system for training, tracking, and tweaking fruit fly social behavior. The LiteratureSemen SaysBy Rina Shaikh-Lesko Scientists report for the first time that a snail's seminal fluid proteins can suppress the mating success of the male side of its hermaphroditic partner. Fatty PheromonesBy Rina Shaikh-Lesko A new class of pheromones, triacylglycerides, helps male fruit flies mark their mates to deter rivals. Size MattersBy Tracy Vence The disproportionately endowed carabid beetle reveals that the size of female—and not just male—genitalia influences insemination success. ProfileLet's Talk About SexBy Megan Scudellari In lieu of a career in punk rock, James Pfaus opted to study the brain signals underlying sexual behavior and then see what happened when he manipulated them. | Scientist to WatchSari van Anders: Sexy Thoughts, Sexy Data By Daniel Cossins Assistant professor, Psychology and Women's Studies, University of Michigan. Age: 36 Lab ToolsBird's-Eye ProteomicsBy Asher Mullard A guide to mass spectrometers that can handle the top-down-proteomics challenge The Sooner, The BetterBy Nicholette Zeliadt New approaches to diagnosing bacterial infections may one day allow the identification of pathogens and their antibiotic susceptibility in a matter of hours or minutes. Bio BusinessThat Loving FeelingBy Megan Scudellari There are no FDA-approved drugs to treat low sexual desire in women, but not for lack of trying. Reading FramesGeni-TalesBy Menno Schilthuizen Penises and vaginas are not just simple sperm delivery and reception organs. They have been perfected by eons of sexual conflict. Capsule ReviewsCapsule ReviewsBy Bob Grant Sex on Earth, Wild Connection, The Classification of Sex, and XL Love FoundationsImaging Intercourse, 1493By Rina Shaikh-Lesko For centuries, scientists have been trying to understand the mechanics of human intercourse. MRI technology made it possible for them to get an inside view. |
