On Oct. 1, 1971, Godfrey Hounsfield’s invention took its first pictures of a human brain, using X-rays and an ingenious algorithm to identify a woman’s tumor from outside of her skull.
Chameleons’ tails are tremendously useful as they navigate along and across branches.
Allison Luger
While we know that most chameleons have such a prehensile tail, it’s not yet clear how it works and what makes it simultaneously so flexible and strong.
Massospondylus fossils help researchers develop a full picture of this dinosaur species.
Dorling Kindersley ltd / Alamy Stock Photo/Not for re-use
This is a crucial dinosaur for palaeontologists; the variety of fossils available means researchers can study the species’ growth through its whole life span.
Through science, art and technology, we are able to reconstruct the faces of the dead based on their remains. The researcher who did this work for descendants in Sutherland explains the process.
Smoking is the biggest cause of preventable death in the U.S. A test for long-time smokers might be able to detect lung cancer earlier, thereby saving lives.
Lightspring/Shutterstock.com
Low-dose CT scans can detect lung cancer in smokers and former smokers at an early and sometimes treatable stage. Why are so few smokers and former smokers getting them?
The “Grey Skull” specimen turned out to belong to an entirely new dinosaur species and genus.
Kimberley Chapelle
The more we know about the animals that lived during this time, the more we can start to comprehend how species react and recover after an extinction event.
A male lion with a porcupine quill lodged in his cheek.
WOLF AVNI/Shutterstock
Museums’ collections are a priceless resource for scientists, but they’re not easy to access. Digitizing specimens – like the 700 bat skulls the author studied – is a way to let everyone in.
Medical imaging such as MRI can seem daunting, and perhaps even a little sci-fi.
from www.shutterstock.com
X-rays are like light rays, but they can pass through more stuff. Some of the x-ray’s energy is blocked by bone, which is why you can see bones so clearly on x-ray scans.
Epilepsy is a chronic disorder of the brain characterised by recurrent seizures.
Shutterstock
Epilepsy affects around 70 million people globally, 80% live in developing countries. A shortage of specialists, equipment and drugs complicates effective treatment and management.
Professor and Chair of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Adjunct Professor of Computer Science, Adjunct Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University