Editor's Note

Science is one of those subjects that can move a little slowly for some of us in the news business. It's hard to craft a taut narrative around a couple decades' worth of research in the lab. Or a million years of evolution. Then one day, whatever's been brewing changes the world. But capturing the progress and meaning of science—whether it's about medicine, the environment, or space—and then explaining it to readers are something we've long done at U.S. News. We work to take the theoretical and make it real. Human evolution may seem like an old subject until you realize that man is continuing to evolve and perhaps more rapidly than we thought. The implications are profound, as Nancy Shute writes in her story, "Where is Human Evolution Heading?"

When did life begin? There's no small bit of scientific, political, and religious controversy attached to that question. And still no precise answer. But the quest has resulted in some very practical developments, most recently a drug that helps cure a common degenerative eye disease.

Continue reading »