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Discusses the origin of modern paper clips. History of paper clips; Types of paper clips; Functionality of each type; Patents applied for different types of paper clips.

The author talks about his works of carved paper sculptures that combine Romantic art and science. He mentions how he intends his sculptures to reference science and scientific imagery as well as assert the importance of his imagination and creativity, his sculpture "Kernel" that was inspired by chestnut husks, influenza virus and the internal structure of organs, and his sculpture "Cut Microbe" that was inspired by the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of the bacterium Escherichia coli.

Focuses on the style of folding newspapers. Differences in the style of folding daily newspapers; Thickness of Monday and Saturday newspapers; Instructions on how to fold newspapers.

In article, the author highlights the research community's concern about the detrimental effects of overusing citation metrics. Topics include the competitive academic workplace which measures quantitatively through metrics; the number of research papers published and citations of papers, H-index, which measures the research productivity and significance; and Sigma Xi the Scientific Research Society's focus on research ventures and the overall health of the research enterprise.

The article discusses the role that necessity played in the invention of paperweights from the late 19th century through the 1950s in the U.S., including the electrical engineer Charles P. Steinmetz's use of ad-hoc paperweights throughout his career. An overview of various items used to hold down paper, including rounded stones and horseshoes, is provided.

The author reflects on the topics he's written about in the 25 years of writing for the journal. He states that nearly half of his articles focus either on bridges or on common and the design of often small items found in everyday life. He mentions how his father got him interested in design and engineering by his fascinating on details on where containers came from. He talks about his fascinating with bridges which started when writing his book "To Engineer is Human."

The article discusses calculation of pi (π) in the 1850s by British amateur mathematician William Shanks. According to the author, Shanks made a series of mistakes during his 707-digit computation of π, beginning at decimal place 530, that tainted the rest of his work. Topics include the author's use of forensic mathematics to retrace Shank's steps using mathematician John Machin's arctan series formula, brief biographical information about Shanks, and where Shanks went wrong.

Describes the technology of delivering newspapers. Way of carrying a newspaper; Explanations for the origin of the folded newspaper; Solution to the problem of folding newspapers.

The article deals with the achievements of editor Rosalind Reid and the paper used in the magazine. Reid is on sabbatical with the Initiative in Innovative Computing at Harvard University until May 2008. Besides being a major honor to Ros, the fellowship casts a warm glow on the magazine and is a source of pride for Sigma Xi. Ros will continue to work with Felice Frankel to produce "Sightings," and she is hoping to invite and edit a few articles. Meanwhile, practical solutions for printing the magazine on recycled paper have eluded the editors. However, the barrier has been built of a varying mix of price, quality and the environmental realities of the processes for removing ink from paper.

Focuses on the issue of patents in scientific artifacts. Information on the book 'The Evolution of Technology,' by George Basalla; Discussion on the artifactural antecedent of the paper clip; Insight on the paperclip design of Gem Ltd.

This article explores the question of whether artificial intelligence (AI) should be considered a coauthor of scientific papers. It provides a historical overview of AI, from its early beginnings to its current capabilities. The author argues that while AI can generate text, it lacks the ability to make new discoveries or truly understand concepts. The article also raises ethical concerns about the accuracy and truthfulness of AI-generated content. It concludes that while AI can assist in research, the responsibility for its use lies with human researchers, as AI tools are not yet capable of taking ethical responsibility for the research. [Extracted from the article]

Charles Henry Turner, an African American scientist, conducted groundbreaking research on animal behavior in the early 20th century. Despite facing racial prejudice and being unable to secure an academic position, Turner published over 70 papers and made significant contributions to the field. His research challenged the prevailing belief that insects were mere automatons, and he studied a wide range of animals and plants. Turner's work demonstrated his insight and prescience in the behavioral sciences, although he remains under-acknowledged in the scientific and civil rights communities. Efforts are being made to bring wider recognition to his accomplishments, including a petition for a commemorative stamp in his honor. [Extracted from the article]

An erratum has been issued for an article titled "Deconstructing DNA Beyond the Helix" by Caryn Babaian in the journal American Scientist. The correction clarifies a paragraph on page 97, stating that the fibers were positioned in a parallel arrangement and suspended from a paper clip in the pathway of emitted x-rays under controlled humidity. The x-rays interacted with the DNA strands, resulting in a uniform pattern of lines that created the well-known X shape. The correction has been made to the online version of the article. [Extracted from the article]

The article lists the online publication of several papers which present solutions to various aspects of the energy crisis, located at http://energy.sigmaxi.org. Papers include "Renewable and Sustainable Production of Practicable Fuel," by J. A. Van Vechten, "Technology to Reduce Energy Demand in Steel Plants," by Saurabh H. Mehta, and "Potential Applications of Hydrogen Generation From Cheap Forms of Aluminum Reacting With Water," by Solomon Zaromb and Joseph R. Stetter.

