“The Moon That Would Be a Planet”

Titan, Saturn’s largest natural satellite, scarcely deserves to be a called a mere moon. It has an atmosphere thicker than Earth’s and a surface that is almost as varied. The Cassini/Huygens mission has changed what we know about Titan, and the geological processes of our own planet. https://www.nature.com/scientificamerican/journal/v302/n3/pdf/scientificamerican0310-36.pdf

“War of Machines”

Robots have proliferated in the conflict in the Middle East, and these unmanned systems are doing more and more on their own. Machines that have been deployed on Earth, can they be used in other places? https://www.nature.com/scientificamerican/journal/v303/n1/pdf/scientificamerican0710-56.pdf

“Is the Universe Leaking Energy?”

Total energy must be conserved. Every student of physics learns this fundamental law. The trouble is, it does not apply to the universe as a whole. So what gives? https://www.nature.com/scientificamerican/journal/v303/n1/pdf/scientificamerican0710-38.pdf

These are sample articles from recent issues of Scientific American, a magazine covering a wide range of topics in science and technology. It is a good tool for scientists and engineers to keep current with areas outside their expertise. Most of the articles are written with very little jargon, so it is also a good resource for business people and non-specialists to learn about the latest scientific discoveries and technological developments.

The JPL Library is providing an electronic version of Scientific American via the BEACON website [https://beacon], from 1993 to present .

For more information about Scientific American online or other electronic journals, please contact the Reference Desk at ext 4-4200 or email library@jpl.nasa.gov