Ken Krimstein's graphic narrative, "Einstein in Kafkaland: How Albert Fell Down the Rabbit Hole and Came Up with the Universe," explores the year 1911-1912 when both Albert Einstein and Franz Kafka lived in Prague. The book combines fact and fiction, drawing from diaries, lectures, letters, and papers from that period. Krimstein highlights the convergence of Einstein and Kafka's paths, showing how their lives and work were more similar than they seemed. The narrative also delves into Einstein's struggles with solving gravity and his personal life, including his desire to buy a custom-tailored military uniform for his wife. [Extracted from the article]

FEATURE ARTICLES Otto Schott had dreams of discovering new things in the tidy and clean space of a chemical laboratory. After his graduate studies, Schott went on to work in a glass factory, publishing papers on the melting of glass, the strengthening of glass, and the chemical elements in glass. These actions were out of view for most Americans, including scientists, who used Pyrex glasses to find the causes for diseases in glass petri dishes, and developed drugs to fight them in glass test tubes. The Elements of Laboratory Glass Schott sent glass samples to Abbe, but they did not have the optical properties that Abbe desired. [Extracted from the article]

This article from American Scientist explores various aspects of equity and inequality. It discusses the lasting effects of racist housing practices in the United States, which have resulted in neighborhoods with higher percentages of green spaces. The article also highlights the inequitable access to education and scientific research faced by individuals from marginalized communities, particularly in the UK and Africa. Additionally, it examines the ethical considerations surrounding the treatment of human remains and the question of whether artificial intelligence should be credited as coauthors in scientific papers. The article encourages readers to reflect on how equity influences their own research decisions and practices. [Extracted from the article]

Focuses on the photograph developed by British artists Heather Ackroyd and Dan Harvey on a grass lawn instead of a photographic paper. Similarities of the grass with photographic paper; Role of genetic engineers from the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research in Aberystwyth, Wales in the grass used in the photograph; Award won by the photograph.

The article discusses issues concerning collaborative authorship among scientists. When two collaborators are in professional or personal conflict, usually one leaves the other's name off a paper, which happens in both domestic or international collaborations. On the other hand, the ghost authorship arrangement happens when one author agrees to have his name left off a publication in exchange for some other form of compensation. In the case of a researcher's name appearing on a paper without his knowledge, it is called surprise authorship. The difference in motivations between honorary authorship and gift authorship is also analyzed.

The article discusses recreational computing. The author mentions how Martin Gardner, an amateur mathematician, puzzler, professional magician and author who was recognized as the father of recreational mathemarics, inspired him to demonstrate how computation can also be used for recreational purposes. One example of recreational computer science explored by the author was based on magician Harry Houdini's book "Paper Magic," wherein a standard sheet of paper is folded, cut along a straight line and unfolded to obtain a perfect five-pointed star. Other tricks based on computer science are mentioned, including coin sliding and coin flipping.

The article features knotting, tying and tagging products by U.S. inventors. Ross Gast, an employee of Germain's Seed and Plant Company, thought of using paper-covered wire to hold up plants and to bundle products, a method currently used for holding together bunches of broccoli in the supermarkets. This method has been used as a substitute to raffia. A machine invented by Walter Schindler fed parallel strands of copper wire through an asphalt bath that coated the strands before they were placed between two sheets of asphalt-coated paper. A cord devised by David McHenry to hold together cable and electronic components is also featured.

Discusses the library and archive preservation of books and other paper-based records. Effect of temperatures on library and archive collections in tropical countries; History of the papermaking process; Development of sulfite and sulfate processes; Manufacturing of paper from groundwork pulp; Aging procedure for comparing the longevity of paper samples; William Barrow's application of the deacidification process to the restoration of documents and books.

This article analyzes a 1905 theoretical paper on the photoelectric effect, by Albert Einstein, to prove that science and stories are not only compatible, but also inseparable. The photoelectric paper is modestly entitled, On a Heuristic Point of View Concerning the Production and Transformation of Light. Einstein begins by stating the problem posed by the quantum hypothesis: He defines the resonators as bound electrons and takes us, with characteristic clarity, made possible by five years of experience with quanta, through Planck's derivation. He develops the characters in his tale--the radiation, Planck, his resonators, classical electromagnetic theory. Then Einstein does something new. He sets out to derive Planck's radiation law without any assumptions about how light is generated. By assigning an entropy to the light and relating that entropy to the density of the radiation. Einstein proves that the entropy of the light in the black body varies with volume just the way that entropy varies with volume for that standby of freshman chemistry, the ideal gas. All theories tell a story. They have a beginning, in which people and ideas, models, molecules and governing equations take the stage. Their roles are defined; there is a puzzle to solve. Einstein sets his characters into motion to ingeniously, using entropy to tease out the parallels between moving molecules and the energy of light. The story develops; there are consequences of Einstein's approach. And at the end, his view of light as quantized and particular confronts the reality of the heretofore unexplained photoelectric effect, The postscripted future, of all else that can be understood and all new things that can be made, is implicit.

The article discusses a neuroscientist-artist whose inspiration is drawn from materials and techniques of Asian scroll painting to visualize the complex neural circuitry of the brain. Topics include the author's experimentation of merging microscopic imagery with Asian scroll painting, his painting techniques of blowing ink across paper to recreate dendritic forms and microetching, and his quest to depict the brain's complexity by adding reflective dimensions.

The article discusses the application of the principles of folding paper to the construction of machines of millimeter size (meso-scale). Topics include the change in the effects of forces with scale and associated engineering issues, the microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) building processes and self-folding technology, and inspiration from origami and pop-up books.

The article discusses the recipients of the scientific research society Sigma Xi's People's Choice award, including high school student Maryam Imran for her paper "The Antibacterial Effects of Carrots, Garlic, Kale, and Broccoli on Escherichia coli," undergraduate Talia Borofsky for her paper "“Hive Minded: Like Neurons, Honeybees Collectively Integrate Stop Signals to Regulate Forager Recruitment" and graduate student Rachel Shoop for her paper "Evolution of North American Micruracarus Water Mites."

The article stresses the need for editors and reviewers at scientific publications to enforce ethical standards when evaluating scientific papers submitted for publication. The peer review system was developed in 1700s by the editors of the "Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London" to maintain the quality of the publication and the improved due to increased specialization and government support for research. Peer review has two functions, one of which is to help authors improve their manuscripts. Noted is the possibility that reviewers will abuse their positions to plagiarize a submitted manuscript and breach confidentiality.

The article discusses the book "On the Origin of Species," by Charles Darwin. The author suggests that while it may not be structured as a journal paper, "On the Origin of Species" followed the classical rules of rhetoric. A brief historical overview of Darwin's book, which was published in 1859, is presented which includes several alternate titles. Also discussed is why "On the Origin" is unlike most scientific books of its time, such as Darwin's use of the rhetorical method, a history of the science of rhetoric, and the patterns of arguments Darwin uses with "On the Origin," such as the establishment of a key premise. Darwin's use of the vera causa model to explain natural selection is also presented.

The article discusses paleontology and its unpredictable nature, while focusing on hominins and the reported discovery of Ardi, a female specimen of Ardipithecus ramidus unearthed in Ethiopia. The research team of paleoanthropologists included Berhane Asfaw, Yonas Beyene, Giday Woldegabriel, and others said to have drawn inspiration from the late J. Desmond Clark. The first research paper on this line of hominins used the name Australopithecus ramidus. Also noted is the so-called Taung baby found in South Africa in 1925, named Australopithecus by paleontologist Raymond Dart, because of the deceptively small size of its brain cavity or endocast.

This article discusses the significance that changes in the presentation of data can have for scientific analysis. A chart by the graphic designer WIll Burtin to compare the effectiveness of antibiotics against different strains of bacteria is described. A reconceptualization of this chart by Brian Schmotzer that communicates several anomalies in the data organized by Burtin is noted. Similar issues dealt with in a map designed by the graphic designer Jacques Burtin are noted. The authors encourage changes to the design of graphs and charts. Reliance on tabulated data presentations in scientific research papers is discouraged.

This article discusses the 50th anniversary of the paper "Studies of Nonlinear Problems: 1" by the mathematicians Enrico Fermi, John Pasta, and Stanislaw Ulam. The central problem developed in this work, referred to as the FPU problem after the initials of its authors, is described. The question posed by the FPU problem is why it is possible to model a collision between two objects backward and forward, but collisions between many objects are not amenable to similar backward and forward modeling. The calculations developed for these problems with the mathematical numerical integrator and computer are described. The application of these findings to the study of atomic lattices in solid state physics is described.

The article discusses the potential of saliva to diagnose diseases. Saliva is mostly water, but it also contains protein molecules that lubricate our wagging tongues, inhibit the growth of bacteria, prevent excessive swings in pH and begin the process of digestion. One of the most important reasons for developing saliva-based diagnostic tests is a matter of simple economics. The author and his research team have worked to identify salivary biomarkers for several other diseases. Most recently, they published a paper on a group of 26 RNA biomarkers that characterize Sjögren's syndrome, which primarily affects the salivary glands and tear ducts but can also cause symptoms in many other tissues.

The article highlights a research on honeybee aggression by Clare Rittschof of the University of Kentucky. Topics include experiment of a low-aggression hive and a high-aggression beehive and their responses when a paper with a standard amount of alarm pheromone is placed at their entrance; the results which showed that bees that tend not to sting show a molecular profile associated with infection and stress; and aggressive social interactions activate the same molecular responses in honeybees.

Discusses the origin of matter in the formation of the universe. Ideas on matter creation proposed by Russian dissident physicist Andrei Sakharov in 1967; Ingredients necessary for the creation of a baryon asymmetry; Conditions for the occurrence of baryogenesis, according to Sakharov and scientist Vadim Kuzmin in their research papers.